Travelers Scramble for Cheap Flight Tickets
Compared to last year, travelers were able to save much on airfare with the availability of cheap flight tickets. On the average, airplane ticket prices were at least 12 percent cheaper.
But for the upcoming holiday, travelers should no longer expect to enjoy these bargains. In fact, if you check and compare the rates last week to this week, you will immediately notice a difference amounting to several hundred dollars.
Not only are flyers shocked over the industry-wide increases, but they are also surprised with the new surcharge that airlines are planning to impose on three of the busiest travel dates during the holidays. According to experts, airlines have decided to take advantage of the huge holiday crowd in order to regain the losses they incurred during the slow months.
In addition, airlines do not want to get caught off guard like last year when there was a huge decline in demand due to the global crisis. It actually forced them to offer really cheap airline tickets just to fill up their flights.
For this year, travelers should brace themselves for the huge difference in airfare as well as available seats. Already, major airlines have announced their decision to reduce the number of flights to maximize profit.
If you are planning on travelling during the holidays, procrastinating will not do you any good. Experts are urging consumers to book and buy their tickets as early as now. With the high demand for seats yet low supply, you can expect airfare to soar even further.
Based on a study conducted by the consulting firm Boyd Group International, it would seem that this scenario will most likely stay until 2016. This is because most airlines are planning to reduce the number of available seats even further. In fact, there will be a 10 percent decline in the number of flights, which roughly translates to about 74 million less flights for 2010 alone.
As a traveler, you have a higher chance of grabbing one of the few available cheap flight tickets for the busy holiday. The key is to be very flexible with your travel plans. You can save as much as 50 percent if you choose not to book a flight on a peak day such as the Wed before Thanksgiving.
