MARK ANDERSON MINISTRIES

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From the Desk of Mark Anderson

Dear Missionaries, Pastors & Leaders

Greetings! Here are some pointers to help with booking wholesale fares.   We have worked for hundreds of missionaries looking for wholesale rates when flying overseas. Over 95% of our clients are missionaries. I felt led to put out a Pointer News Letter to help each client, answering some common questions and enable you to get the most for your dollar when flying. Here are some pointers to help you with future trips.

#1 – In the travel industry there are three seasons; High, Shoulder and Low season. Obviously fares are at the peak during high season. For most airlines June 1st to the beginning of September and December 15th – January 7th are High season. During shoulder and low season prices are lower and easier to book because of availability.

#2 – If travel is scheduled for high season the earlier you book the better. During high season prices and availability are determined by classes of service. Airlines normally release a certain number of seats in one class of service. Once that class is full then it goes to the next class of service. There can be as many as 4 or 5 classes of service in economy alone. Once the lowest class of service is completely booked prices can increase by $50 to $400 depending on what class of service is available and the time of year.

#3 – Some clients look for the lowest possible price no matter what! In such a case there are certain things you need to keep in mind. The lowest price does not mean quality. Some airlines we have worked with while offering low prices lack in other areas as well. They do not offer dependable service, often run behind schedule, lack integrity, proper safety measures or poor routing to the final destination. Sometimes it is worth paying $100 more to get the service you need.

#4 – An advantage of flying with a major recognized airlines is that you get frequent flyer miles. (A few foreign carriers do not give frequent flyer miles on wholesale tickets anymore.) One advantage of flying repeatedly with a certain airline or its partner is that you can obtain a VIP status with them.

My own personal example is that I fly mostly with Delta and it’s partners. I take all my miles on Delta, which has given me elite status with them. Now on every trip I get double miles credited to my account. I am also upgraded to first class on many flights with Delta. As I have so many miles with Delta I often fly free within the USA and Central America using my miles, only paying a small service fee and the taxes. I highly recommend sticking with one airline or it’s partners.

#5 – There is a difference between booking a flight and ticketing a flight. Basically when you BOOK all you are doing is reserving a seat before that class of service is sold out. You do not have to pay for it at that time. (However groups, that is 10 people or more need to pay a small deposit in some cases). Once you book seats, depending on the airline you will have anywhere from 3 days to two weeks to pay or ticket it in most cases. Some foreign carriers hold seats up to two months or longer after they are booked before you have to ticket.

One thing you need to keep in mind is that if you have only booked a flight and the fare changes, such as fuel surcharges and taxes you will have to pay the increased price as your price is not locked in until you actually ticket a flight. TICKETING is when you pay for the flight you booked.

#6 - For domestic travel and travel to Central America I recommend checking online first as most wholesale rates are the same or more. We can however save you money if you are traveling with a group. At such times I deal directly with the airline group department.

#7 – If you are traveling with a group of 10 or more, often I can negotiate directly with a specific airline group department. In these cases very often airlines compete to give the lowest fare possible to get our business, which in turn benefits you.

#8 - For children under 11 years we can obtain fares that are ¾’s the base fare of an adult ticket.

#9 – To avoid missing a flight or having difficulties, it is always good to double check your flight schedule a few days before leaving. Airlines frequently change flight numbers and departure times.

We do not do any domestic fare quotes!