| IATA (International Air Transport | | | | paying by credit card. You will have to be |
| Association) conducts all international | | | | careful in selecting your package depending |
| flights and almost all international airlines | | | | on all these factors and other |
| (94%) operate under this association. The | | | | considerations. All requests made through |
| pricing structure and all other decisions | | | | e-mail are answered within 24 hours. Remember |
| associated with an international flight are | | | | that the tickets sold by consolidators are |
| made by the IATA. They do not normally give | | | | sometimes restricted. This means that if you |
| permission to international airlines to lower | | | | want to change your travel plans you will be |
| their rates if other airlines are offering | | | | given a penalty because they have to book |
| regular airfares. However, they do sometimes | | | | flights in order to give all passengers the |
| allow consolidators to buy airline tickets in | | | | quoted price. Regular airfares allow you to |
| bulk at low price and sell them off to | | | | travel more flexibly because they allow you |
| travelers. | | | | to change your travel plans anytime. Of |
| | | | course, in the latter case you have to pay |
| If you are searching for cheap airfares | | | | more. |
| online, you will come across many websites | | | | |
| offering national as well as international | | | | If you cant find an international flight on |
| packages. These sites are composed of Mega | | | | any of these websites, you can call a travel |
| Online agencies and B&M Travel agencies. | | | | expert and ask for advice. Sometimes airline |
| Other sites are composed of travel | | | | names are not mentioned on consolidator |
| consolidators who specialize in providing the | | | | websites. They will e-mail you all the |
| best possible deals to their customers. You | | | | details once you have purchased their |
| will find out that these sites have different | | | | package. This does not mean that their system |
| international policies because of the fact | | | | is faulty; they have contracts with airlines |
| that international airfares are mainly | | | | which state that they cannot mention the |
| handled by the IATA. | | | | airline names publicly. Mostly these airlines |
| | | | are the most popular international airlines |
| Airline Consolidator is a place where you | | | | of a country. Booking online sometimes help |
| will be able to find cheap international and | | | | to save up to 40% of already cheap airfare. |
| domestic flights to many locations across the | | | | Sometimes you are not given a physical |
| globe. Whether you are flying to Asia, | | | | ticket; instead you will be receiving an |
| Europe, Indian sub-continent or Africa, you | | | | e-ticket or a confirmation number and some |
| will be able to locate an inexpensive flight | | | | other details that you will be able to use at |
| and save up to 70% of your airfare. If you | | | | the airport to get into the plane. |
| buy tickets directly from airlines, they will | | | | |
| also tell you that this is the lowest | | | | When you are buying international tickets |
| possible rate any airline can offer. However, | | | | from consolidators, it is your own |
| searching on these online resources you will | | | | responsibility to ensure that all your travel |
| find still cheaper airfares. Fareline | | | | documents (passports and visas) are complete |
| International is another popular name under | | | | and legal. Read all instructions and company |
| this category. They specialize in selling | | | | policies before buying your tickets or |
| international airfares to Europe and Asia. | | | | packages. They will not be responsible for |
| | | | any mishaps or loss of tickets once you have |
| While purchasing online it is recommended | | | | received your tickets. You will have to buy |
| that you ask for the total cost of a ticket. | | | | another package in such a case. Being careful |
| Sometimes they list only the airfare | | | | in all these matters will help you travel |
| exclusive of hidden charges. Some companies | | | | wisely and without any major difficulty, and |
| do not have additional charges if someone is | | | | most of all travel affordably. |