Other Fares
In addition to normal fares available to all ticket vendors, airlines also offer special fares. Some, such as senior and child fares are discounted normal fares so they are also available to all ticket vendors, but the rest must be purchased directly with the airline. Discounts only apply to base fares. Fees still apply at full price.
Infants occupying their own seat may be (but are not always) charged half the adult fare plus taxes and fees. Infants seated on an adult’s lap may fly free. Airlines define infants as persons under the age of twenty four months. If your child is near her second birthday or big for her age, bring her birth certificate. The customer service agent can request such proof and if you cannot provide it, may charge an adult fare. As you now know, last minute tickets can be expensive. Infants without seats, known as ‘lap infants’, will still pay taxes on international flights.
Child fares are rare, available only in limited international markets. That might not seem fair when restaurants and theme parks offer discounts to children but they do occupy the same amount of space on the plane as an adult. If you are sending a child off alone, do not book the reservation online. Unaccompanied minors, as airlines call them, must be booked directly with the airline.
Check fares online, find the best price and schedule for your young adventurer, then call the airline.
Senior fares may be available for travellers aged sixty five or older. As a reservation agent, I attest to the fact that some seniors sound old. A safer alternative is to ask if anyone in the party is over age sixty five unless you are the only person in the party. If you qualify for the senior fare and it is not offered, ask for it.
The companion fare is a great deal if it is available in your market. It is a non-refundable fare that allows a second person to travel the exact same itinerary at half price. The minimum age requirement is twelve years in the expectation that the second traveller will be a companion, not a dependant. Both passengers must be booked on the same reservation. If one traveller must alter his itinerary, the companion fare is no longer valid, thus the reservation is split and both fares are re-priced with change fees.
Military fares are only available directly from airlines as well. They are often a higher price than excursion fares. However, they usually cost less than normal last minute tickets and rarely have penalties. They are booked in one of the highest booking classes so they are among the last classes to sell out, making them available most of the time. If you do not plan to travel for a week or more, an excursion ticket is almost always a lower price, unless your travel plans are subject to change. For example, you are on leave but know you may be recalled to duty before your return date. Ask the reservation agent to price your trip with and without the military discount.
To know more about various other air fares that may be applicable on your air travel, just get in touch with experts at Ryanair contact number.
