Glossary
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AA - Automobile Association
Actual flying time - The actual time that an aircraft is in the air - does not include time on the ground (waiting in line for take-off, for example).
ADCOL Also ADCOLL - The abbreviated form for additional collection. Used by computer reservations systems, airports, and travel agencies. ADCOL is used to collect additional fees. For example, paying to upgrade a ticket from economy to business class would require an ADCOL.
ADT - Approved departure time
Airline designator - The code designated by IATA to represent the name of an airline (UA is United Airlines, QF is Qantas, etc.).
Airport codes - Three letter codes used to identify airports (ex. YVR is Vancouver, Canada; EWR is Newark, New Jersey, etc.).
AOG Act of God - Also known as a `force majeure'. This encompasses the situations where airlines are not legally responsible to provide lodging, transport, or other expenses that travelers may incur as a result of an AOG. Inclement weather, civil disruptions, and other unanticipated events may be classified as an AOG.
Sometimes is also used to state the Aircraft is On the Ground - when an aircraft urgently needs some sort of maintenance on the ground when it is supposed to be in the air.
APEX - Abbreviated form for Advance Purchase Excursion Fare. Usually refers to international fares that have been discounted.
Adjoining room - A hotel room that is next to another, with connecting doors
ADT - Atlantic Daylight Time; Alaska Daylight Time
Advance purchase requirement - An airfare that must be purchased a certain number of days ahead of departure, usually 7, 14, or 21 days, for the best fare. Airlines usually offer lower rates when tickets are purchased in advance.
Air mile - A distance of approx. 6076 feet
Airline Locator Number - A unique confirmation number issued by an air carrier when a reservation is booked.
Airport access fee - A fee paid by the car rental companies to the airport authority, for the use of shuttle vehicles, etc - usually passed on to the consumer
Airport Check In Counter - A location in the air terminal designated for passenger and baggage check in.
Airport transfer - A transport service to/from an airport to hotel, etc, normally prepaid as part of a package tour, but available separately as well
Amendment - A change in name descriptive data, number of pages in a current passport and validity.
American Plan - Meal plan offered by hotels that includes three meals per guest for each day stayed at the hotel.
Application Forms - When applying for a passport or visa certain applications are required as part of the documentation required to process your request. The forms must only be filled out and signed by the applicant. If the application isn't filled out correctly your passport or visa application can be denied.
ARC - Airline Reporting Corporation - Airline owned corporation that accredits travel agents and sets regulation governing airline agency relations.
ARNK - Pronounced Arunk - The abbreviated form of Arrival Not Known. Used in computer reservations systems to indicate a portion of an air travel itinerary that does not involve a flight. Example: A passenger travels from Boston to Madrid. He makes his way to Barcelona by train. He flies back to Boston from Barcelona. The portion from Madrid to Barcelona would be an ARNK.
ATA - The abbreviated form for actual time of arrival of a flight.
ATC - The abbreviated form for Air Traffic Control.
Add-on - an option, usually at extra cost, added to travel arrangements
Authentication - Documents issued in one country, which need to be used in another country, must be "authenticated" or "legalized" before they can be recognized as valid in the foreign country. This is a process in which various seals are placed on the document. Such documents range from powers of attorney, affidavits, birth, death and marriages records, incorporation papers, deeds, patent applications, home studies and other legal papers.
Availability - the actual inventory of seats that are really available to be sold at a certain fare. Just because a fare is presented as " available " between two cities does NOT mean seats at that rate are available.
Average Coach Airfare - The average of unrestricted "Y" class fares offered by airlines as quoted by the contracted travel agency.
Average Rate - Some hotels charge different rates for weekday and weekends; this rate is an average cost for the total reservation.
Back to back ticketing - Considered an illegal practice by the airlines. When a passenger does not meet the requirements of a discounted ticket (usually the Saturday night stay requirement), and is traveling more than once to a destination on business, a passenger may purchase two tickets. For one ticket, the city of origin is the starting and ending point of the ticket. For the other, the destination city serves as the starting point of the ticket. Airlines that discover back-to-back ticketing may issue a warning; confiscate the ticket; assess a fee; etc.
