Travel

Commonly Used Travel Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Baggage Allowance

Amount of baggage a passenger may transport without having to pay extra charges. Each air carrier determines this allowance.

Boarding Pass

A paper document issued to the passenger that allows boarding on a ship, plane, train, or other form of transportation.

Business Class

The class of service between first class and coach class, most commonly offered on international flights as a popular alternative to the more expensive first class.

Cancellation Fee/Cancellation Penalty

The amount charged when a traveler cancels a reservation.

Capacity Control

An airline-imposed limitation on the number of actual seats available for sale at a specific fare. Inventory controls would be a concern only when seeking an open market airfare that is below the state government contract rate.

Change Fee

Fees collected by the airlines when a passenger makes changes to a restricted or penalty ticket.

Churning

Churning is any repeated booking or canceling of the same itinerary in the same class or different classes of service across one or more passenger name records (PNR) without limitation, to circumvent or extend ticket time limits or hold inventory.

Code Share (codeshare)

A partnership between airlines allowing one airline to sell another carrier's flight and operate using the partner carrier's name and flight number.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)

Optional car rental insurance that reduces or eliminates the renter's liability or damage deductible should there be damage to the rental car.

Commuter Carrier (Rural Air Carrier or Bush Carrier)

Air carrier that operates smaller aircraft and provides service to airports that cannot support large jet equipment.

Concourse

The area in an airline terminal where the gates are located. Many airports have multiple concourses.

Confirmation Code

The code assigned to a travel itinerary that identifies the passenger and gives the Customer Service Representative an easy way to locate all the traveler's information.

Connections

Flight arrangements that require a change of aircraft at an intermediate airport (baggage will be automatically checked through to the final destination airport).

Connecting Flight

Air transportation arrangement that requires a passenger to change planes before reaching their final destination.

Connecting Time

The published minimum time estimated for a passenger to change aircraft at an intermediate airport. Such connecting times will vary at each airport and between different airlines serving those airports. Airlines will not honor tickets for missed connections if the tickets are issued at less than these minimum times.

Contract Fare

The low bid price between city pairs on a specific carrier. These will be considered the "ceiling price", as lower "open market" fares may be available on excursion or special promotion rates.

Denied Boarding

A rare situation in which a ticketed passenger may not be allowed to board their scheduled flight. This should only happen if the flight has been oversold, the passenger has no confirmed seat assignment, and they have not checked in at the gate at least 20 minutes before scheduled departure.

Direct Flights

Flights on which a traveler does not make a connection to another aircraft (however, an intermediate stop may be made en route).

Double (DBLB)

A hotel room for occupancy by two people which may contain a double, queen or kingsize bed.

Double Occupancy Rate

The rate for a room shared by two people. The rate is quoted for the room and not on a per person basis.

Drop Charge

An additional fee that is often charged by a car rental company when the customer rents a car in one location and returns it to another location.

Duplicate Bookings

A traveler is holding more than one reservation for travel along the same routing. The airline may cancel all reservations without notification.

Economy Class

Also known as tourist or coach class.

Electronic Ticket

A ticket that resides in the airline computer system and is not printed out as an accountable document.

Endorsement

Written stipulations made by a carrier in order for an agent to have authority to issue or reissue a ticket.

Equipment

The type of aircraft.

Estimated Flying Time

Estimated flying time between departure city and destination or connecting point.

E-Travel

The managed travel program within the Executive Branch of the State of Alaska.

E-Travel Management Team (ETMT)

State team including the State Travel Manager, Assistant, and other Division of Finance personnel responsible for supporting the E-Travel managed travel program.

E-Travel Online

The online booking tool, used for approving, purchasing, and reimbursing travel, provided by the contracted travel agency.

Excursion Fare

Discounted fares that require roundtrip travel on the same carrier and a minimum stay over at the destination.

Fare Rules

To distinguish one fare level from another, the airlines assign special purchasing rules and restrictions. Generally, the lower the fare, the more restrictions a fare has (such as 21 day advance purchase or Saturday night stay or travel on a certain day of the week).

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The government agency responsible for the regulation of civil aviation in the United States; functions include airline security regulation and enforcement, air traffic control, aircraft maintenance and pilot licensing.

Frequent Flier Program

A membership program offered directly to the traveler by the air carrier enabling members to accumulate miles (points) and redeem them according to the terms and conditions of the air carrier.

GDS (Global Distribution System)

Worldwide computerized reservation network used as a single point of access for reserving airline seats, hotel rooms, rental cars, and other travel related items by travel agents, online reservation sites, and large corporations.

GetThere

A web-based, self-service travel booking application that enables travelers and travel planners to create policy-compliant air, car, and hotel reservations. E-Travel Online is the State's customized GetThere solution.

