India being a popular holiday spot receives streams of travellers every year. Travellers who book flights to India to explore different cities of the country may simply purchase an air pass program to enjoy a cheap and hassle free air travel.
Enfolding multihued traditions and cultures in its bosom with a pinch of diverse languages, delectable cuisines, vibrant festivals and historic monuments, India justifies being called the most colourful nation on the globe!
With such a glorious image of India in the tourism world, many airlines offer air pass to facilitate the travellers an easy travel within the country. What is an air pass, how does it work, which all carriers offer it and what are the restrictions related to the air pass – such questions often cross minds of the visitors. It is time to look at the answers now!
What is an Air Pass?
Air passes are special fare programs that let the vacationers enjoy travel to multiple cities in one particular region. For instance, travellers who take tickets on flights to India to relish diverse cities of the nation may purchase an air pass to net cheap flight deals for various parts of the country.
How does Air Pass Works?
The fare of the air pass usually depends on the number of flight segments on the itinerary and distance travelled by a traveller. Some air passes also include the cost of the international fare to the region.
At times, some travel agents ask the travellers to make the bookings of all the leg of their journey beforehand whereas there are some agents who may make alterations in flight dates and routes even when the travellers are on the way to their destination. Therefore, one must check out all the rules and policies of the travel agency they are contacting with before booking their tickets on flights to India or to any other destination.
Which All Airlines Offer Air Pass?
Now-a-days all the major airline alliances are offering air pass facility to the travellers by the means of individual airlines and seldom by third-party agencies. Such special air passes act as great bargain deals for the travellers who pick to travel to a large region like Africa or Asia. However, travellers who plan to travel to only one country may contact a particular airline serving the region. For instance, travellers looking for cheap flights to India may contact various Indian airlines to check out which one of them offer air pass programs.
Some of the major airline alliances offering air passes are:
- Star Alliance Air Pass – Star Alliance Asia Air pass lets the travellers enjoy travel throughout Asia for up to three months. The air pass of the Star Alliance depend on the length of their travel and travellers are asked to decide all the segments of the journey in advance.
- SkyTeam Asia Pass – SkyTeam’s Asia Pass covers an extensive range including Asia, Australia, New Zealand and many Pacific islands. SkyTeam lets the travellers join their Asia Pass purchase with either a SkyTeam Round the World Pass or an intercontinental ticket provided on a SkyTeam member airline.
- Oneworld Air Pass – Covering over 50 destinations in 18 countries, the Oneworld Air Pass asks the travellers to verify the first leg of their journey and lets them enjoy the flexibility of leaving their remaining segments open-dated.
What Are the Restrictions Applied on Air Pass?
Several air passes must be bought in union with an international flight to the destination on the same airline (or a codeshare partner) as the airline offering the pass. In order to avoid unwanted hassles, travellers looking for cheap flights to India must book their international ticket and air pass at the same time. In case they want to apply for the air pass on a later date, they must keep in records the confirmation code for their international ticket to let the travel agents find the existing reservation without any bafflement.
How to Book Air Pass?
As the result of highly complicated rules for ticket bookings and routing, travellers may not be able to book a number of air passes online. They may either need to contact the airline directly or fix a meeting with some travel agent.
Does An Air Pass Save Money?
Though air passes let the travellers enjoy a much cheap air travel experience, it would be wrong to say that they are the only affordable options available. Before making the final bookings of the flight tickets, travellers must always check all other alternatives available such as regular point-to-point tickets, booking regional flight of the destination one is flying to and others.
