Evaluating E-commerce Travel Websites

As more and more students make travel arrangements via the web, you may question the reliability of various web-based ticket sites.

Courtesy of Cheryl Lochner-Wright, Study Abroad Coordinator at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, here is some general advice:

1. Always read the fine print!
2. Make a tentative reservation, and then call the airlines on which you plan to fly to inquire if they would recommend the web organization you are using for the booking.
3. Check with the Better Business Bureau about the sites you are interested in using, or look on the Lonely Planet's chat area.
4. Transitions Abroad Magazine is reviewing all travel websites & recommending the best ones in the next edition (May/June 2002). Check out: http://www.transitionsabroad.com/. Or look at last year's (July/August 2001) recommendations.

Finally here is some advice from Alyssa Meritt, Marketing Manager for Student Universe, an online student travel company.

"Here are some questions I would ask when reviewing an e-commerce travel website:"

• Is this website approved by the Better Business Bureau Online? Check out: http://www.bbbonline.org/consumer/
• Are transactions secure? Look for Verisign or TrustE insignias, which assure users that privacy policies and SSL encryption are in place.
• Does the website clearly post a privacy policy and terms of use?
• Does the website "bait & switch" customers? Are rules for the purchase of deals clearly displayed?
• Is there a customer service center that can be contacted in case of questions or emergency?
• Who does the website partner with? Have you heard of these partners?
• What airlines would the student be flying on? Are they brand name carriers?
• What are the rules, restrictions and penalties for ticket cancellations or changes? Can these be made directly with the carrier?
• Can the organization produce references from known educational institutions?
• Is the site understandable and easy to use? A website is an online shop, and the quality of the website is a testament to the company's commitment to their product.
• Does the website sell ARC (endorsed by the Airline Reporting Corporation) endorsed tickets and/or E-tickets?

"E-tickets or ARC endorsed tickets are the best way to go because the ticket is completely paid for prior to departure."

Alyssa also refers to a Boston Globe article (February 19, 2002), highlighted on the Student Universe website.

"STA and Council, up until its bankruptcy filing, had agreements with the airlines allowing them to issue their own tickets and reimburse the airlines for those tickets only after the customer's travel was completed.

Espen Odegard, chief executive of Student Universe, said he believes the agency-issued tickets are more risky right now. He urged students, no matter which agency they do business with, to demand tickets issued directly by the airlines so if the agency fails they still have a valid ticket.

(Airline tickets carry the logo ARC for Airline Reporting Corp. Electronic tickets also are issued directly by airlines.)

Michael Burns, Council's vice president of marketing, said he thought the airlines would continue to honor the agency-issued tickets. ''I don't see this as a major issue for students,'' he said."

If you are interested in using an agency like STA we suggest you contact a travel agency here in Columbia that is particularly student-friendly called: Canterbury and Tiger Travel, at 27 S. Tenth St., Suite 201, (573) 443-1625, http://www.canterburytravel.com. They work with STA and can offer you a local link to this nationally known student travel service.