We are all travellers which may be out for fun or at work. We have to plan our visit to our destination in advance to make it more comfortable. We must book our tickets in advance to reserve a seat which must be available. Previously we used to go to the airport or station to book our tickets. Now thanks to the Airline Ticketing Agent, we can book our tickets and plan our visit on the phone or online on the computer.
What is a Ticketing Agent?
The people who are responsible for making and confirming travel arrangements for passengers are called Ticketing Agents. They are employed by railroads, airlines, bus companies and cruise lines. Their day-to-day tasks include selling tickets in terminals, planning routes using computers and manuals and calculating ticket costs. They also handle key operations such as data operations, data entry, payment collect, and verification.Â
What does the Ticketing Agent do?
The role and responsibilities of a ticketing agent are very straightforward. They are expected to follow the instructions from higher authorities and undertaking.
The work profile of a ticketing agent is identified with the hospitality sector. They are often needed to work on several projects in the activities branch of travel services. They are always recruited by the travel services and private careers where they are accountable for taking care of gear and things and registration of clients.
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Types of Ticketing Agent
Ticketing agents are mainly classified into four types. These are listed below.
·      Airline Ticket Agent
Airline Ticket agents are hired by airlines where they are required to work in airport terminals. Their role is to sell tickets to passengers and assist passengers desiring a different flight. The ticketing agents are expected to solve any issue when complaints are received from the customers.Â
·    Movie Theater Ticket Agent
Movie theatre ticket agents sell tickets in show corridors and cinema halls to the public. People approach the ticket counter or stall, pay for their tickets and enter.
·    Bus Ticket Agent
Both Public and Private transport like bus and Taxi services employ ticketing agents to provide information of the cost estimates, book charges, and exhort travelers about gear and transport rules. Agents work with the help of a phone or computer.
·      Railway Ticketing Agent
Railway ticketing agents are required to book IRCTC e- tickets. The agents can give any number of approved tickets and get hefty commission on the ticket booking.
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What is an Airline Ticketing Agent job description?
The airline ticketing agent has the responsibility toward his employer by keeping his customer happy and satisfied. Here are few of the responsibilities that an Airline ticketing agent must ensure to maintain his customer.
1. Â Â Customer service
The airline ticket agent must manage customer service issues including negotiations, conflict resolution and client safety to maintain and retain their customers. They must be considerate and professional when dealing with customers.Â
2. Â Â Safety Procedures
The airline ticketing agent must be fully informed about the safety procedure in the airport and guide their customers thoroughly to prevent any inconvenience. They must be able to work in compliance with all airline safety procedures including passenger identification verification and secure baggage handling.
3. Â Â Airline Tickets
An Airline ticketing agent must be able to perform airline ticketing using Kiosk System for passengers needing airline tickets and boarding passes. They must be able to process voided airline tickets and refunds. They must be able to book and sell all airline tickets and must be able to upgrade customers to a different class of in-flight service, assisting departing passengers.
4. Â Â Ticket Sales
An airline ticket agent must be able to reconcile daily ticket sales reports and monthly ticket inventory. They must check ticket sales and reservation charts on the computer. They must be able to promote sales, quote fares to customers, recalculate their fares and reissue tickets.
5. Â Â Payment Collection
As Airline ticketing agent you must collect payment from the customers. You can help the customers by assisting them in making payment through different modes like cash, credit cards, debit card or UPI.
6. Â Â Public Address Systems
An airline ticket agent must be able to operate a public address system for announcements and paging of customers.They must be able to announce arrival and departure information of all flights using a public address system.
7. Â Â TSA
An airline ticketing agent must be able to work closely with and be able to maintain professional relationships with other airline carriers and government agencies like security and customs. They must be able to assist passengers with interactions among various agencies including TSA, Customs, immigration, and airport authorities.They must be able to resolve passengers’ query on luggage content, weight, and safety precautions based on airport safety regulations.
8. Â Â Special Assistance
The airline ticketing agent must be able to assist passengers with special requests and assistance. They must provide special assistance to disable passengers and personally escort unaccompanied minors.
9. Â Â Â Seat Assignments
It is the duty of the airline ticketing agent to examine passengers’ documentation to determine required service, seat arrangement and travel preferences.He must designate seating assignments according to passengers’ specific needs. He must evaluate and prepare flights by arranging seat assignments and load, coordinate special meals and upgrades.
10. Service Requirements
An airline ticket agent must confer with customers to determine their service requirements and travel preferences.
11. Communication
An airline ticketing agent must be able to utilise effective communication and customer relation skills to address baggage incidents and produce positive outcomes for angry and upset passengers. Hey must be able to demonstrate effective communication skills and possess a welcoming and positive attitude.
