Book and pay – This generally is not a term invented in the travel trade to try and get clients to book and pay as a sales technique. This is enforced by the airlines themselves. I do say generally as yes some agents do this to force a sale, however there is generally no way in saying. You see when you book for example Cathay Pacific within 7 days of departure if you do not issue the tciket the same day they cancel the booking. Seriously! There are numerous other airlines that do this, it can depend on the airline, time before departure and the fare level. So when an agent says this take them seriously as there generally is no way in knowing and yes the airlines are that ruthless.
While on this point – quotes – take these seriously – if an agent gives you a quote and says the fare and booking is valid for 24 hrs then it really is. With some airlines the taxes can change daily! This effects the final price that you will pay. Also different fare levels and different airlines have different rules on when you need to puchase the ticket by and how long the fare is valid for.
Why is this I hear the questions – well it is to keep the integrity of the flight inventory. Further to say that in the past agents would make bookings that would never turn into a sale and often forget to cancel – end result is the airline flying with empty seats – costly undertaking. With the airlines increasing efficiency and tightening their belts – the whole sales and ticketing process is far more controlled.
How? Sure good question – all electronically – there is a robot that scans and checks bookings, when they were made, if they are ticketed, the fare level of the booking and when the booking should have been ticketed by. If it fails any of these checks then it is canceled. – yes seriously this happens, these robots are so clever they even pick up if you are booked with another agency – if this happens they tend to cancel both bookings – Duplicate bookings – also know as a Dupe Booking.
So please agents – have integrity with your clients and advise them correctly, and clients out there please listen to your agent and when they say the booking is book and pay listen to them.
