There’s so much talk about flight tickets, as we are aware the airline industry has been dramatically impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and recovery has been up and down.
Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer of FlySafair says during the bumpy recovery there were carriers defaulting, for example, Mango leaving the market.
Due to big airline companies taking the fall, 300 000 seats were taken out. Gordon said: ‘’The good news is as of September and October 2022, the rest of the market; has managed to plug the gap.’’ This was due to putting on additional capacity.
The recovery in demand has seen an increase in return causing tickets to be rather expensive and full. Therefore, travellers now face long queues, exorbitant charges, and delayed or cancelled flights. Gordon says a trend they are now facing is, when seats are low, the supply in demand goes higher.
Linden Birns, owner and managing director at Plane Talking, an inflight products supplier says: “South African Airways operates at only about 10% of its routes since it went into business rescue, and doesn’t have as many aircraft as before. Comair grounded its British Airways and Kulula flights in May, and Mango is no longer flying. A lot of capacity has been taken out of the air.”
Jet fuel is another factor, Birns says South Africa no longer manufactures fuel in sufficient volume, which means we are heavily reliant on imports. Leading to, the cost of shipping, local transport and storage facilities to the airline industry burdens.
Another factor is the floods in Durban earlier this year, which washed away the main railway lines that were used to transport jet fuel from Durban harbour to Gauteng. Alternative plans had to be made, such as bringing fuel overland from Maputo.
Birns warns that last-minute bookings and standby discount tickets, which benefited flexible travellers in the past, may no longer be available. “You’re unlikely to find such tickets,” he says.
Tips for travellers
Shafeeka Anthony, Marketing Manager of JustMoney, says, “It’s essential to do your homework before parting with your hard-earned cash for the holidays. Before you take out your credit card and book a flight, calculate what the entire trip will cost you, and check that this falls within your budget. Then, search for the best possible deal, while being aware that there are often hidden costs involved when booking a holiday.”
- Book tickets early and plan your trip.
- Use flight deal search websites to compare prices.
- Be flexible with your travel dates and consider flying during an off-peak day or time. Gordon said: ‘’If you can delay your holiday, go in the last two weeks of January, you’re going to get a good deal because there is such low demand.’’
- Make the most of rewards programmes and use points built up via your bank or gym membership. Paying with your credit card should ensure you have built-in insurance and can earn more points.
- Check out budget airlines, but be aware of additional charges for seat selection, meals on board, and luggage. Compare these with a full-service airline.
- If you plan to travel overseas, check out alternative airports close to your destination.
- Domestic flights tend to be cheaper than international flights that cover the same distance. It could be worthwhile going by rail or bus to cross a border, and from there using a domestic flight.
- Travel light. Hand luggage is usually free. If you require extra baggage, book online when buying your ticket, as this is cheaper than paying at the airport. Weigh and measure your luggage to ensure it meets airline specifications.
- Flights with layovers (intermediate stops at airports of up to 23 hours) and stopovers (stops of more than 24 hours between the arrival of one flight and the departure of the next flight) take longer to reach your destination. However, the savings could be worthwhile, and if you extend your stopover by a few days, you can visit an additional country.
“Given that airlines are experiencing staff shortages, thousands of cancelled flights, and lost baggage, a final tip is to ensure that you read the fine print so that you are aware of how the airline will assist you if there are problems,” Anthony says.
Gordon said in February ticket prices will go down because airlines will still be adding additional capacity.’’
Last-minute bookings are off the table, and standby discount tickets, may no longer be available. “You’re unlikely to find such tickets,” Birns says. Therefore, book in advance to avoid capacity constraints.
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