Maximising The Study Tour

Every year, July and August have scores of students queuing up in front of visa counters in the hope of securing a passport to a brighter future. But before you say goodbye to your country you need to take care of your air travel and forex arrangements. And to avoid last minute panic, it is better to start your rounds of the travel market well in advance, if you want the best bargain. Or else, be prepared to spend your last days in long queues with wait-listed tickets.

The easiest way out is a visit to a couple of travel agents. Vying with each other, these agents offer most attractive deals to students. In fact, most airlines offer a discount only if the tickets are bought through an agent.

 

According to most travel age-nts, maximum travellers in the monsoon season are students. Shima Dholakia of Leo Travels says, Those going abroad for higher studies usually opt for one-way tickets, so the cost is slightly higher. Some airlines, however, are more considerate and declare concessional rates for this class of passengers.

Most of these discounts will soon be announced. So a trip to various airline offices may also help you decide on an offer that matches your pocket.

Student-friendly airlines:

The popular choice of airline for the Indian students is, if you havent guessed it, none other than Air India. According to an official from Lufthansa, Most Indian students fly by Air India because our fares (like our standard) even with discounts are higher. But then students are more interested in lower prices than in quality.

This is confirmed by a marketing executive from Air India: We have about 10,000 students flying with us every year because we have lower fares and offer maximum discounts.

Air India has special fares for students who go to America. An I-20 ensures nearly a 30-35 per cent discount on your ticket while a visa from the British High Com-mission results in only an 8 per cent cut in the fare.

Delta Airways also offers discounts ranging from 10-12 per cent to students who are going abroad for higher studies. Last year, the margin of discount was higher at almost 30-35 per cent. So, one can expect airlines to slash the rates even more in the following months.

But if your destination is Do-wn Under then you dont have many airlines offering discounts. If you prefer travelling by Air India you will have to shell out the full fare. So, it might make more sense to travel to Australia aboard Quantas. Quantas Airlines has de-clared special fare rates for those going to the small continent for education but only if you get the ticket through a travel agent.

Still undecided?

There are some airlines that are not averse to granting concessions but have still to decide their special rates. British Airways may come up with concessional rates in a fortnight or so judging by the fact that it announced the special rates for students only in the mid-week of July last year.

So, if you want to compare yet another airline and still have some time to spare, you could wait a while longer before you make your final decision.

No discounts on offer:

There are some airlines that do not join the fray. Lufthansa, for one, offers special one-way fares for various destinations in the US that anyone can avail of. The airline, in fact, strictly adheres to the policy of not announcing concessional rates for students.

Similarly, Air Canada also does not believe in making its tickets cheaper for students. In fact, if you are heading for Canada, then you should make a note of the fact that Air Canada will be increasing its fares by 5 per cent from July 19. So, either you travel before the hike or you look around for cheaper alternatives.

What about forex?

Not all travel agents will help you acquire the required amount of foreign currency. If you are looking for a one-stop shop to manage the entire business of acquiring and handing over the required amount of forex Thomas Cook would probably be the best bet.

Thomas Cook officials boast that if you walk into their office with the necessary documents: an I-20 and the admission letter stating the amount you need, the forex will be in your hands in a matter of hours. The balance to be paid in later semesters can easily be collected by someone in India and sent to you.

In exceptional cases when the foreign institute expects the students to pay-up the entire amount at the outset, Thomas Cook has the infrastructure to take care of that as well. Just make sure that you carry the letter stating the amount required.

Apart from the promise of quick, hassle-free service, Tho-mas Cook also offers discounts to students. Students off to Euro-pean universities have a special students discount of 30 per cent, irrespective of the airline you choose to travel by. The case for the US-bound is restricted by the condition that you get a discount only on an Air India ticket.

The dos for a student:

If you are going to an agent for a ticket make sure you are getting the best deal. All international airlines offer agents commissions upto 9 per cent. Quite often, there have been disparities in the fare quoted by agents. So, always cross-check the fare from a couple of agents or from the airline. Take the case of Sougato who is flying to Detroit. He approached two agents, each promised the best deal on a Delta airline ticket but there was a difference of Rs 2,000 in the fares!