When you shop online, the “shopping basket” concept is wonderfully convenient. You can add multiple items from different vendors and checkout just once. It’s natural to assume booking flights on Travel Booking Sites would work the same way – pile up a few flights in your basket and pay in one go. However, the reality of booking multiple, unrelated flights in a single transaction is more complex than it appears, and here’s why it’s not always straightforward on travel booking sites.
The Myth of the Flight Booking “Basket”
While travel booking sites might visually present a shopping basket for flights, the backend reality for airlines is quite different. Most airlines that are members of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) actually discourage or outright prevent travel agents from selling multiple, unconnected flight tickets within a single transaction. This means that even if you select several flights and see them grouped together on a travel booking site, each flight segment is essentially treated as a separate purchase.
This distinction is crucial. When you proceed to “checkout” with your flight basket, it’s vital to understand that each ticket you’re buying constitutes an individual contract directly with the respective airline. The fact that you booked them together on a travel booking site doesn’t automatically merge them into a single, continuous journey in the eyes of the airlines.
Technical and Legal Hurdles Behind the Scenes
The technical systems airlines use for ticketing are designed to match each ticket with a single payment transaction. This system expects a one-to-one relationship. Therefore, processing a single payment for multiple tickets often requires the travel booking site to split the payment into separate transactions behind the scenes, one for each flight ticket. This adds complexity to the process.
Furthermore, legal regulations can also complicate the idea of a unified flight basket. There are instances where certain flight combinations, although physically possible, cannot legally be sold as a single itinerary. For example, booking flights between two points within a country but with a layover in another country might be restricted under certain regulations. These legal nuances further underscore why travel booking sites often treat each flight segment distinctly.
The “One Ticket” Misconception and Liability
The expectation when multiple flights are purchased in a single transaction is often that they are “on one ticket.” This “one ticket” concept carries significant implications, particularly regarding airline responsibility and passenger rights. If flights are genuinely on one ticket and the first flight is delayed, the onward airline becomes responsible for ensuring the passenger reaches their final destination. In regions like Europe, airlines may even be obligated to provide overnight accommodation and meals if a delay causes a missed connection, regardless of fault. Baggage allowances and airline liability are also governed by specific regulations when flights are on a single ticket.
Airlines have specific rules about how different fares can be combined to create a single ticket itinerary. Violating these rules can create technical issues and financial penalties for travel agents. Therefore, to maintain clarity and avoid complications related to liability and regulations, both airlines and travel booking sites often prefer to process and sell flight tickets individually, except for very experienced travelers who understand these intricacies.
In conclusion, while the idea of a flight booking basket on travel booking sites is presented for user convenience, the underlying reality is fragmented due to technical, legal, and liability reasons. For most travelers, especially when booking multiple unrelated flights, understanding that each flight is essentially a separate transaction is key to navigating the booking process effectively on travel booking sites. This separation, while perhaps less intuitive than a typical online shopping basket, ultimately ensures clarity and compliance within the complex world of air travel.
