Off Topic - air fare travel hints (a little lengthy)

[Guest guest]

All:

 

I just booked my flight to see Amma in November.

 

My usual practice is to check out the airline web sites, then low air fare

web sites (lowestfare.com, expedia.com, cheaptickets.com, bestfares.com,

bestfares.com) but these often are not the lowest by any means.

 

The best site I have found doesn't sell tickets. It is ITA Software - a beta

copy of software that searches all the airlines. The site is at:

http://beta.itasoftware.com/servlet/cvgdispatch

 

One reason why I like this site is that it gives the time durations of each

flight plus layover time. It is a little easier to pick a flight that may

save an hour or two. It is well organized and free are flashing ads.

 

So, last night I found the flight I wanted but wondered how I can get a

ticket when they don't sell them. I had previously call the airline and got a

$550. quote. I found a link on the ITA site that gave me the answer.

 

First I plunk in the data of where I am and where I want to go along with the

dates and approximate arrival/departure time. There is a box to check if

nearby airports are acceptable. After a "thinking" time, anywhere from a few

seconds to maybe a minute, a summary box shows each airline and their lowest

fare. Below that, is a list of the flights sorted on price.

 

I just noticed while experimenting with this web site while I write this that

I can sort this list on Cost, Airline, From/To, Stops, Date, Flight Times,

Duration, Class and Warnings.

 

>From there, I can click on one particular flight and get all the details. On

this page is a "Show booking details" link. This is key data. It gives the

airlines phone number along with the Booking Code and Fare Code, plus a

detail break down of the costs (fare, taxes, surcharges, etc.).

 

The booking and fare codes are critical. I called the airline, gave them the

flight details and the fare codes and got my ticket for $357. This is the

same airline I called before and got the $550 quote. The only difference was

that I gave them the fare code and got the lower price! A $200 saving. Not

bad. Plus, I am only dealing with the airline. Not some fly by night agency

that I don't know is some distant unknown city. No add-on ticket agents

commission either.

 

When I was checking out these instructions, I clicked on the From/To link to

sort on airport. I only did this to see if the link actually sorted the

column. (It does.) BUT, it came up with an alternate airport, Oakland, that

is just as good as San Francisco (SFO). The fare was $271 (total) flying out

on Continental and returning on United. The Continental flight was 2 hours

longer than the others but for an additional saving of $86. I would need a

travel agent to book it so take off a 10% commission. Still, I could have

saved an additional $59. The flight times were excellent - no 6:00am flights,

thanks.

 

I have used ITASoftware site about five times in making flights now over the

last year and a half. Each time it consistently shows the lowest fare. In

this case it was a couple of hundred dollars cheaper than the horn blowing

low fare discounters.

 

Just for fun, I tried for flights to Trivandrum. In less than 5 seconds, it

came up with 798 options. I had to download their Java server, Flight Chooser

to get them but the display is a neat graph that shows each leg for flight

duration and layover time. This is very helpful since I will avoid going

through Mumbai like the plague. Further, it warns of possible difficulties

like short layover time in Heathrow when you need to change terminals. No

fares unfortunately but at least I can plan for the airlines and route I

prefer.

 

Peter

[Guest guest]

Either airport will work for San Rafael. I'm pretty sure Oakland is still

closer.-Amalia-

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Peter, for this info. At this point it does not look like I will

be going to CA in Nov., but when I do travel, this could be great to use.

By the way, from where do you fly? Orlando? Miami tends to be expensive,

and usually SFO is higher than Oakland (I like Oakland Airport). But I

suppose SFO would be better this time, since it is not at the ashram. Is

there an airport closer to San Rafael?

I just relooked at the ca lender. Maybe, I might be able to work something

out...I wonder... It would be great....

Don't want to get my hopes too high, since so much would have to fall in

place, including money....

Also, I might have to fly from here (Miami)on the 14th and return very

early on the 17 (Fri) to Orlando, if everything else worked... Dreaming....

 

Have you started a center there? Someone mentioned an ashram there?

 

Prana

 

 

 

[Original Message]

> <PeterWhite1

> <Ammachi >

> 10/2/00 11:55:59 AM

> Off Topic - air fare travel hints (a little lengthy)

>

> All:

>

> I just booked my flight to see Amma in November.