Baggage Allowance - Amount of baggage a passenger may transport without having to pay extra charges. Each air carrier determines this allowance.
Base fare - The basic price of an airline ticket, before ANY taxes, surcharges, airport fees, etc.
Bereavement fare - A discounted fare offered to family members traveling because of an imminent death or death in the family. Most airlines that offer bereavement fares will require information about the situation.
Blackout dates - Also known as Blackout Periods. These are the dates on which certain fares or certain types of tickets are not permitted. Blackout dates can also extend to issues like baggage or cargo restrictions (for example, there may be winter blackout dates on specific aircraft, not permitting animals to be accepted in the cargo hold). Blackout dates often apply during peak travel periods or over holiday travel periods.
Birth Certificate - A document consisting of an official record of a person's date of birth and place of birth and parentage.
Blocked space - Seats, rooms, and/or cabins held on airlines, in hotels, or aboard ships. Usually held speculatively and made available at reduced rates.
Boarding pass - A receipt with a seat number, now issued only at check-in at the airport. A ticket is not valid unless a boarding pass has been issued!
Bonded - Protected or guaranteed by a bond, usually referring to the protection of passenger's funds
Bulk fare - A fare only available when buying blocks of airline seats; usually lower than published fares
Bulkhead Seats - Located near the front of each airplane section, these popular seats offer more legroom but no under-seat storage.
Bumping - The airline practice of denying boarding to confirmed passengers who hold tickets on a specific flight, due to an oversold condition. The carrier will ask for volunteers to take later flights, and will normally provide some sort of compensation in the form of vouchers or tickets for future travel. Rules for when compensation must be provided are complicated; ask the ticket agent for a copy of that carrier's rules, as each has their own set of guidelines.
Business Class - The class of service between first class and coach class, most commonly offered on international flights as a popular alternative to the more expensive first class.
Cancellation Fee/Cancellation Penalty - The amount charged when a traveler cancels a reservation.
Cancellation Policy - When making any travel reservation, ask what the rules are about canceling and if you can get your money back.
Carrier - Generic term for any company that transports passengers and/or freight
Carry-on - Currently, there are no uniformly enforced airline restrictions concerning carry-on luggage. Most carriers state that the bag must fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you. The usual maximum measurements are said to be 22 X 14 X 9 inches, but many folks continue to exceed that and are allowed to do so. At most airports, there are bag checking " frames " that you can insert your carry-on into to see if it meets these " quasi-requirements."
CDW/LDW - Collision Damage Waiver and Loss Damage Waiver - when renting a car, you will be asked if you want to add (and pay for) collision and loss insurance. These may already be covered by your personal auto insurance and/or your credit card; find out before you book your rental car.
Change Fee - Fees collected by the airlines when a passenger makes changes to a restricted or penalty ticket.
Change of equipment - When a flight, with a single flight number, lands and changes the type of airplane used before continuing on to its destination
Check-in - Hotel arrival date
Checkout - Hotel departure date
Circle trip - Any trip that involves more than a single destination, but which returns to the initial point of departure
City pair - The departure and arrival cities on an airline booking
Coach - The " economy " section of an aircraft, which may have literally scores of different fares for the same flight
Commercial Lodging Establishment - A motel, hotel, inn, apartment, house, or similar entity that furnishes lodging to the public for pay.
Commercial Transportation Company - An entity that offers transportation of people or goods to the public for pay.
Commission cap - The limit placed on commissions paid to travel agents for the sale of air tickets, regardless of their price; designed to allow airlines to increase their profits at the expense of their primary distribution system - the travel agents
Commuter Carrier - Air carrier that operates smaller aircraft and provides service to airports that cannot support large jet equipment.
Concierge - A hotel employee who provides additional advice, recommendations, and other services to guests, such as restaurant reservations
Concourse - The area in an airline terminal where the gates are located. Many airports have multiple concourses.
Conference Designated Lodging - The hotel where the conference is being held or the hotel(s) specified in the conference brochure. Accommodations at alternate hotels in the immediate vicinity of the conference may be considered as conference designated lodging when no vacancies exist at the recommended hotel(s) and an explanation is attached.
