Airfare 101: The Best Time To Buy Airline Tickets

England's Observer newspaper has reported findings of a study by 2 renowned economists- Makoto Watanabe and Marc Moller. They have actually developed a mathematical formulae to derive their findings as part of their research into airline pricing. Now the exciting part. According to their research, the optimum time to buy an airline ticket in advance is 8 weeks out. They have also discovered that prices rise in the afternoon which they believe is due to the airlines' assumption that business travellers buy at work in the morning. From my 25+ years of travel industry experience, I can also add that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are also the best days to both buy airfares and to travel at the best price. So, buy as soon as you can and buy on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning. Got it? Airfare 101.

Travel Bucket List: Dubai

Dubai has it all. The World's tallest building; an indoor ski hill inside a mall and the Burj Al Arab Hotel- the world's only 7 star hotel. My wife and I stayed in a 2 bedroom suite- 3,600 sq. ft. and valued at $5,500 USD per night. The butler is included (to make drinks, draw a bath in your jacuzzi, press the elevator button, etc.) But breakfast is not- $200 USD for 2. Still, it is a hotel and trip to put on your "bucket list". After you have seen "new" Dubai, you need to get over to the Dubai Creek area and see "old" Dubai- simple local restaurants, markets, and the people. Definitely worth the trip and out of the ordinary.

Airline Fees- It's Your Choice!

Airline fees have grown both in number and in dollar volume over the past number of years. They are literally worth millions, and in some cases, billions to major airlines. They can make an airline profitable or not. (A little known fact- Air Canada was the first major airline in North America to start charging fees back when they "unbundled" and reduced their number of fares to only 5 in the late 90's. Ironically there are once again many different fares and sources for airfares). The rationale for fees is simple-user pay and pay only for what you want. Airlines state that fares would be that much higher if they didn't charge fees. The airline fee list includes: check-in bags, extra bags, extra leg room, meals, pillows, frequent flier points, preferred check-in, airline lounges, advanced seat selection, change fees, travel assistance. Something might have been left off and the list is undoubtedly growing as I type! Anyway, fees are not going away and the time has come to move on. Get the services that you want and need to enhance your travel experience. Leave the others alone!

The Need for Business Class

Economy class is cheaper than Business Class but at what cost to the employee? A new study presented at the Business Travel Market in London confirms that there is a negative impact on colleagues who travel on the cheap. Travel is a demanding sport particularly when you are travelling overseas. A long flight coupled with a significant time difference makes for a trying few days in a foreign land. Having your head hit the conference table because you are overly tired and jet lagged is not good! Business Class lets you relax, work, sleep properly and have a nice meal. A taxi is like business class compared to lugging bags through a subway/tube turnstile. I always use an extra hotel night the day before a meeting to get well rested and in sync with the local time and surroundings. A good hotel helps to make you feel comfortable (like the Flemings Mayfair London in this picture). A business trip is an investment in money, time and the traveler. Travelers need to feel good and at the top of their game for the investment to pay off and the trip to be successful!

Air Travel of the Future

The see through and transparent plane- coming to a runway near you by 2050! If you have a fear of flying, you better get over it. See for yourself:

Holy Volcano- again!

It seemed like April 2010 all over again when another Iceland Volcano blew its' top this past week. Panic set in for many travelling in Europe. Last year, airspace was shotdown for 5 days- this time it looked like deja vu all over again! During the past year, millions of displaced travelers spent fruitless hours on hold with airline call centers endeavouring to find their way back home. Millions of others, who had booked their reservations through travel agents, were rebooked in a timely manner. Travel agents, most of whom are paid nothing by the airlines for their efforts, worked around the clock to assist their customers. A form of travel insurance and a simple time saving relationship that pays off big time when the world seems like it is coming to an end!

The Most Common Travel Complaints

Airlines top the list of complaint sources. Most travelers are frustrated by cancellations, changes, and flight delays and the lack of communication and advanced warning of same. Travelers are not happy with leg room and the size of seats in economy class. Travel suppliers in general, and airlines in particular, are great at adding extra or ancillary charges. Fees for bags, seat selection, food, drinks, credit card surcharges and more. Tour operators usually charge extra for single travelers. Many hotels charge for Internet access. What to do? Complain! Complain to the employee you are speaking; if possible complain to management on duty; and then send an e-mail or letter to corporate headquarters.

An unclean hotel room is unacceptable. An in-flight smelly toilet is not good enough. The list goes on but too many paying customers just put up with it. Don't. Ask for a different hotel room. Tell the airline counter agent that the airline needs more food choice on board. It really doesn't take many voices and negative opinions to get things fixed and changed (especially in the sensitive travel business).