AVIABIRDs' "MUST SEE" PLACES IN ACCRA

ITTI: THE HEART OF TRAVEL & TOURISM TRAINING.

Gradually, things are normalizing in parts of the world including Ghana. Many countries are hopefully easing out of the pandemic. Tourism as we know it provides huge opportunities in wealth creation through direct and indirect job creation. Harnessing these opportunities hinges primarily on training.

 

One such place for quality training in tourism is the INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL and TOURISM INSTITUTE (ITTI) in Accra Ghana.

 

 

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AIR TICKETS- EPISODE 5

 ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AIR TICKETS- Services you enjoy buying an air ticket.

 

An air ticket does not only guarantee access to a seat in the aircraft but comes with some other entitlements as well. This is largely dependent on the type of ticket you purchase. The class of ticket determines the benefits you enjoy.

 

ECONOMY CLASS:

You are mostly entitled to some meals be it hot or cold for long haul flights, snacks for short haul flights and drinks throughout the flight. All passengers get to enjoy some in-flight entertainment as well ranging from movies, music, games, etc. that will keep the traveller engaged. However, you may have to pay for a seat with extra legroom, or even pay for an economy comfort seat. Unfortunately, economy class passengers are not entitled to the lounges, unless they will make use of the pay to use lounges at the airport. Your carry-on bag come at no cost but the weight is determined by the airline.

 

BUSINESS CLASS:

Business class passengers tend to get a step-up treatment compared to Economy class passengers. Even their seat is luxuriously comfortable giving them much more legroom space at no cost. They get to enjoy all that the economy traveller enjoys with a somewhat higher standard. Of course, it all included in what they pay as their ticket fare. In addition, Business class travellers are entitled to a business class lounge at no fee and some airlines offer free Wi-Fi to enable them work or surf the internet. They get to enjoy more baggage allowance and carry-on luggage.

 

FIRST CLASS:

The customized Cabin for first class travellers make everyone want to travel in first class except for the cost, only a few are able to afford. Right from your home to your destination, the airlines give you a kingly/queenly treatment. Enjoying the benefits in Business class plus extra services, such as spa treatment, chauffeur drive, personalized services as per the request of the traveller. In first class, you determine what treatment you get by making the requests.

 

Generally, for all the classes mentioned, there are other services available upon request. You may need an infant seat (basinet), extra seat, duty free shopping, wheelchair, ambulift, etc. So when next you purchase your tickets, ensure you are well informed on what you get to benefit on board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AIR TICKETS- EPISODE 4

 

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AIR TICKETS- EPISODE 4

 

In as much we wish to travel as per our travel plans, it is not always in our power to determine whether we will actually travel or not and these are due to unforeseen circumstances. Even with foreseen circumstances, we are only able to do little or nothing about it.

 

From not showing up at the airport, changing your travel dates, providing inaccurate information to actually cancelling your flight, the airline penalizes the traveler. The question the travelers always ask is “why will I be charged a penalty, when I already have a ticket?” Well, the information below should answer your question.

NO SHOW

A “no-show” is when a passenger does not show up to check-in and travel as per the flight schedule. One key thing to note is the perishable nature of an airlines operation. When a traveler does not show up on the said travel date, the flight takes off with that seat empty. The seat is lost forever.

The airline charges a penalty as certain costs are incurred even if the traveler does not travel. Sometimes informing the airline or your travel agent prior to departure flight saves you from paying any associated penalties on no show.

CHANGING DATE

Changing your date simply means rescheduling your date to travel at a later or earlier date other than your original travel date. The twist with changing your date is that, you are requesting for another seat that could be sold at the original price. It is only fair that they charge a penalty for confirming a new seat on the date you are requesting otherwise they will lose out on the original seat you purchased earlier.

PROVIDING INACCURATE INFORMATION

On the day of departure, at least one passenger on a flight may have provided an information that is inaccurate. This normally happens when a ticket is purchased on behalf of someone. It could be incorrect spelling of name, incorrect passenger type (child, infant, etc.), or an information that can lead to the passenger being denied boarding. Such errors can be time wasting, and the extra cost for the airlines as they will be charged by the GDS providers. It only makes sense for them to transfer such costs to the traveler as it is no fault of the airline.