Confirmation - The acceptance and acknowledgment of a reservation by a travel supplier.
Confirmation Number - The code assigned by faremax.com to a travel itinerary that identifies the passenger and gives the Customer Service Representative an easy way to locate all the traveler's information.
Connecting Flight - Air transportation arrangement that requires a passenger to change planes before reaching their final destination.
Consolidator - A business that sells airline tickets in bulk, usually at some savings, but with many restrictions
Consulate - A division within a foreign government's representation that has a specific purpose, one that is responsible for the issuance of visas.
Consulate Fees - The fee paid to the embassy or consulate of the country of destination in order to have the visa issued. Fees can range from no fees to several hundreds of dollars.
Continental United States - The District of Columbia and all states of the United States other than Alaska and Hawaii.
CRS - Computerized reservations system - interactive electronic system linking individual travel agencies to a central, airline-owned computer.
CST - Central Standard Time
Debark - To get off an airplane or passenger ship
Denied-Boarding Compensation - The payment and/or voucher given those bumped from a flight! See "bumping"
Deportation - Forcing a person to leave a country by official order.
Deregulation - Removal or relaxing of barriers to travel such as restrictions on the nature of outbound travel, amount of money taken out of the country, visa requirements and costs, air service agreements.
Destination - The point at which a trip ends.
Direct Access - Refers to a travel agent's ability to get directly into an airlines database to get true last-seat availability and correct pricing - a big difference between internet fare "quoters" and an agent's CRS (Computer Reservations System)
Direct Flight - A flight that does not require a passenger to change planes although there may be intermediate stops. Also known as a through flight.
Disability - A physical or mental impairment of a person that substantially limits one or more of the person's major life activities.
Disclaimer - A legal document that advises clients that a travel agent acts only as a middleman in the sale of travel products; any liability ultimately lies with the supplier, i.e. airline, hotel, car rental company, tour operator, railway, etc.
Domestic Fare - A fare charged for travel within a country
Double (DBL) Occupancy - A hotel room for occupancy by two people that may contain one or two beds.
Double Occupancy Rate - The rate for a room shared by two people. The rate is quoted for the room and not on a per person basis.
Drop Charge - An additional fee that is often charged by a car rental company when the customer rents a car in one location and returns it to another location.
Duty Free - Goods on which no duty or tax must be paid.
Economy Class - Also known as tourist or coach class.
Electronic Ticket - A " paperless " airline ticket allowing one to check-in and fly with just proper photo ID. What may look like a ticket is actually just a paper passenger receipt. E-tickets cannot be lost, or used by anyone else, so they are safer than standard paper tickets, which may soon become extinct. E-tickets on one carrier cannot be honored by another, so in a cancelled-flight snafu, the original carrier must print hard copy tickets before another airline can accept them.
Embark - To board a plane or cruise ship
Employee - Any individual who is compensated through the university payroll system.
EST - Eastern Standard Time
Estimated Flying Time - Estimated flying time between departure city and destination or connecting point.
ETA - Estimated time of arrival
ETD - Estimated time of departure
Eurailpass - A special fare ticket that allows either unlimited train travel, or travel for a certain number of days/weeks, in many European countries (except in Britain, where the Britrailpass offers similar travel in England, Scotland, and Wales)
European Plan - A rate at a hotel that includes no meals
Excess Baggage - Luggage that exceeds an airline's weight allowance; may be charged an additional fee.
Excursion - A side trip from a main destination, usually at added cost and optional
Execution of Passport Applications - The procedure performed by passport agents, designated clerks of courts, or designated postal officials that check the authenticity of documents submitted for a passport and to witness the identity of the applicant as being the legitimate bearer of the passport applying for. Execution of a passport application may not be executed by a notary of public.
Family Plan - Offered by most hotels, allow children to stay in the same room as parents, at no additional charge. Age requirements vary between hotels
Fare Basis (code) - The code or codes on which the price of an airline ticket is based. Some itineraries contain many different codes. Most will indicate whether a fare is refundable or not. If even one fare code contained in a ticket is nonrefundable, then the entire ticket becomes nonrefundable. Even some first class fares are now nonrefundable!