12. Travel Agents
An airline ticketing agent must provide assistance to travel agents for making reservations and advise them of travel. They must help the travel agents by computing fares for both simple and extensive itineraries. They must develop training plans and train travel agents on airline reservation systems.They must provide quality control and support for internal travel agents and provide information of all airline initiatives and promotions to travel agents to generate return business.Â
How to become an airline ticketing agent?
Not everyone can become a ticketing agent. You must have an interest in the field of ticketing to become an airline ticketing agent. The candidates must meet a few of the perquisite skills to become an airline ticketing agent. Here are a few of them.
- Â Â Â Â Communication skills and a clear voice
- Â Critical Thinking
- Â Strong Intellectual ability
- Â Attention to detailing
- Â Enthusiastic
- Â Â Proofreading
- Â Analytical skills
- Â Typing ability
- Â Problem solving
- Â Calm personality in stressful situations
- Â Good presentation skills
- Â Proficiency in using computers
- Â Good listening ability
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Besides these skills you must also possess a few academic qualifications and undergo training to become an airline ticketing agent.Â
Airline ticket airline job Qualifications
To become an airline ticketing agent, you must have a minimum high school certificate (Class 10th). Diploma courses are also available to students who want to take up this job. Here are the basic requirements you must have to become an airline ticket agent.
- Â Â Â Candidates must have at least completed class 10th
- Â Â Â You must be at least 18 years of age
- Â Â Â You must possess a diploma in airline ticketing
- Â Â Â Diploma in Travel and Tour management
- Â Â Â Diploma in International Travel, Tourism and Hospitality management
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Most of the students must possess 12 class degree with a minimum 50% percentage to take up any of these diploma courses. They should graduate in courses like B.BA in Travel management or B.Com in accountancy.Â
What is an Airline Ticketing Course?
The Airline Ticketing agent course is a specialised course under travel and hospitality field. This course is a job-oriented course to make your career stable. The airline ticketing course provides a comprehensive knowledge and skills to the students in air management, travel management, and ticketing process along with professional ticketing. Students who are looking for job-oriented courses after the 12th can take airline ticketing courses as an effective option. The course duration ranges from 4/6 months to one year duration.Â
What is the course curriculum for Fares and Ticketing Course?
The course curriculum of Fares and Ticketing courses may vary from college to college. Some of the topics taught in the colleges with Diploma in Fares and Ticketing courses are given below.
Course |
Syllabus |
| Diploma in International Travel Reservations | ·     VA Fare & Ticketing QCF
·     Certificate in VA Earth ·     Certificate in the Sabre System
|
| Advanced Diploma in Air Travel Management & CRS | ·     IATA – UFTAA – ICAO
·     Airlines & Travel Agency ·     Travel and Tourism Industry ·     Geography in Travel Planning ·     Air Travel Formalities & Products ·     Technology in the Air Travel Industry ·     Computer Reservation System ·     Air Fares and Ticketing
|
| Diploma in Travel Tourism and Airport Handling | ·     Tourism
·     Ticketing ·     Airport Handling ·     French Language ·     Hospitality ·     Personality Development ·     Communication ·     Computer Reservation System (Galileo)
|
| Certificate in Air Ticketing & Travel Management | ·     Air Ticketing
·     Common Aviation ·     Travel & Tourism
|
| Diploma in Airline Ticketing | ·     Ticketing Policies and Procedures
·     Fare Construction Rules and Police ·     Passports & VISA ·     Elementary & Location Geography ·     Airlines & Airport Codes ·     Time Zones ·     Air Ticketing & Reservations ·     Tourist Accommodation ·     All Travel Requirement and Ticketing Formalities ·     Travel Sales ·     Customer Service ·     Refund and Cancellation Policy
|
| Diploma in Airport Ground Handling Training | ·     Grooming & Personality Development
·     Communication skills ·     Guest Relation and PR Techniques ·     Aviation History & Ground Handling ·     Activities performed at Airport ·     Airport facilities & Services ·     Airport Announcement ·     Ramp Management ·     Safety Awareness
|
| Certificate in Air Fare and Ticketing | ·     Grooming & Personality Development
·     Communication skills ·     Airfare & Ticketing ·     Airline Geography ·     Time Differences
|
| Air Fares Ticketing and Global Distribution Systems Fares & Ticketing (Galileo) | ·     Travel Agency Operations
·     IATA Areas ·     World Geography and City Codes ·     Itinerary Planning ·     World Time Zones & Elapsed Travel Time ·     Airlines Languages and Travel Terminology ·     Anatomy of Journey and Mileage System ·     Documentation and Ticketing ·     Transportation and Accommodation ·     Personality Grooming and GDS ( Galileo)
|
| Diploma in Travel, Tourism and Ticketing | ·     Ticketing Studies
·     Domestic Ticketing ·     International Ticketing ·     Travel Agency Operation ·     Destinations In India & The World ·     Regional Transport & Accommodation System ·     World Transport & Accommodation ·     Computer Applications ·     Tour Operations ·     Tourism Organization ·     Business Correspondence & Computer Applications ·     Emporiatrics ·     Sustainable Tourism ·     Business French ·     Tourism Marketing ·     Sales Promotion ·     Marketing Management ·     Research & Analysis
|
| Certificate in Fares & Ticketing | ·     IATA geographical areas & Global Routing Indicator
·     Interpret various airline coding ·     Differing fare types & their characteristics ·     Lowest applicable fare with ref. to fare rules ·     Application of principle of the mileage system ·     Application of NUCs and the IATA Rates of Exchange ·     Identify all automated tickets, ATBs and OPTAT/ TAT ·     Interpret all MPDs/ MCOs
|
World’s Top Colleges offering Airline Ticketing agent Course
There are several colleges/universities all over the world offering Air Ticketing courses. Here is a list of some of the top universities offering this course.