 CANCELLATION

Cancelling a ticket means two things – either you will no longer travel or you will travel at a later date. Whatever be the reason, the seat becomes vacant and it is highly possibly to fly empty. This is a huge loss for the airlines. To compensate for the loss, the airlines will charge a penalty to at least break even on that vacant seat. Sometimes you may end up losing all the money as the ticket may not be refundable.  However, if you should do this in advance as per the airlines’ policy, the penalties will not be that great.

So when next you think of any voluntary changes, no show, cancellation or inaccurate information, know that the airlines suffers and its only appropriate to transfer such costs to the traveler as it is no fault of the airline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FLIGHT TICKETS- EPISODE 3

Once the visa has been acquired, the next most important thing is to secure a seat on an airline carrier. Whether or not to go to a specific airline or an agent becomes a tussle sometimes. In today’s episode of “all you need to know about airline tickets”, we explore what it takes and means to employ the services of either of the two: Airline office or An agent.

 

AVAILABILITY

On most weekends and public holidays, the airline city ticketing office (CTO) might be closed for business. However, based on availability of flight, their airport ticketing office (ATO) is opened for business for that day.The agent on the other hand provides a twenty-four hour, seven days a week service. This means that, at any point in time of your travelling life, an agent could work out a ticket for you when they are called.  

 SERVICE CHARGES

Buying a ticket from an airline company does not come with any extra cost as the operational and over head cost are already part of the ticket in the cost. This does not entirely make the the ticket any less cheaper.

The agent takes a service charge primarily because they have fixed and operational cost to settle; salaries and some over head cost. This helps in their business growth.

 OPTIONS

When you enter an airline company office, you have no choice but to buy from them. Supposing you go to Airline A or B, your ticket will surely be from them.

The agent gives you more options. They will basically show you all the flights and their respective routes. The purchasing power now lies on you the client as you might be spoilt for choice.

 CREDIT FACILITY

Traveling could be fun when you don’t have any cost to settle. There are however emergencies. In such cases, you might not exactly get a credit facilities from the airline company, except in rare cases where they give credit to some corporate institutions.

In conclusion, the agent is an extension of the airline office. Services are generally the same except for in most cases when the above are being considered. The final decision to purchase from either of the two lies solely in the hands of the traveler.  

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FLIGHT TICKETS- EPISODE 2

FEATURES OF A FLIGHT TICKET

 

One may be happy to have purchased a flight ticket, but how would you know you have been given your money’s worth? In this episode, we share with you some unique features to be looked out for as any genuine ticket would have them conspicuously displayed for your perusal.

Beyond a name and date, a flight ticket would usually have the following which most passengers do not necessarily pay attention to.

 

Conditions of carriage (Rules)

This rule spells out what items the passenger can either or not bring along the trip.

Eg. Sharp objects, certain foods, alcohol, lotions(soaps, body cream). Ignoring this particular rule will have your priced items seized by customs.

 

Baggage allowance

A flight ticket would also tell you how much baggage you are allowed to carry unto the flight. Exceeding it will result in extra chargs and sin some cases, shedding off some weight to meet the required standards.

 

Check-in-time

Quite a number of passengers fault in this area as they miss the check in time. It is usually written by the agent or flight office personnel and in most cases two hours before the flight departs. Being on time for this is important as it prevents unnecessary delay which comes at a cost to the airline.

However, during this COVID era, it will be best to show up at the airport at least 3 or 4 hours before departure considering the long queues and and a few delays as a result.    

 

 

 

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FLIGHT TICKET: EPISODE 1

FLIGHT TICKET:  PIECE OF PAPER WORTH THOUSANDS

Photo Credit: Ethiopia Airlines

Often, for first timers, the desire to travel is fraught with one if not many challenges. The long queue at the embassy, putting the required documents together and what have you. Then the final day comes and then boooom! The flight is missed because 

certain detailed were missed by the passenger.  

 

To a layman, an airline ticket is an ordinary sheet of paper with printings of words, figures and codes with which a passenger is entitled a seat on a flight. Yes, it could look meaningless but worth hundreds of dollars or its equivalent in any local currency.

 

An airline ticket is said to be a coupon or document which allows its bearer access an air plane, entitling them to the basic niceties provided by the airline.  