Fare Rules - To distinguish one fare level from another, the airlines assign special purchasing rules and restrictions. Generally, the lower the fare, the more restrictions a fare has (such as 21 day advance purchase or Saturday night stay or travel on a certain day of the week).
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - The government agency responsible for the regulation of civil aviation in the United States; functions include airline security regulation and enforcement, air traffic control, aircraft maintenance and pilot licensing.
First Class - Most aircraft have at least some first class seats up front, which offer much more room and upgraded cabin service, meals, etc.
Fly-Drive Package - a travel package featuring airfare, rental car, and perhaps hotels. Usually less expensive than booking each separately
Foreign Travel - Travel to any destination outside the US or US territories.
Frequent Flier Program - A membership program offered directly to the traveler by the air carrier enabling members to accumulate miles (points) and redeem them according to the terms and conditions of the air carrier.
Funnel Flight - A flight, such as on a regional or commuter carrier that "feeds" larger planes that continue on to other destinations. Also, the use of a single flight number for an itinerary that really involves a connection with two separate flight numbers, thus making the itinerary appear to be a direct flight with a change of aircraft as opposed to a connection.
Gate - The area in an airport where passengers board a plane.
Gateway City - A city that operates as an arrival or departure point for international flights
Global Distribution System (GDS) - Automated reservation system that synchronizes travel agency bookings with that of airline hotel and car rental reservation systems.
Global Positioning System (GPS) - system of satellites that allows miniature radio receivers on earth to pinpoint one's location within a few feet. Most cruise ships make use of this system to navigate the world's oceans
Government Rate - Hotel discounts for government employees; requires identification.
Guaranteed Reservation - A lodging reservation held for a passenger's late arrival, usually secured by a credit card obligation to pay even if the traveler never arrives at the hotel.
Hard-Copy - A printed version of a document, such as an airline ticket or hotel voucher
Hidden-City Ticketing - A ticket from A to C with a stop in B. The passenger gets off at B, which was the intended destination anyway. The ticket is purchased because the fare from A to C is LESS than A to B! Please do not ask a travel agent to do hidden-city tickets; he/she can be seriously penalized for it
Hub - An airport or city in which an airline has a major presence and many flights to other destinations. As an example, Delta has a hub in Atlanta. Many carriers use the hub-and-spoke system to maximize profits by keeping the aircraft in the air as much as possible. Flights to the hub are many, and from there flights to many other destinations are scheduled
IATA - International Air Transport Association -an international trade organization of airlines which assigns 3-letter IATA Airport codes and 2-letter IATA Airline Designators which are commonly used worldwide. They also regulate the shipping of dangerous goods and publish a globally accepted field source reference for airlines shipping hazardous materials.
IATAN - International Airlines Travel Agent Network - an industry association designed to represent the interests of their member companies and along with the IATA, are the body responsible for the standard international codes for airlines, airports, hotels, cities and car rental firms.
ICTA - Institute of Certified Travel Agents , located in Wellesley, Mass, since 1960 - providing education to the travel agent community exclusively
In Transit - en route; in the process of traveling
Incidental Expense - Necessary and reasonable expenses incurred while traveling on business. Does not include expenses for meals, lodging, or transportation; personal expenses; and, tips and gratuities.
In-flight Service - Entertainment, meals, beverages and miscellaneous items available during a flight.
Instate Travel - Travel within Illinois.
Interline connection - a flight on one airline that connects to a flight on another carrier - these tickets are usually more expensive than flying all on one carrier but may be the only way to get to a destination in some cases.
International Driver's License - proof that you hold a valid driving license in your own country. It is not always necessary to have one, since many countries recognize each other's licenses
Internet fare - (also referred to as a Webfare) - Typically a highly restricted fare the airline offers only on the Internet for a limited period of time. Please review the restrictions carefully before purchasing.
Itinerary - a piece of paper with the travel arrangements stating your departure and arrival date and destination. The itinerary should have the travelers name on it.
Jet Lag - an upset of one's biological clock, due to travel across many time zones.
