As from this week, travelers can sell their unused travel tickets on the first on-line travel marketplace re-ticket.com. Market research shows that over 10% of the travelers do not use their ticket for different reasons, such as sickness, unexpected exams, divorce and so on. By offering this free of charge marketplace, Re-ticket.com provides a unique platform to help these travelers selling their tickets to other travelers.
Many travel agents and airline companies tell their clients that tickets are not transferable, therefore travelers are forced to buy a new ticket. However, about 40% of the airline tickets are transferable, even train and bus tickets. By filling in the flight number on the website, the Re-ticket system checks whether the ticket is transferable or not. It’s as simple as that!
Airport tax refund
Unfortunately not all airline tickets are transferable, but even for those travelers Re-ticket.com has a cost saving solution. Via the Re-fund service, airline passengers are able to request a refund for the taxes and charges.
Most airlines tell their clients that their tickets are non-refundable, which might be only half true! One of the components of a flight ticket are airport taxes. A traveler who did not use his ticket is entitled to get a refund for this airport tax. Re-ticket.com has been able to refund 50 USD, or even more per ticket.
Airline companies do not inform their passengers on purpose about this, it is a huge cash cow for them. Normally, the airline has to pay these taxes for departure or arriving on an airport, but if the passenger is not showing up, they keep the money for themselves. At major European airports, airlines already earn about 50.000 USD per day with these taxes. The average passenger is not aware of this and they do not ask for a refund.
Vicky Karantzavelou - Friday, July 23, 2010