What is an airline consolidator?<\/strong><\/h2>\nConsolidators make their business through the purchase of bulk airline tickets from airlines. After which, they resell those tickets to travel agents at a discounted rate, often as much as 40-60% off published fares. In this way, agents can earn a good commission for themselves while nabbing clients a great deal on the price of airfare. When an agent has thousands of dollars of commissions on the line, it\u2019s important they have a consolidator they can trust. Here are some of the ways you can tell if a consolidator is reputable:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Length x depth x breadth<\/strong><\/h3>\nThis may sound like the measurement for a new book shelf, but it\u2019s also an easy way to remember three important factors to consider when researching an airline consolidator.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong>Length<\/strong><\/h3>\nAs in length of time the consolidator has been around. The longer they\u2019ve been in business, the more experience and knowledge they\u2019ll be able to offer travel agents who work with them. Additionally, keep an eye out for the consolidator\u2019s presence at industry trade shows. Is the consolidator willing to put themselves out there and make connections in the travel community?<\/p>\n
Depth<\/strong><\/h3>\nHow deep do their relationships with airlines run? If a consolidator is only working with a handful of airlines, you may want to consider a different company. For one, you will be very limited as to the destinations, frequent flyer memberships, etc. If a consolidator is partnered with many different airlines, that gives travel agents a large pool of fares and destinations to choose from, and it demonstrates that the consolidator has taken the time to foster good relationships.<\/p>\n
Breadth<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhat is the scope of their services? How many countries, seating classes, and services do they offer? Many clients are happy to secure a cheap seat in coach, but there are just as many who insist on flying in business or first class. As a travel agent, you don\u2019t want to lose their business. Having a reputable consolidator, who can accommodate the needs of all travelers, ensures you earn commissions on all manner of seating.<\/p>\n
Also, if a consolidator has not branched out to offer fares from a variety of different countries, it raises some questions. Maybe they aim to play it safe and only offer fares to common destinations. This won\u2019t help you when a client wants to visit somewhere off the beaten path. Make sure to do thorough research on the types and number of destinations offered by an airline consolidator.<\/p>\n
How to Tell if a Consolidator is Trustworthy<\/strong><\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/172.96.165.227\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/iStock-857873214-1024x539.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
There are several key features that tell you if an airline consolidator is reputable.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nIn the era of online reviews, it\u2019s easy to see what people are saying about a company. Google, Yelp, and Facebook all allow customers to post reviews. However, most people are only interested in posting negative reviews. If someone has a positive experience, most of the time they will go about their day, not really interested in sharing their satisfaction with the world. When a company treats someone poorly, this is greater motivation to write a review. After all, you don\u2019t want others to make the same mistake in putting their trust in a bad company.<\/p>\n
People are also prone to exaggeration. If someone is slightly dissatisfied with a company, they may blow their experience out of proportion in their review. This makes it difficult to decipher the ratings of an airline consolidator. Here are some other ways to tell if a consolidator is trustworthy:<\/p>\n
Personal Contact<\/strong><\/h3>\n
This may sound like the measurement for a new book shelf, but it\u2019s also an easy way to remember three important factors to consider when researching an airline consolidator.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong>Length<\/strong><\/h3>\nAs in length of time the consolidator has been around. The longer they\u2019ve been in business, the more experience and knowledge they\u2019ll be able to offer travel agents who work with them. Additionally, keep an eye out for the consolidator\u2019s presence at industry trade shows. Is the consolidator willing to put themselves out there and make connections in the travel community?<\/p>\n
Depth<\/strong><\/h3>\nHow deep do their relationships with airlines run? If a consolidator is only working with a handful of airlines, you may want to consider a different company. For one, you will be very limited as to the destinations, frequent flyer memberships, etc. If a consolidator is partnered with many different airlines, that gives travel agents a large pool of fares and destinations to choose from, and it demonstrates that the consolidator has taken the time to foster good relationships.<\/p>\n
Breadth<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhat is the scope of their services? How many countries, seating classes, and services do they offer? Many clients are happy to secure a cheap seat in coach, but there are just as many who insist on flying in business or first class. As a travel agent, you don\u2019t want to lose their business. Having a reputable consolidator, who can accommodate the needs of all travelers, ensures you earn commissions on all manner of seating.<\/p>\n
