This past year, 2022, has been a nightmare year for air travelers everywhere, especially last summer and the Christmas holiday season.
Cancellations, sky-high ticket prices, airport fees, chronic flight delays, lack of flight personnel, lost luggage by the ton, airplanes that are unexpectedly seized by creditors, and worst of all, stranded passengers who were treated more like a number than a human being by airlines in the event of a delay or cancellation.
It’s enough to make you want to drive, or take the bus or train to your next destination. There are many websites and apps that travelers can turn to in order to get a wide variety of flights to their chosen destination at the lowest price possible. But what about standing behind every plane ticket sold, so that passengers can also have a much more pleasant, stress-free travel experience?
That’s where CheapOair comes into the picture, which is available both as an app and a website (www.cheapoair.ca), as well as by phone. It’s an online travel agency whose emphasis is on offering cheap flights and last-minute deals for air travellers based anywhere in the world.
“CheapOair has existed in the U.S. for many years before it was established in Canada, but it was established as a value-based solution when it comes to heritage flights as well as a broad array of options because of our partnerships with over 500 airlines,” said Daniel Hayter, Senior Product Manager for CheapOair.ca during a recent phone interview. “Our real focus is on flights and offering prices for flights that will give you the best value for your travel dollar. Our customers are really important to us, which is why we try to be smart and helpful to them when they make their travel plans with CheapOair. Airline travel can be a frustrating, difficult experience. That is why we also offer them alternate dates and airports, or inform them ahead of time when it comes to related problems or upcoming trends.”
Case in point, while searching on a leading travel website for a round trip flight from Montreal to New Orleans for four days and three nights between June 23 and June 27, there were a limited number of flights available, with a range of prices that go as high as $1,416. And while doing that same flight search on CheapOair, the average price was in the $700 range, with a greater number of flights available to choose from, as well as an offer of taking a flight on alternate travel dates that are closer to the proposed original dates for the special price of $541; these prices are in Canadian dollars, with all taxes and fees included.
CheapOair extends that obligation to customer service by having a team of travel agents available in Canada, the U.S. and around the world not only to offer great flight deals, but also to offer assistance to any customer who have questions or need to remedy a travel situation. “We have an in-house team of employees to offer customer assistance, so that they can be in touch with a travel expert in a matter of seconds,” said Mr. Hayter. “As well, there are teams in Montreal and Toronto, where local customers can easily call a corresponding local phone number, so that don’t have to go through the trouble of making long distance calls. These are the things we are committed to so that our customers get the best travel experience as possible when they are arranging their trips.”
However, there is more to CheapOair than just offering cheaper, competitive airfares. They also offer that same standard of quality service to those travelers who want to book hotels and rental cars. As well, they want to educate their customers when it comes to the latest news, tips and trends in the world of air travel so that they become a better-informed traveler.
“These days, travelers are becoming more informed and travel savvy than ever before thanks to the growing impact of social media (such as reading online hotel reviews), as well as hit TV shows like Emily in Paris, White Lotus and Searching for Italy with Stanley Tucci,” he said. “That’s why CheapOair spends a lot of time talking with customers or asking them to fill out survey forms, that way we can analyze the latest trends based on their feedback and report about them through our app and website. That way, they become more aware and helps them get a better understanding of the world of air travel.”
Some of the latest trends that have been recently made public by CheapOAir include the growing strong demand for travel this year, especially the continual demand for domestic destinations; the growing amount of bookings for trips to Asia and Europe, which in turn means more bookings done well in advance of a departure date; and the soon-to-be required European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will go into effect in 2024. “The ETIAS is something that many Canadian citizens who plan to travel to Europe next year are not aware of, but they should keep in mind,” added Mr. Hayter. “It’s not exactly a visa, but Europe-bound travelers from Canada will have to apply for it online before they board any mode of transportation to the continent, even if they plan to be anywhere in Europe for a connecting flight to a non-European destination.”
As for helpful hints to make your upcoming flight a more pleasant, stress-free experience, Mr. Hayter offers these simple – and very important – tips.
“First and foremost, try to arrive at the airport early; I highly recommend two hours in advance for domestic flights, and three hours for international flights. That way, you have less chance of experiencing any flight delays,” he said. “Second, try to see if you can exercise some flexibility, and try to book a flight that departs on a weekday; the fares are cheaper and the planes are less crowded. Third, as a means of saving some time, do your flight check-in online, rather than in person at the airline counter, which can be done at least 24 hours prior to your departure time. Fourth, download your boarding pass onto your cell phone. And fifth, give some serious thought to purchasing travel insurance; it can help you with some financial losses and risks, as well as any health issues that could happen while you are away, or deal with unexpected flight cancellations.”
For more information, go to www.CheapOair.ca, call 1-437-317-8029 between 8 a.m. and 2 a.m., or download their mobile app for iOS and Android. You can also follow CheapOair on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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