Last minute traveling made simple

It’s strange how fast the travel industry changes. Go back twenty years and the really cheap way to fly when time was not a problem was the so-called standby ticket. The theory was very simple. If an airline flies with empty seats, it loses money. So, if after loading up the plane with regular passengers, it still has empty seats, the airline should sell them at a discount price to anyone waiting at the airport. This led to big queues at some airports where students and other budget travelers would turn up with cash in their pockets and get on a plane to wherever whenever a seat fell vacant. Some of the deals available were highly attractive. But it has died out for two reasons. The airlines could not plan their fuel loads with any accuracy forcing them to offload or add fuel when passengers were on the plane. The second reason was a scam. Travelers would buy several regular tickets, join the queue early and then cancel the flight reservations an hour or so before departure time. This usually got them on to the plane at discounted prices. The regular tickets were then surrendered for cash. Since abandoning this system, overbooking errors have been significantly reduced. Airlines do occasionally run special offers, say for those who turn up on Christmas Day when planes can fly empty. It is worth looking out for these deals if you have no other plans for the day.

There is, however, a need for last minute flights. Unfortunate family tragedies can make a flight necessary or it can be an unexpected opportunity. Plans can change or a sudden impulse may strike. The problem is tactical. Most airlines offer discounts to those who plan ahead. So, a limited number of bookings made two to three months in advance are usually cheaper. The retail prices then stand until very close to the departure date when last minute deals can appear. You have to search for these among the consolidators the firms that specialize in the bulk placement of tickets. Sadly, when airlines do have unsold seats, approaching them directly usually provokes a quote for the full price. This will apply even if you turn up at the airport and negotiate for a ticket at the last minute, knowing that there are empty seats. However, some airlines do operate a "compassion" discount. If you have evidence of the emergency or death requiring you to travel, some price reductions can be made. If this arises, telephone the airlines and ask what documentation they need to see.

If you’re adventurous, you can search the web for cheap flights leaving tomorrow. Assuming there are no visa or health issues affecting the destinations, you can often pick up some very good package deals. But if your journey is forced to a destination with good passenger loads, there is little chance of a discount. Indeed, the airline will look to sell at the full ticket price unless there are compassionate grounds. So last minute deals can produce cheap flights through luck or circumstances.

David Mayer is a professional journalist who has years of experience in highlighting numerous topics and has worked with site like http://www.flightstown.com/last-minute-traveling-made-simple.html to bring people all around the world a better understanding of things.