Airline Tickets

Overview

With so many factors to explore and carefully consider, searching for a domestic or international flight can be overwhelming and for a very good reason.
Travelers need to take into consideration many important aspects like dates, departure and arrival times, ticket availability, airport location and the number of stops.

Some people may also consider issues like airline reputation and safety record, economy class seat legroom, baggage allowance, ability to use frequent flyer program points or in-flight Wi-Fi.
However, the primary factor that influences most consumers’ priority is pricing, and most do their best to find the lowest fare for their desired flight.

The industry’s leading metasearch engines, aggregators, booking portals and online travel agencies enable consumers to use powerful research tools that help them compare airlines, airfare, takeoff and landing times and class options.

These useful search tools provide a one-stop-shop experience that help flyers plan their trip and find the lowest price for their air travel needs.

Consumer Tips: How to Avoid Airline Ticket Scams Online

Just like any other sector that involves consumers, businesses, and money that switches hands, the airline ticket market also has its fair share of scammers, fraudsters and cybercriminals that operate online and look for potential victims.
Scammers use a variety of illegal, unethical or dishonest ways to trick and take advantage of unsuspecting air travelers, who want to find cheap flights.

Some fraudsters run fake flight booking websites that use phishing as a method to steal credit card information from users.
Such bogus travel sites lure victims by offering air tickets at unrealistic heavily discounted fares.

In such cases, the consumer gets nothing when the transaction is “approved” or receives either counterfeit, duplicated or invalid electronic tickets not honored by the air carrier when he shows up at the airport.

Other low-end internet providers are infamous for providing unreliable service which may come in tickets that get cancelled arbitrarily (even at the last minute), prices that dramatically change after the booking process is completed (usually due to lots of well-hidden fees), “system errors” or “computer glitches” that always leave the consumer on the losing end or other reservation nightmares.

Taking these steps will help you find credible and reliable online ticketing services and complete your purchase in a safe, secure and satisfactory way:

Don’t Purchase Tickets on Unfamiliar Sites

Avoid making reservations with unfamiliar companies.
These websites are often filled with too-good-to-be-true deals that may turn out as the most blatant form of scam.

Use Websites That Accept Safe Payment Methods

Under all circumstances, tickets should never be bought with payment methods that are not safe, such as wire transfer.
With fraudulent activity, credit cards typically offer better consumer protection and better ways to track the criminals behind a scam.

Investigate the Airline Ticket Booking Site’s BBB Record

Check the flight website’s record on the Better Business Bureau’s website.
What you’ll find there, will help you evaluate whether it’s a legitimate business that deserves your money and trust or if you must look elsewhere.

Look for current BBB rating, customer reviews, complaints, warnings and alerts on their business profile.
Also, learn how long it has been in business – a potential indicator of experience and reputation.

If the company is not even listed with the BBB, this is a very bad sign.
On the other hand, if the online air ticket booking service is certified as a BBB Accredited Business, it’s an important positive signal.

Pay Close Attention to Red Flags

Learn how to protect yourself better when ordering goods and services on the internet, to avoid scammers and keep safe in general.
Knowing how to check if a website is legitimate or not is the first line of defense.