THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 22, 1996 TAG: 9603220573
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MYLENE MANGALINDAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
There should be a disclaimer: Buy airline tickets at your own risk.
If you're tempted to buy now - thinking this could be the lowest price you can get - don't be surprised if there's another sale next week.
Most of the major airlines have announced another spring airfare sale starting Thursday that reduces prices to some destinations by as much as 40 percent.
But many local travel agents, who have seen a continual rotation of airfare sales over the past couple years, aren't too impressed with the latest round.
``They do so many crazy things it's hard for us to keep track of what they do,'' Ellie Palmer, an agent at the Travel House of Virginia, said of the airlines' sales. ``We just sort of look at it as another sale. After the sale, they (prices) skyrocket. It's a roller coaster.''
Other travel agents sounded downright indignant.
``This is like all the other games they play. Everytime they have a sale, (the prices) go back up higher,'' said Wendy Konikoff, a travel agent at Ann Edwards Travel Inc. ``Gradually they're inching up.''
Dave Castelveter, USAir's director of public relations, disagreed with local travel agents' perception of sales.
``That's disappointing to hear,'' Castelveter said. The timing of discounts for particular routes is determined by market demand for air travel, he said.
``The primary reason for the sale is to stimulate travel during normally slow periods,'' he said. ``You're never going to have price stability. There's never going to be a pattern to a sale. The closest approximation to a pattern is going to be seasonality.''
Some travel agents disagree.
Because airfare sales are so regular, customers exercise more discretionary spending when it comes to air travel and try to hold off buying tickets, hoping for better travel dates or prices in the next sale, agents say. Phones ring constantly during the advertised periods.
``Even the sale prices are out of some people's range,'' said Palmer, of the Travel House. ``A lot of times if they have to go (on a trip), they'll buy it. If they're able to take a chance, they will, if they think it's too high.''
This round of discounts affects ticket prices to U.S. and select international destinations. The travel period is limited: Travel must start by April 7 through May 31, completed no later than June 5. Sale fares are non-refundable and tickets must be purchased by April 1. A Saturday night stay is generally required, but this sale doesn't affect what day travel begins or ends, unlike previous sales.
Transcontinental travel shows the greatest reductions, agents say.
A trip from Norfolk to San Francisco costs $380, down from $768. Travel to Chicago costs between $238 and $245, compared to a nonsale price of about $400 round trip.
Florida destinations have been low for a while, with prices to cities like Orlando running $138, compared to $198.
Travel agents advise customers to check air fares with travel agents often. Clients can call them once a week if there's a specific market they're interested in.
``You don't want to buy the plane,'' Palmer said. ``You just want a seat on it.'' by CNB