Also, if a consolidator has not branched out to offer fares from a variety of different countries, it raises some questions. Maybe they aim to play it safe and only offer fares to common destinations. This won\u2019t help you when a client wants to visit somewhere off the beaten path. Make sure to do thorough research on the types and number of destinations offered by an airline consolidator.<\/p>\n
How to Tell if a Consolidator is Trustworthy<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
There are several key features that tell you if an airline consolidator is reputable.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nIn the era of online reviews, it\u2019s easy to see what people are saying about a company. Google, Yelp, and Facebook all allow customers to post reviews. However, most people are only interested in posting negative reviews. If someone has a positive experience, most of the time they will go about their day, not really interested in sharing their satisfaction with the world. When a company treats someone poorly, this is greater motivation to write a review. After all, you don\u2019t want others to make the same mistake in putting their trust in a bad company.<\/p>\n
People are also prone to exaggeration. If someone is slightly dissatisfied with a company, they may blow their experience out of proportion in their review. This makes it difficult to decipher the ratings of an airline consolidator. Here are some other ways to tell if a consolidator is trustworthy:<\/p>\n
Personal Contact<\/strong><\/h3>\n
How deep do their relationships with airlines run? If a consolidator is only working with a handful of airlines, you may want to consider a different company. For one, you will be very limited as to the destinations, frequent flyer memberships, etc. If a consolidator is partnered with many different airlines, that gives travel agents a large pool of fares and destinations to choose from, and it demonstrates that the consolidator has taken the time to foster good relationships.<\/p>\n
Breadth<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhat is the scope of their services? How many countries, seating classes, and services do they offer? Many clients are happy to secure a cheap seat in coach, but there are just as many who insist on flying in business or first class. As a travel agent, you don\u2019t want to lose their business. Having a reputable consolidator, who can accommodate the needs of all travelers, ensures you earn commissions on all manner of seating.<\/p>\n
Also, if a consolidator has not branched out to offer fares from a variety of different countries, it raises some questions. Maybe they aim to play it safe and only offer fares to common destinations. This won\u2019t help you when a client wants to visit somewhere off the beaten path. Make sure to do thorough research on the types and number of destinations offered by an airline consolidator.<\/p>\n
How to Tell if a Consolidator is Trustworthy<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
There are several key features that tell you if an airline consolidator is reputable.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nIn the era of online reviews, it\u2019s easy to see what people are saying about a company. Google, Yelp, and Facebook all allow customers to post reviews. However, most people are only interested in posting negative reviews. If someone has a positive experience, most of the time they will go about their day, not really interested in sharing their satisfaction with the world. When a company treats someone poorly, this is greater motivation to write a review. After all, you don\u2019t want others to make the same mistake in putting their trust in a bad company.<\/p>\n
People are also prone to exaggeration. If someone is slightly dissatisfied with a company, they may blow their experience out of proportion in their review. This makes it difficult to decipher the ratings of an airline consolidator. Here are some other ways to tell if a consolidator is trustworthy:<\/p>\n
Personal Contact<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
There are several key features that tell you if an airline consolidator is reputable.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n In the era of online reviews, it\u2019s easy to see what people are saying about a company. Google, Yelp, and Facebook all allow customers to post reviews. However, most people are only interested in posting negative reviews. If someone has a positive experience, most of the time they will go about their day, not really interested in sharing their satisfaction with the world. When a company treats someone poorly, this is greater motivation to write a review. After all, you don\u2019t want others to make the same mistake in putting their trust in a bad company.<\/p>\n People are also prone to exaggeration. If someone is slightly dissatisfied with a company, they may blow their experience out of proportion in their review. This makes it difficult to decipher the ratings of an airline consolidator. Here are some other ways to tell if a consolidator is trustworthy:<\/p>\nPersonal Contact<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/172.96.165.227\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/iStock-839641796-1024x534.jpg\")