Evaluate how well an Airline meets your needs and compares to competing products
If you've completed step one you've identified what you need in an airline and you've learned about the different features of airlines. While you were doing your research, you probably started the process of determining which features - and thus which type of airline - will best meet your needs. Now you are going to continue that process, but in greater detail.
In this step you will
evaluate the airlines available on the market to determine how well they meet your personal needs and establish, by a process of elimination, an initial short-list of contenders. Then you will compare these short-listed airlines to find out which ones stand out from the competition.
Evaluate how well an Airline meets your needs
Your priority at this point in your evaluation is to find the available airlines in the market that best meet your needs. You can save a lot of time during this activity by quickly eliminating any airlines that are unsuitable because they don't meet your key requirements. For example, if you have a limited budget for this purchase then you can ignore any airlines whose fares clearly exceed your price limit.
These days with travel becoming more of an inconvenience, more and more people are taking the time to actually choose a preferred airline for their travel. But, how do you evaluate airlines? Well, it is easier than you think; there are several important considerations that you need to review before booking your flight.
Ticket cost is often the top consideration of most people when selecting an airline. If you are on a tight budget, this should be your top consideration. However, if you aren't on a really tight budget there are a few other factors that you might want to evaluate prior to buying a ticket.
Tip: Make sure you check several sources for price before actually buying your airline ticket. You can sometimes find significant variations in price depending on where you go. Also, take a look at the airline's website because they will often run specials on their website which are not published anywhere else.
In addition to price, you should look at the airline's frequent flier program. These programs give bonuses and perks to people who use the associated airlines. You may find that it is worth it to consistently fly on one particular airline. In addition, there are credit cards which will also give you frequent flier points for every purchase you make. If you fly a lot and purchase a lot with your credit cards, you should consider one of these credit cards.
Tip: There are websites on the Internet which compare and rate the various frequent flier programs. Take a look at a few of these before deciding on one or two frequent flier programs. You will find that some programs are much more generous than others.
Aside from prices, one of the more important considerations for the comfort of your flight is the airplane body type. Take a look at which specific body style your flight is planned in. Then, look on the Internet to investigate the best seats for that particular airline. For instance, some of the newer aircraft, such as the Boeing 777, can have much roomier and quieter interiors than the older aircraft.
Don't forget to look at the airline's place of departure and arrival. Do they land normally in an airport that is convenient for you? If not, try to look at airports that are more convenient for you. Also, you may want to evaluate smaller airports that are closer to home, it could save you a lot of time and hassle.
The in-flight services are also a major factor to many people in evaluating an airline. The range of in-flight services is enormous, from a tiny bag of peanuts all the way to gourmet meals and seats that convert to beds for sleeping. If you will be taking longer flights, this is particularly important; it can make the difference between a terrible flight and a great flight.
Lastly, but very importantly, you should evaluate the particular airline's safety record. There are a lot of websites which will help you to evaluate an airline's safety record. You may also call the airline directly and ask for their safety record. If they won't tell you, ask them for contact information of their safety regulatory agency. Then, you can call the safety agency and get a copy of their safety record.
Tip: Once you are on an airline, you can evaluate it for future flights from a safety and maintenance perspective. Look closely around the airplane for maintenance issues. Is everything clean and neat and in good order? Then chances are the airline does a good job with maintenance. If things are dirty and in disrepair, then you should choose a different airline for your next trip.
When you were considering your requirements in an airline it's likely that you singled out certain factors such as reputation, schedule, in-flight amenities, safety record and cost as being of major significance. As with so many other products, the more features offered, the higher the price.