Jurisdiction - the states for whose residents a particular consulate has the responsibility for issuing of visas.
Kilometer - a measure of distance used in almost all other countries, at about 5/8 mile.
King Room - A room with a king-size bed.
KPH - kilometers-per-hour - land speed measurement in most other countries. 60-kph equals approx. 36 miles-per-hour
Land Arrangements - all the details of a the land portion of a trip (hotel, car, tours, sightseeing, etc.)
Land-Only - a rate that does NOT include airfare; usually includes most other land-based charges such as accommodations, transfers, taxes, and perhaps other optional items like theme park tickets, rental car, etc.
Last-seat availability - the ability of a travel agent to get, literally, the " last seat" for you on a particular flight.
Late booking fee - a fee due if travel arrangements are made at the last minute. Normally covers express delivery of documents and other last-minute arrangements that may have to be made by a tour operator
Layover - The amount of time a connecting passenger has between flights, before reaching the final destination.
LDW (Loss Damage Waiver) - additional insurance pertaining to car rentals, covering theft and vandalism in addition to accident damage
Leg - one segment of a journey, normally referring to an air itinerary, such as the "outbound leg" or the "return leg"
Legalizations - the procedure to certify the signatures on a legal or commercial document, in order to prove that it is a valid document abroad.
Leisure travel - travel for pleasure as opposed to business
Length of Stay - the duration of stay permitted in a country as designated by the visa issued.
Limited Mileage Allowance - The number of miles included in the car rental rate before additional per mile charges are accessed.
Load factor - the percent of available space on an aircraft or other form of transportation that has been sold to date
Lodging Expense - A charge imposed by a provider of lodging as consideration for providing the lodging.
Long Haul Travel - air travel of 8 or more hours' durations
Lowest available fare - the current, lowest airfare available for purchase right then - may or may not change within minutes/hours/days!!
Lowest fare - the lowest published airfare between two cities; may NOT have seats available at that fare, as the airlines usually have a limited number of those seats on any given flight
Maximum stay - the maximum time you may stay at your destination in order to qualify for a specific airfare. Normally most fares have a 30-day limit, but some are less. Usually, the longer you stay, the higher the fare will be
Medium Haul Travel - air travel of between 4 and 8 hours duration
Mileage Charge - Charge made for each mile a rental car is driven beyond the established limited mileage allowance for the rental rate used.
Minimum connect time - defined as the minimum time necessary between connecting flights - 30 minutes domestically, usually - ideally, at least an hour!
Minimum Stay - A fare requirement that requires the passenger to stay for a designated period of time. (Example: one week, or over a Saturday night).
Modified American Plan (MAP) - meal plan that includes two daily meals, usually breakfast and dinner
MST - Mountain Standard Time
Multi-Leg Trip - journey from point A to point B to point C, and back to point A.
Multiple Airport City - A term used to describe a city or metropolitan area that has more than one major, commercial airport. (Examples: Chicago O'Hare and Chicago Midway, New York JFK and New York LaGuardia, etc.).
NM - Nautical mile
No show - a passenger who doesn't show for a flight, hotel, or rental car booking
Nonrefundable Tickets - "No money back" purchases. Although nonrefundable tickets cannot be returned for a refund, the cost of an unused nonrefundable ticket may be applied to future travel. The airline may charge a change or reissue fee for modifying a non-refundable ticket.
Nonstop - A flight that does not stop between point of departure and destination.
Non-transferable - an air ticket that cannot be used by anyone else
Number of Entries - is the number of times the passport bearer may enter and reenter the county of destination on one visa.
Occupancy rate - the percent of hotel rooms expected to be filled during a specific time period.
Occupancy Tax - The tax levied by many cities on a hotel stay. In addition to local taxes, there may be a set tax per room or per person added to the hotel bill.
Offline connection - a change of aircraft also involving a change of carriers
Off-peak - a time when less travel occurs. Fares are usually lower during these times
One Way Ticket - A flight that starts in one location and ends in another location, without returning to the starting point.
Online Stops - a stopover to your final destination that is in a continuous direction to your main route.