Guaranteed Reservation

A lodging reservation held for a passenger's late arrival, usually secured by a credit card obligation to pay even if the traveler never arrives at the hotel.

In-flight Service

Entertainment, meals, beverages and miscellaneous items available during a flight.

Instant Purchase Fare

An instant purchase fare is a fare that cannot be held for later purchase. This type of fare must be purchased at time of booking. Typically there is no exchange value if the traveler cannot fly as originally booked.

Internet Fare (also referred to as a Web fare)

Typically a highly restricted fare the airline offers only on the Internet for a limited period of time.

Itinerary

The complete schedule and travel arrangements for a trip.

Involuntary Denied Boarding

An airline term for a situation in which a person is bumped from a flight without his or her consent, as opposed to voluntarily relinquishing the seat in exchange for inducements such as vouchers for future travel. Passengers in the involuntary denied boarding category generally receive the highest level of compensation from the airline.

King Room

A room with a king-size bed.

Layover

The amount of time a connecting passenger has between flights, before reaching the final destination.

Limited Mileage Allowance

The number of miles included in the car rental rate before additional per mile charges are accessed.

Mileage Charge

Charge made for each mile a rental car is driven beyond the established limited mileage allowance for the rental rate used.

Minimum Stay

A fare requirement that requires the passenger to stay for a designated period of time. (Example: one week, or over a Saturday night).

Multi-Leg Trip

A journey from point A to point B to point C, and back to point A.

Multiple Airport City

A term used to describe a city or metropolitan area that has more than one major, commercial airport. (Examples: Los Angeles International, Burbank, Ontario and Long Beach or Houston International and Hobby).

Non-refundable Tickets

A discounted open market ticket that permits no cash refund, but does allow the value of the ticket to be applied to future travel. The airline may charge a change or reissue fee for modifying a non-refundable ticket.

Non-stop

A flight that does not stop between point of departure and destination.

Occupancy Tax

The tax levied by many cities on a hotel stay. In addition to local taxes, there may be a set tax per room or per person added to the hotel bill.

One Way Ticket

A flight that starts in one location and ends in another location, without returning to the starting point.

Passenger Facility Charge (PFC)

A per passenger airport tax authorized by the US Congress for upgrading and expanding local airport facilities. Currently, the tax can amount to no more than $3 for any one airport and no more than $12 for any single itinerary.

Penalty

The amount charged for canceling or changing a reservation.

Proof of Citizenship

A government issued document that establishes the traveler's nationality to the satisfaction of a foreign government. It may be an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, or a passport.

Proof of Identity

A government issued document that establishes a traveler's identity. Proof of identity may be a driver's license, birth certificate, or a passport.

Refundable Fare

Refundable tickets can be returned with a refund to credit card and without paying a penalty.

Regional Carriers

Airlines serving specified areas or regions of the country.

Restricted Fares

Special fares available only for specified times of day, or days of the week.

Restricted Travel Dates

Specific period during which specials fare or rates apply.

Revalidation

A method by which an airline gives the authority to change a flight time or date of travel without having to reissue the ticket (may only be done if cities and fares are not changed).

Room Tax

State or local tax charged on hotel stays.

Round Trip

A journey from point A to point B and back to point A. Different from a multi-leg trip.

Special Services

An airline term that designates a passenger who has special requests, such as requiring assistance boarding or departing the aircraft, or special meal requirements.

Ticket

When completed and validated, the electronic ticket or paper ticket becomes a contract for transportation between a carrier and a passenger.

Travel Administrator

Department personnel responsible for maintaining the travel profiles for their department. They may or may not also be the department's travel coordinator.

Travel Coordinator

The lead within each department for travel policy interpretation and enforcement. They act as liaisons with the ETMT for departmental issues with E-Travel and provide input into policy development. Travel coordinators analyze travel data for their department for policy compliance and identify the need for traveler or travel planner education. Generally each department has one travel coordinator and a backup.

Travel Management Contractor (TMC)

The State's contracted partner in delivering travel arrangement services for Executive Branch agencies.

Travel Planner

Travel planners are individuals within each department that support travelers by making travel arrangements, explaining policies, ensuring travel is approved prior to purchase, and ensuring reimbursement occurs timely after travel is complete. Departments designate a sufficient number of travel planners to meet their business requirements.

Travel Protection

A combination of travel insurance benefits and emergency hotline services, designed to provide protection for travel investment, health and belongings while traveling.

Unlimited Mileage

A rental car rate that allows the renter to drive an unlimited number of miles without additional mileage charges.

Visa

A validating document placed in a passport by a foreign government, indicating that the traveler's passport has been examined and the passport holder may travel to that specific country. Not all countries require visas.

Web Fare (also referred to as an Internet fare)

A highly restricted fare the airline offers only on the Internet for a limited period of time.