·  University College, Birmingham
The University college, Birmingham is one of the leading universities and is best known for its aviation courses. The university offers bachelors in airport management where students can learn about airport administration and management.
· Western Michigan University
The College of Aviation, Western Michigan University offers a wide range of aviation programs. The aviation course is designed for students who are interested in management and administrative fields. The college provides practical training to students in a real environment for better learning and understanding.
·     RMIT University
The University provides bachelors of applied science in aviation which provides students with airport management and aviation skills.The students are equipped with skills like airline development and structure to understand the concept better.
·    University of Central Missouri
The University offers bachelors in airport management. The course is designed to equip students with essential skills like airport management and staff handling.
·       Cypress college
The Department of Aviation & Travel Employment has been helping students in gaining placements in all major airlines and travel companies around the world since 1967.
Top Institutions offering Air Ticketing Course in India
Airline Ticketing agent training is also offered by several colleges/universities in India. Here is a list of some Top Institutions in India that offer this course:
- The Tourism School, Mumbai
- Airborne Air hostess Academy, Delhi
- YMCA, Pune
- India Travel and Tourism Institute, Mumbai
- SkyLark Institute, New Delhi
- Blue Whale Academy, Mumbai
- Meridian Institute, Bangalore
- Orient Flights, Chennai
- NVS Institute, Madurai
- Â Â IGIA India, Delhi
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The Scope of Airline Ticketing Course
With the Indian travel and tourism industry making an exponential growth in recent years, this industry has become a promising sector for generating jobs every year. The Tourist traffic gas to India has grown by a whopping 16% making the Indian International airports turn into the world’s busiest airports.
With this high rate of growth in tourist traffic, the industry requires skilled professionals in all areas of travel and tourism such as airline careering, laundry services, guides, interpreters, tourism promotion, sales and so on.
Ticketing and reservation are an important part of the aviation industry. A ticketing agent is the first person whom the passenger meets and interacts before boarding a flight.
Career prospects and salary package
Once you have completed your airline ticketing training program you can work with the airlines, travel agencies, cruise ships, Hotels, and resorts. You can rise up to the level of tour manager after gaining relevant experience in the industry. Also you can start your own air ticket booking agency if you have entrepreneurship knack in you.
Some of the top recruiters of the airline ticketing agents include.
- Â Airline Operators
- Â Airports and airport management
- Â Travel & Tourism companies
- Â Travel consultancies
- Â Tour management companies
- Â Hotels and Resorts
Here are top recruiting companies for airline agents.
- Â Airlines hiring ticketing agents like Indigo, Spice jet Emirates, Air India etc.
- Â Book my show
- Â Make My Trip
- Â Go Ibibo
- Â Red Bus
- Â Yatra.com
- Â IRCTC
- Â Other state tour and travel organisations.
A fresher can start with Rs 7000 to Rs 9000 per month. After gaining experience in the field, one can earn up to Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000 per month.
Conclusion
Do you have passion and fascination for the aviation industry and dreamt about having a successful career in this field? There are a number of opportunities to pursue in the ground roles at an airport to fly in the air.
The service industry in the world, especially in India is undergoing unprecedented growth. Air ticketing is no exception. Airline ticketing agents cater to the increasing mobile population of the world. The airline ticketing professionals have excellent career prospects in India also. Air ticketing jobs are one of the most sought after jobs for you to grow in the industry.
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