Open Jaw - is a surface sector at your final point of turnaround - or furthest point from where you started
Open return - an air ticket with no return date specified. Rarely done these days, usually quite expensive and not allowed on most discounted fares
Operator - a company providing transportation or travel related services (airline, cruise line, railway, hotel, car rental company, etc.)
Option date - drop dead date on which a reservation must be deposited or cancellation will result
Origin - The point at which a trip begins.
Outbound - the departure leg of a journey
Overbooking - the practice of selling more airline seats than are available on a specific flight, to make up for no-shows. Requires passengers to be "bumped" - not always voluntarily
Override - extra commission that travel agents sometimes get, usually for selling a certain amount of a supplier's product
Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) - A per passenger airport tax authorized by the US Congress for upgrading and expanding local airport facilities. Currently, the tax can amount to no more than $3 for any one airport and no more than $12 for any single itinerary.
Passenger name record (PNR) - the official name of one's reservation in a computer reservation system (CRS)
Passport - is a travel document in booklet form attesting to the identity and nationality of the passport bearer. A government issues it to its citizens or non-citizens to protect them when traveling abroad. A passport must be signed before it can be considered valid.
Passport Photos - are photos needed in order to apply for a passport. They must be two inch by two inch and taken within the last 3 months. The background must be white. A passport photo can be either black/white or color.
Passport/visa service - a service that will take your passport and hand carry, if necessary, to the appropriate embassy in order to expedite a visa. Can be expensive if you have waited until the last minute to obtain a travel visa
Penalty - amount charged for canceling or changing a reservation.
Per Diem - The allowance for meals and incidental travel related expenses.
Personal effects coverage - additional car rental insurance covering loss of personal property from the rented vehicle
Point-to-point - refers to the fares between two cities; the service between two cities without additional segments or any continuation
Porter - a baggage handler, also referred to as a "skycap"
PPDO - per person, double occupancy. Most tours and cruises are quoted this way; the average cost to stay in a particular location per day
Prepaid ticket advice - a form used when purchasing an air ticket to be picked up and used by someone else at another airport. E-tickets have reduced the need for this greatly
Prepayment Policy - Specific rules regarding the payment of room and tax charges for your hotel reservation
Proof of Citizenship - A government issued document that establishes the traveler's nationality to the satisfaction of a foreign government. It may be an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, or a passport
Proof of Identity - A government issued document that establishes a traveler's identity. Proof of identity may be a driver's license, birth certificate, or a passport.
Proof of Nationality - is a legal document attesting to the nationality of the bearer. All countries accept a valid passport.
Prop - referring to propeller-driven aircraft
PST - Pacific Standard Time
Published fare - an airfare that is listed in the carrier's tariff. They are non-discounted tickets and are based on exchange rates, so they may fluctuate until final payment.
Quad - a room suitable for four persons, usually containing two double or two queen size beds.
Rack Rate - Standard advertised rate for a room or suite; if you ask for a lower rate, you can often get it.
Rate desk - the office of an air carrier that calculates fares for passengers and travel agents
Rate Info - The daily room rate charged by your hotel.
Reconfirm - to recheck a reservation
Record locator - the number assigned to one's reservation in an airline's computer system
Red-eye flight - usually an overnight flight that arrives early in the morning
Refundable Fare - Refundable tickets can be returned for a refund to your credit card and allow you to make changes without paying a penalty.
Regional Carriers - Airlines serving specified areas or regions of the country.
Reissue - the generation of a new ticket that is exchanged for another, due to a change of plans, dates, flights, etc. May involve additional fare, penalties and fees
Rented or Public Conveyance - A motor vehicle, train, or aircraft that an employee rents or pays a fee to use on a short-term basis.
Restricted Fares - Special fares available only for specified times of day, or days of the week.
Restricted Travel Dates - Specific period during which specials fare or rates apply.
Rollaway - a cot or other bedding that can be added to a hotel room to accommodate another guest. There is often an extra charge for this
Room Tax - State or local tax charged on hotel stays.
Round Trip - A journey from point A to point B and back to point A.
