| Airfare Consolidators have been saving | | | | company offering travel products and |
| Travelers hundreds of dollars on airline | | | | services, ticket distribution and |
| tickets for years. The big question for | | | | settlement through a variety of channels |
| most consumers is: "Where do you find | | | | in the United States, Puerto Rico and |
| these Consolidated Airfares?" | | | | the U.S. Virgin Islands. |
| You guessed it, your Travel Agent. More | | | | 2) Or, Is your Agent a member of THE |
| and more travel agencies are developing | | | | INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES TRAVEL AGENT |
| a relationship with Consolidators. It | | | | NETWORK? IATAN's mission is to promote |
| is up to you to locate a trusting Agency | | | | professionalism, administer meaningful |
| that will purchase these tickets for you | | | | and impartial business standards, and to |
| without adding a huge markup. These | | | | provide cost-effective products, |
| fares are called "unpublished airfares" | | | | services and educational programs that |
| and not all travel agencies provide | | | | benefit the travel industry |
| these types of tickets to their clients. | | | | 3) Or, does your Agent have a "TRUE" |
| The Consolidated airfares change from | | | | Identification? TRUE (Travel Retailer |
| minute to minute and are based upon | | | | Universal Enumeration) System's sole |
| demand. It's like an "Airfare Stock | | | | purpose is to help provide sellers of |
| Market" | | | | travel with the assignment of travel |
| Very few companies take the time to up | | | | industry numeric codes that are |
| date the Consolidated Airfares online | | | | recognized by the travel supplier |
| through out the day. It's just too time | | | | community, including cruise lines, tour |
| consuming. So when clients need a | | | | operators, hoteliers, and car rental |
| ticket, the Travel Agency calls the | | | | companies. |
| Consolidators, gets the rate directly | | | | 4) As of the date of this article, if |
| from the wholesaler (in many cases they | | | | you live in California, Florida, Hawaii, |
| are the wholesaler) and relay the | | | | Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, |
| information to the Travel Agent. The | | | | Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New |
| Travel Agent then relays the information | | | | York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, |
| to the consumer. Any delay in the | | | | Virginia or Washington, your Agent would |
| purchase results in a lost of the | | | | need to be registered with the State's |
| airfare at the quoted price. This | | | | Attorney General's office as a Seller of |
| process can take a half a day to | | | | Travel. |
| complete. Most consumers want their | | | | 5) And/Or is a member of OSSN, (Outside |
| Tickets NOW. When dealing with | | | | Sales Support Network) The International |
| Consolidated Airfares, patients is a | | | | Association for Independent contractors |
| virtue. | | | | and Home Based Travel Agents |
| Of course you want to locate a Travel | | | | The highest standards in the Industry |
| Agent that you can trust. The | | | | for consolidators are set by the United |
| credentials that you would look for when | | | | States Air Consolidators Association. |
| searching for a reputable Travel Agent | | | | (USACA) However, many of the |
| are: | | | | Consolidators only sale to Certified |
| 1) Does the Agent have an ARC Number? | | | | Travel Agents with any of the |
| ARC stands for the Airlines Reporting | | | | qualifications listed above. |
| Corporation - This is an airline-owned | | | | |