>

> My usual practice is to check out the airline web sites, then low

> air fare

> web sites (lowestfare.com, expedia.com, cheaptickets.com,

> bestfares.com,

> bestfares.com) but these often are not the lowest by any means.

>

> The best site I have found doesn't sell tickets. It is ITA Software

> - a beta

> copy of software that searches all the airlines. The site is at:

> http://beta.itasoftware.com/servlet/cvgdispatch

>

> One reason why I like this site is that it gives the time durations

> of each

> flight plus layover time. It is a little easier to pick a flight

> that may

> save an hour or two. It is well organized and free are flashing ads.

>

> So, last night I found the flight I wanted but wondered how I can

> get a

> ticket when they don't sell them. I had previously call the airline

> and got a

> $550. quote. I found a link on the ITA site that gave me the answer.

>

> First I plunk in the data of where I am and where I want to go along

> with the

> dates and approximate arrival/departure time. There is a box to

> check if

> nearby airports are acceptable. After a "thinking" time, anywhere

> from a few

> seconds to maybe a minute, a summary box shows each airline and

> their lowest

> fare. Below that, is a list of the flights sorted on price.

>

> I just noticed while experimenting with this web site while I write

> this that

> I can sort this list on Cost, Airline, From/To, Stops, Date, Flight

> Times,

> Duration, Class and Warnings.

>

> >From there, I can click on one particular flight and get all the

> details. On

> this page is a "Show booking details" link. This is key data. It

> gives the

> airlines phone number along with the Booking Code and Fare Code,

> plus a

> detail break down of the costs (fare, taxes, surcharges, etc.).

>

> The booking and fare codes are critical. I called the airline, gave

> them the

> flight details and the fare codes and got my ticket for $357. This

> is the

> same airline I called before and got the $550 quote. The only

> difference was

> that I gave them the fare code and got the lower price! A $200

> saving. Not

> bad. Plus, I am only dealing with the airline. Not some fly by night

> agency

> that I don't know is some distant unknown city. No add-on ticket

> agents

> commission either.

>

> When I was checking out these instructions, I clicked on the From/To

> link to

> sort on airport. I only did this to see if the link actually sorted

> the

> column. (It does.) BUT, it came up with an alternate airport,

> Oakland, that

> is just as good as San Francisco (SFO). The fare was $271 (total)

> flying out

> on Continental and returning on United. The Continental flight was 2

> hours

> longer than the others but for an additional saving of $86. I would

> need a

> travel agent to book it so take off a 10% commission. Still, I could

> have

> saved an additional $59. The flight times were excellent - no 6:00am

> flights,

> thanks.

>

> I have used ITASoftware site about five times in making flights now

> over the

> last year and a half. Each time it consistently shows the lowest

> fare. In

> this case it was a couple of hundred dollars cheaper than the horn

> blowing

> low fare discounters.

>

> Just for fun, I tried for flights to Trivandrum. In less than 5

> seconds, it

> came up with 798 options. I had to download their Java server,

> Flight Chooser

> to get them but the display is a neat graph that shows each leg for

> flight

> duration and layover time. This is very helpful since I will avoid

> going

> through Mumbai like the plague. Further, it warns of possible

> difficulties

> like short layover time in Heathrow when you need to change

> terminals. No

> fares unfortunately but at least I can plan for the airlines and

> route I

> prefer.

>

> Peter

>

> Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha!

>

> Ammachi-

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, I understand Oakland is closer, and I have a

pilot

friend who tells me that it is also sunnier than SFO,

meaning that there is less time wasted waiting for

the clouds to lift while landing or taking off. He

says he spends a lot of time circling at SFO.

 

Jyotsna

 

--- adarl52357 wrote:

> Either airport will work for San Rafael. I'm pretty

> sure Oakland is still

> closer.-Amalia-

>

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

wow, reading all this flight information to see Amma is reminding me that I

can not go to see her this November o:(

 

I am happy for all of you who will be able to sit in her shower of Divine

Grace.

 

Thank you for sharing your experiences with Amma.

 

Ommmmmmmmmmmm

Malati