 

There are basically three types of air tickets. Promotional tickets, economy and business class tickets and depending on the aircraft type, you would find a first class ticket. Possessing any of them spells out some details which when overlooked could cost some extra money and time to the bearer. So, when next you purchase a flight ticket, ensure you ask all the questions boggling your mind.

 

 

 

     

 

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

My love for travelling, exploring new places of interest, making discoveries in cultures has always been a passion  many are yet to experience. I have been to several tourist sites across the country yet on each other visit, I discover something different. A newness, which was not there on my last visit though sometimes hidden but others times is displayed boldly. From meeting people, food, music, the drive and the sheer abundance of life unending, displayed in its grandiose elegance, in bold fresh green or brown and the majesty with which the mountains stand, it peak shattering the icy clouds and winking at the vast blue skies is nothing short of breathtaking.

 

Tourism affords all of these for little. The closest we get to nature, the wider our understanding of what life has to offer. The closest we get to history, the better our views and fondness of the distant and immediate past. With these we make informed decisions about the future. A future that presents what it has to offer because of what it has been given.

 

So, when next you travel, look out for the subtleties which make you want to come back. They are your money and times worth.  

WE WILL TRAVEL AGAIN

The fufu at Amonokrom close to the washing bay is nothing like I have ever experienced. Soft and smoothly round. Its lays gorgeously in an “ayiwa” or “asanka”- some call it earthen ware. The anglisization of it does not effect any change in my murmuring stomach.

 I have to eat. This looks like something I can without much effort finish in minutes.  A grin running from one ear to the other inhabits my face. I’m not a glutton but the thought of food -good food gives me a sudden rush of warm blood in my face. If I were white, I would have looked pink because of food. So, food makes me jittery. I present my “asanka” for garnishing, from the hugh aluminium sauce pan came the best home away from made light soup inundated with assorted meat and fish. Meat? NO!. Fish? Plenty.

I scooped half a spoon full of freshly grounded mixture of onions, garlic and ginger onto the fufu.

Lunch is served. I carried my load with grace to the low placed kitchen table and stool under a tree whose fruits I don’t know because there was none. I cared less. i had not driven all the way to pick fruits.

With my fore finger running through the soup, a piece of piece slid into the soup painting a picture of an island far away from civilization where its inhabitants could run around not bothering who was watching. The taste in my mouth and temperature in my mouth was electrifying. Underneath this electrification was an everlastingly refreshing taste of ginger, onion and garlic all at once. An assurance of having my monies and time’s worth. Morsel after morsel, with my head slightly bowed and a back contorted into an arch, I swallowed, chewed, sucked and licked off every bit of fish and every stagnant pool of soup.

Sitting quietly under the tree sipping from a medium sized calabash of fresh palm wine, life couldn’t have been any better for me.

 Covid -19  has affected us great deal but what it cannot do is stop us from enjoying the little pleasures of our short lives. Covid-19 will continue to wreck havoc , devastating the very core of our existence but one thing is certain…

＃WEWILLTRAVELAGAIN

 

THE TRANSFORMATIONAL POWER OF TRAVEL

Traveling genuinely pushes you out of your comfort zone and sets you in an environment challenging enough yet brings some innate sense of pride and joy in you. The freedom of movement that comes along with traveling fuels your desire to explore and discover new things.

 

In the recent development regarding the Covid-19 pandemic around the world, it has halted the movement of people. According to travel advisers, adventure traveling is one way to lead the industry recovery. The Travel and tourism industry has played a vital role in allowing individuals to travel and explore the world. The pandemic was an unexpected hit or turn off an event that leads to reducing business and services rendered by the industry.

 

None the less, the growth in adventure travel was in place way before the pandemic. That growth was formed because of people wanting to leave their homes to do something fun aside from being confined in their homes (i.e taking mini trips to safaris, going to remote places and sleeping in little tents, hunting their food/kills, hiking, etc)

 

To conclude, the transformational power of travel balls down to the why and the merit people derived from traveling. Through traveling, people challenged themselves, experienced something unfamiliar and left with new skills or knowledge, got in touch with themselves and appreciated life, and most importantly built and strengthened their relationships with friends and family.