Buyz123 has created a checklist containing examples of major features; you can work from this checklist when evaluating how well various airlines meet your personal needs:
Features Checklist
Flight
Departure Time - when you need to be at the gate, when you need to check-in, when you board the plane, when you are in the air
Other times - arrival times, time during stops, time to disembark, total travel time
Number of Stops - round-trip, 1 to 5 or more stops
Destinations - location of home terminal, location of trips, convenience of destinations
Security - Type of security, required time for security review prior to check-in, type of inspections for in-flight baggage, security restrictions
Restrictions - carry-on luggage, weight restrictions, pet restrictions
Airplane Amenities
Body Type - jet, turbo prop, prop, jets in wing pods, jet at rear, jet in wings,
Passenger Capacity - 6 to 561 passengers
Classes of seating - first, business, coach, business elite, economy
Types of Seats - Straight-up, reclining, converting to beds, leather, cloth, wide, narrow, exit row seats, bulkhead seats
Restrooms - 1 to 10 or more
Cruise Speed - 203 to approximately 610mph (326 to 982kph)
In-flight Food and Beverage
Food - snack basket, snack, full meal
Special meals - Asian, Baby, Child, Bland, Diabetic, Kosher, Low-sodium, Muslim, Seafood, Vegetarian
Beverages - soda, bottled water, club soda, milk, tea, coffee, juice, alcoholic
Entertainment - In-seat movies, movies, radio, television
Connectivity - battery adapters, rental adapters, purchased adapters
Airport Amenities
Special Membership Privileges - fully-stocked bar, snacks, televisions, work stations, phones, fax machines, and some include Wi-Fi hotspots, putting greens, and meeting services.
Business Lounges - business center, staffed bar with complimentary drinks, local telephone service, newspapers and magazines, and television, complimentary appetizers.
Check-in - Priority check-in, fast check-in, electronic check-in, paper tickets
In-Airport Services and products - personal services such as dry-cleaning, laundry, showers, shoe-shines, stores for shopping, duty-free shops, coffee bars, restaurants, bars, newstands
There are a lot of features listed here, and some of them may not be relevant to your particular requirements. So, work your way through the list and assess how each of these features impact on your airline needs. You can then create a personalized checklist of the features you really require in an airline.
Once you have finished evaluating the airlines available for sale in the light of your personal needs and arrived at a short-list of 'possibles' you are ready to progress to the next stage. This involves comparing the airlines one-on-one in order to find those that really stand out.
Evaluate how well an Airline compares with competing Airlines
Comparing the items on your interim short-list, one to another, is an important part of the purchasing process - we all want to buy the best product we possibly can. So once you have established a short-list of airlines that meet your needs it is time to evaluate how well they compare in fine detail. This way you can assemble a select list of airlines that stand out from the crowd.
Questions to ask yourself:
Which airline on my short-list offers the best value for money?
Which of these airlines best meet my needs?
Which of my short-listed airlines has the best frequent flier program?
Which airline is the easiest to book with?
Which of the airlines seems of the highest quality?
Which short-listed airline has the best safety record?
Which airline do I like best?
By answering these simple questions, you are actually eliminating airlines that aren't absolutely right for you. This is an excellent time - if you haven't done so already - to evaluate how well your short-listed airlines measure up in the following areas: Ticket Conditions and Extras.
Ticket Conditions
Similar products may be available with significantly different terms and conditions, and you want to get the best deal you can. It is particularly important to investigate any conditions that might void a ticket, such as checking in too late. Also check whether a ticket is refundable or transferable to another day if your travel arrangements need to be changed.
Extras
When evaluating similar products, it is a good idea to include extras in your assessment. You need to be clear about exactly what extras are necessary to utilize the airline to its full capacity, and whether these are included with the purchase. What other facilities are required - do you need frequent flier membership, for instance?
Extras Checklist:
- Upgrades - will you want upgrades, what are the costs?
- Frequent flier membership
- Extra luggage allowances
- What else will you need to fully utilize the airline services?
Once you've worked through the Evaluation step you will have a final short-list of airlines that meet your needs and stand out from competing products on the market. It's time then to move on to the third and final step: Purchase.
Video Links
Buyz123.com Research Links:Ticket CostAre you paying for extra airline fuel costs?Creature flying comforts How to get a free upgrade and fly business class4 surefire ways to finding cheap airline tickets