Purdue senior Kelly Whitesel had used online airfare reservations Web sites before. So when she clicked the "submit" button and received a confirmation that her reservation had been ticketed electronically -- meaning she could claim it at the airport the day of her flight -- she was confident there would be no problem.\nBut a month later, when she called to confirm her flight, the customer help line had some disturbing news: Her tickets for a weekend trip to Paris were sitting in a mailbox in West Lafayette, and she was in London -- 3,998 miles away. \nAlthough Internet ticketing companies might seem convenient, consumers can make mistakes that cause problems like Whitesel's. Successfully ordering (and receiving) what one wants online doesn't have to be a game of chance. These five tips will help take the guesswork out of ordering airfare on the Internet.
Step 1: Compare sites and check prices with a travel agent\nSince airfare is expensive, it doesn't make sense to take one quote and run with it. Consumers should make sure they shop around at several online companies.\nGreg Seiter, media relations manager of AAA Hoosier Motor Club, recommends consumers consult with their regular travel agent before purchasing tickets online. \n"A lot of times, what's available online may not necessarily be an updated offer -- it could be just a free-standing offer that's been there for a while," he said. "A travel agent, someone who is actually able to respond to your individual needs, may be able to tailor a ticket to what you actually need and maybe save you money in the process."\nSeiter warned of issues with privacy and legitimacy when consumers deal with Internet companies. "If you are dealing with someone you've never heard of that you don't know anything about, that is taking a risk," he said. "There are a lot of businesses out there that are not exactly legitimate."\nWeb sites such as www.fraud.org and \nwww.consumerreports.org are resources to use when checking up on a company.
Step 2: Specify the delivery method and know what to expect of the service\nWhitesel thought her tickets were being sent directly to the airline, meaning she wouldn't have a paper copy. While e-ticketing normally takes the stress out of choosing a method of delivery, not all consumers trust this method -- rightly so, because occasionally the system does fail. Whitesel's hours of conversation with customer service representatives taught her a lot about how to avoid making the same mistake.\n"Make sure you get a confirmation and call and confirm your flight with the Internet company and the airline way in advance of your flight," she said. "Be sure the company knows where to send the tickets if they are paper tickets. Confirm what kind of tickets you have (paper or e-tickets) and call if you have any questions."
Step 3: Keep records of all transactions\nBy keeping every e-mail sent to and from the company, consumers have a record of the conversations and the name of the person who helped. According to David and Rhonda Crowder, authors of "Cliffsnotes: Shopping Online Safely," it is a good idea to print out every Web page that was part of the ordering process, including the completed order form. This charts progress through the ordering process and provides proof it was done correctly.\nTravelocity, a leader in the Internet airline ticketing industry, had 23.4 million registered users as of October 2000. Those users are logging on to view an average of 166 million pages a month, according to a study done by Media Metrix. With all those users, customer service lines are busy, and representatives don't have the time to take down everyone's life story. \nHaving printouts of each page involved in the process of ordering the ticket will help the customer service desk understand the problem and fix it as quickly as possible.
Step 4: Be a safe shopper\nJanette Kopko of the Better Business Bureau said credit cards are safe for use on the Internet, but for those wary of having their credit card number exposed, there are other ways to pay. \n"Some people are really apprehensive about paying with a credit card over the Internet, so you might see if there is a toll-free number you can call to give the company your credit card number
Although no conclusive evidence exists to support the fear that credit card numbers can be stolen from Internet transactions, there are other options to pay for goods online. Rhonda Fels, public relations manager for eCash.com, said her company's product is one such alternative. \n"We provide software to banks that allow banks to make eCash available to their customers -- the difference with eCash is that it sends no personal information along when it sends the payment. The analogy I like to make is that because of the way the software is designed, it is the closest thing available today to actual cash. Your money always remains with your bank … not at risk."\nTwo other options for digital cash include www.cybercash.com and www.webcash.com, which operate on the same principle as eCash: They exist to keep consumer information private when buying products online.\nNo matter what method of payment is used, Kopko said consumers should be careful. When a credit card is used, the company or bank can stop payment if the ticket never arrives.\n"I would urge caution with paying by check in advance if you aren't able to get something in writing about who you are dealing with and what you are getting. Once you pay by check, it could just be gone, and if you can't find the company you could have a problem."
Step 5: Don't be discouraged\nWhitesel's disaster story has a happy ending -- the company from which she ordered her tickets was able to fix the mix-up and get her and her sister tickets on a later flight. \nAlthough there are numerous concerns to consider before ordering airfare online, there are also options to make the transaction safe and convenient. After all, who wouldn't want to order tickets for a business trip or vacation at home in comfortable pajamas? The trend toward using these Internet airfare companies is rising -- Travelocity.com grossed about $90 million in 1999, a 156 percent increase in earnings from 1998.\nEven Whitesel hasn't written off online shopping after her experience. Sitting in her kitchen in West Lafayette, she doesn't look like someone describing what she called a "semi-traumatic" incident. \n"I have used online airfare places before, and I will probably use them again," she said with a skeptically raised eyebrow and a lax shrug. "I'll just be more careful the next time I order anything over the Internet"