Saturday night stay - the airline requirement that you must stay over a Saturday night during a trip in order to obtain the lowest fare. Usually, there is also an advance purchase requirement as well as other rules that apply, such as travel being limited to certain days of the week, etc.
Scheduled carrier - an airline that operates on a regular, published schedule
Segment - a " leg " or part of a journey, usually in reference to an air itinerary. One take-off and landing during air travel constitutes a " segment "
Short Haul Travel - air travel of less than 4 hours duration
Sleeper - the sleeping compartment aboard a train
Special Services - An airline term that designates a passenger who has special requests, such as requiring assistance boarding or departing the aircraft, or special meal requirements.
Stopover - a planned stay over in a city for a day or more, while in route to another destination.
Student visa - permission to enter a country, issued to a student, normally for the purpose of attending school in that country
Suite - a hotel accommodation with more than one room, or sometimes a single room with distinct sleeping and living areas and often a kitchenette
Super Saver - A discounted rate; often includes specific requirements.
Surface sector - is when you travel independently between two-flight points en-route to your final destination
Tariff - a schedule of prices/fares
Through passenger - a passenger who is not disembarking at a particular stop while in route to the final destination
Ticket - When completed and validated, the electronic ticket or paper ticket becomes a contract for transportation between a carrier and a passenger.
Ticket stock - blank airline tickets
Touchdowns - can occur on direct flights! This means that your plane will land but will only land for re-fuel or to let passengers on and off. You will NOT have to change planes.
Transit - is a traveler passing through one country for the sole purpose of traveling to another country.
Travel Advance (individual) - Money loaned to a traveler who is traveling on an approved Travel Authorization. The traveler is responsible for clearing the advance by completing and submitting a Travel Expense Report to Financial Services - Operations within ten working days of the trip's completion.
Travel advisory - a travel warning issued by the US Department of State, indicating a special caution should be taken in a country due to political unrest, natural disaster, or other special situation.
Travel Protection - A combination of travel insurance benefits and emergency hotline services, designed to give you protection for your travel investment, health and belongings while traveling.
Travel Status - when an employee is required by their supervisor to leave the headquarters for reasons of official business. The employee is eligible for reimbursement of travel expenses.
Unlimited Mileage - A rental car rate that allows the renter to drive an unlimited number of miles without additional mileage charges.
Unrestricted fare - an airfare that has no special advance purchase, Saturday stay or certain days to travel requirements, and is usually refundable. Many full coach and most first-class fares are unrestricted
Vaccination Certificates - are official documents provided to record vaccinations for presentation to the health officials abroad.
Validity of a Passport - is the length of time from the date of issue to the date of expiration of a passport.
Validity of a Visa - the length of time from the date of issue during which the traveler must make the first entry, the length of stay, once the traveler has entered the country or the number of permitted entries, which are usually a single, double, or multiple visa.
Value added tax (VAT) - a tax on the final consumption of certain goods and services. THE VAT levied by most European countries on a variety of business services utilized by companies can be reclaimed. Most business expenses qualify for VAT refunds from hotel accommodation, subsistence and car hire, through to larger non-travel expenses including, for example, conference, exhibitions and training.
Visa - usually a stamp in a passport allowing entry into a country for a specific purpose and a finite amount of time
Visa Photos - photos required in order to process the visa application to show identity of the bearer on the visa application.
Visa service - a service that can expedite the processing of a visa. A fee is charged that varies, depending on the nature of the service needed. Visas are usually stamped into the pages of a valid passport and are issued for varying reasons and periods of time. Not all countries require them, especially for United States Citizens. Be sure to allow enough time for them if you traveling to a destination that requires one!
Waiver - a written acknowledgement that a passenger has declined something, such as insurance coverage for a trip, for example. Also, the formal acknowledgement of the waiving or dismissal of a requirement, such as a waiver of a penalty for late booking, etc
Walk-up - one who purchases an air ticket at the last moment, usually at the airport ticket counter
Webfare (also referred to as an Internet fare) - Typically a highly restricted fare the airline offers only on the Internet for a limited period of time. Please review the restrictions carefully before purchasing.
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Last Updated: October 1, 2009