Let the Airline Pick Up the Tab

          

         

         

         

               How can you fly from point A to point B without

          ever opening your wallet? You've got to know your way

          around an airline.

               The easiest way to fly free is to get yourself

          bumped.

               Airlines typically overbook their flights by 10%

          to 30%, knowing that a certain number of paying

          passengers will not show up for one reason or another.

          Sometimes, though, their calculations are off, and

          they're faced with 200 seats and 205 passengers, five

          of whom are likely to become very annoyed unless

          something is done in a hurry.

               That's where you come in.  You made a reservation

          on that flight, because you knew it was very

          overbooked.  And you are standing at the end of the

          check-in line, observing airline officials as they

          realize their predicament.  So, you step out of line,

          find an airline representative, and offer to be bumped

          from the flight.  You're doing the airline a favour --

          and in return, it will do you the favour of allowing you

          to fly to your destination free on the next plane out.

          What's more, the airline will put cash in your pocket

          for your trouble.  (The amount varies, depending on the

          airline and the circumstances.)

         

          The frequent flyer story

         

               Many airlines offer frequent flyer programs that

          allow passengers to accumulate points every time they

          take a trip with that airline, and then redeem them in

          the form of free tickets to selected destinations.  You

          have to fly a lot of miles to win any free trips, but

          for the business traveller, this is an easy way to

          arrange free travel.

               The main problem with Frequent Flyer programs is

          that they change their rules or become discontinued

          altogether faster than you can say, "I'd like a round-

          trip ticket to Cabos San Lucas, please."  The best way

          to get up-to-date information is to contact the

          airlines themselves.

               If you know you won't travel enough in any given

          year to accumulate enough points as a Frequent Flyer to

          earn a free trip, you can still take advantage of

          Frequent Flyer miles.  Coupon brokers buy these

          Frequent Flyer awards and resell them to the public at

          very low prices.  Coupons are especially good deals if

          you want to fly first or business class or if you will

          be flying a very long distance.  Generally, you must

          wait five to six weeks to get the coupon issued in your

          name.

               But you must be careful when dealing with coupon

          brokers.  Airlines are not fond of what coupon brokers

          are doing and are on the lookout for tickets purchased

          from them.  For the past several years, airlines have

          been confiscating tickets issued by coupon brokers and

          leaving the ticket buyers stranded at boarding gates

          all over the world.

               It is not illegal for coupon brokers to operate in

          most countries, but it is illegal in some.  It is,

          however, against the airlines' rules in all countries,

          which prohibit the sale of Frequent Flyer coupons.

               But if you're willing to take the risks, you will

          be rewarded with a very cheap airline ticket.  You will

          usually find coupon brokers advertising in the travel

          classified advertising of major Sunday newspapers

          around the world.