Be very careful when you are
booking cheap flight tickets from a travel agent. You need to be
aware that the travel agent is also trying to get the
maximum profit from every sale they process. In some cases they are only
working on small profit margins so would not go into an
in depth search for the flight and the price that you
want if the profit margin is minor. Due to the profit
margin problem the travel agents will normally work from a three price
structure.The
first flight price they will probably put your
way would be the ‘test’ price. This price will
return the maximum profit for the travel agent
and will be a simple ‘test’ of your resolve to
accept the available flight seat or go and look
elsewhere. This is where mind games come into
play and the agent will probably try and do
another search only to bring back the same
results for booking cheap flight tickets. If you stick to your
budget and inform the agent that the price is just too
high then rather you take your business elsewhere they
will do a little more searching for you which will bring
up the second price structure.
The second price
structure would be the ‘average’ price for the seat you
want. The profit margin will have been reduced for the
agent but they will gladly take your money as opposed to
losing business no matter how small it is. The average
price for the seat you may know already if you have been
doing some research on the same flight with different
agents.
The third price structure
is the one you have been searching for along which is
the ‘lowest’ price the agent can do business with you
for minimal profit for them but a big discount for you
when you are booking cheap flight tickets. You really need to be hard
faced when you do business in this manner. Many people
will just accept the test price is the lowest price but
nothing could be further from the truth. Never accept the first
price they give you. If you are determined enough then
it often pays to play the ‘first one to blink’ game with
the travel agents. You never know, you may get to like
it!
