{"id":932,"date":"2019-06-01T12:00:25","date_gmt":"2019-06-01T12:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.skybirdtravel.com\/?p=932"},"modified":"2019-06-03T19:04:38","modified_gmt":"2019-06-03T19:04:38","slug":"choosing-airline-consolidator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.skybirdtravel.com\/?p=932","title":{"rendered":"8 Questions to Ask When Choosing an Airline Consolidator"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether you\u2019re in the market for a better airline consolidator or looking to work with one for the first time, there are several important things to consider when shopping around. A business\u2019s reputation, GDS access, customer service, and even their website<\/strong> are all things to keep an eye out for. Keep reading to see eight crucial questions to ask when choosing an airline consolidator.
\n<\/p>\n

What is an airline consolidator?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Airline consolidators are your key to low net fares. Net fares are sold exclusively to airline consolidators who buy airline tickets in bulk and resell them at prices lower than the majority of published fares. Your travel clients can only search public fares, so you as the agent can offer tickets to the same destination at a 10-30% discount<\/strong>. The savings can be so good, the travel agent can markup fares and still sell air tickets at lower than the published price.<\/p>\n

\u00a01.\u00a0<\/strong>How many GDS do they have?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Global distribution systems (GDS) are one of the most valuable tools a travel agent can have in their toolkit. A GDS is a digital network that allows transactions between different members of the travel industry. These members include travel agents, hotels, car rental companies, airlines, and more. Depending on the airline consolidator, they may have as many as five or as few as one. The more GDS the consolidator works with, the better for you as the agent. You\u2019ll have access to hundreds or thousands<\/strong> of more fares, which gives you a competitive advantage. Some consolidators, like Sky Bird Travel & Tours, even have their own booking engine, which lets you search several GDS at the same time.<\/p>\n

2. Does the consolidator only offer airfare?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Some consolidators are a one-trick pony. Sure, they can provide you low airfare, but if you need help planning group tours, finding car rentals, or even general expertise on a specific travel region, you\u2019re on your own. When shopping around for an airline consolidator, be sure to inquire as to whether the consolidator has other offerings like a tours division<\/strong><\/a>. The more help you as the agent can get, the greater the likelihood your client\u2019s trip will go smoothly. And a smooth trip for them means repeat business for you.<\/p>\n

3. Does the consolidator have physical offices?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If the only way to get ahold of the airline consolidator is online, you should be wary. Physical offices allow you to stop by if you ever need to meet with someone in person<\/strong>. And on that note: if their physical office is a mere PO box, a personal residence, or a UPS store, that should be another red flag. Good consolidators will not only have physical offices<\/a>, they\u2019ll have agents with personalized email addresses. You should never feel like you\u2019re dealing with a robot when working with a consolidator.<\/p>\n

4. Does the consolidator have any awards, recognitions, accreditation?<\/h3>\n

There are many trust-worthy, reputable organizations whose sole purpose is to uphold high standards of quality in the travel industry. If your prospective airline consolidator is a member of the one of the following, that\u2019s a very good sign.<\/p>\n

USACA<\/strong> \u2013 The United States Air Consolidators Association<\/p>\n

ASTA<\/strong> \u2013 The American Society of Travel Agents<\/p>\n

USTOA<\/strong> \u2013 The United States Tour Operators Association<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Something else to consider is whether or not the airline consolidator has ever received awards from airlines, tour operators, or other business partners. Airlines often will bestow awards for things like highest ticket sales, highest customer service satisfaction, etc. If the consolidator you\u2019re considering has ever received these kinds of recognition, that\u2019s a sign they\u2019re trustworthy<\/strong>. And trustworthiness is perhaps the most important quality to look for when choosing an airline consolidator.<\/p>\n

\"travel
Airlines often bestow awards for things like highest ticket sales, customer service satisfaction, etc.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

5. What does the consolidator\u2019s customer service look like? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Do they offer customer service in more than one language? Are they available 24\/7? These are both key questions to ask yourself. If your first language is something other than English, having a customer service rep who speaks your native tongue can make the booking process that much smoother. Secondly, if you\u2019re not the sort to keep bankers\u2019 hours, then you need to have the assurance someone will be there for you at all times. Like two o\u2019clock in the morning when you have a stranded customer and need help re-booking a flight. Not all airline consolidators are built the same. Make sure their schedule aligns with yours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Happy
Look for a consolidator with solid customer service that\u2019s available 24\/7<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

6. How long has the consolidator been in business? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s nothing wrong with start-ups, but there\u2019s certainly something to be said for consolidators that have been around for many, many years. The longer they\u2019ve been in business, the more industry experience<\/strong> they\u2019ll have to offer you.<\/p>\n

7. Does the consolidator have an up-to-date website?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While this may seem like a purely aesthetic issue, it goes deeper than that. Outdated airline logos, expired airfare sales, or sloppy web design should all make you run the other way. Either the consolidator is too apathetic to adapt to the age of online booking or they can\u2019t afford<\/strong> to update their site. And if that\u2019s the case, it begs the question: can they afford to pay your commissions?<\/p>\n

8. Does the consolidator offer several seating options? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

If a consolidator only offers first class seats on luxury airlines, it\u2019s best to walk away. Sure, you\u2019ll have no problem nabbing fares for those clients who insist <\/em>on flying first class, but what about the young couple just starting out who want a budget-friendly honeymoon? Or maybe you have a tall client who always needs extra legroom and prefers to fly premium economy. Whatever the case may be, it\u2019s always better to have multiple options<\/strong> to present to your clients. When choosing an airline consolidator, find one that caters to all manner of clients – not a select few.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Start taking advantage of Sky Bird’s expertise: register for free today!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether you\u2019re in the market for a better airline consolidator or looking to work with one for the first time, there are several important things to consider when shopping around. A business\u2019s reputation, GDS access, customer service, and even their website are all things to keep an eye out for. Keep reading to see eight … Continue reading “8 Questions to Ask When Choosing an Airline Consolidator”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,9],"tags":[135,136,138],"class_list":["post-932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-travel","category-travel-agent-resource","tag-travel","tag-travel-agent","tag-travel-agent-resource"],"yoast_head":"\nChoosing an Airline Consolidator: 8 Questions to Ask | Sky Bird Travel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Whether you\u2019re in the market for a better airline consolidator or looking to work with one for the first time, here's eight crucial questions to ask.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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