The British Academy offers the Global Distribution Systems Fares and Ticketing Course, designed to provide professionals in the travel industry with comprehensive knowledge of GDS platforms, fare structures, ticketing procedures, and more. This course would cover a number of vital topics, starting with an introduction that defines the meaning of Global Distribution Systems (GDS) as well as their importance in bookings and ticketing. It also discusses the understanding of airline fare structures that include items such as base fare, taxes, and surcharges, and description of various fare categories like economy, business, and first class.

This will cover what a ticket comprises, from issuing to reissue, exchange, and refund. In addition, fare rules like how to interpret and apply such rules will also be learned concerning cancellations and changes. It also provides hands-on experiences of searching fares and managing reservations through issuing procedures of tickets for the GDSs.

It consists of price building and fare calculations, which are used to price travel for even the most complicated itineraries and interpret quotations for fares. Attendees will also cover the IATA standards and best practices used globally on ticketing and fare management. By the close of the learning, the attendees would have learned most aspects of GDS fare and ticketing to enable them to function excellently in travel.

Objectives:

The objective of this course is:

1. Master Fare Construction:  Understand base fares, competition surcharges, and taxes.

2. Ticketing Procedures: Learn the process of issuing, reissuing, or refunding an airline ticket.

3. GDS Navigation: Gain first-hand experience on all major GDSs. Know how to search for availability; book tickets; and manage reservations online.

4. Fare Rules and Regulations: Know the rules from penalties to cancellations and changes to avoid an error in ticketing.

5. Pricing and Fare Calculation: Calculate fares relevant to routes, services, or types of tickets.

6. Industry Standards and Best Practices: Use IATA (International Air Transport Association) standards and global best practices in ticketing and fare management.

Who Should Attend?

This course is ideal for:

1. Reservation and ticketing desk agents

2. Travel agents

3. Airline ticket agents

4. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and call center agents

5. Aspiring professionals who wish to start a career in the travel industry, particularly in roles related to ticketing and reservations.

How will attendees benefit?

Attendees of the Global Distribution Systems Fares and Ticketing Course will benefit in several key ways:

1. Proficiency in GDS Platforms: They would be trained in proficiency with GDS platforms, therefore gaining hands-on experience with one of the market-leading GDS systems and being confident and capable enough in utilising either of these systems.

2. Expert in Fare Construction: Acquaint the attendees with the overall structure of fares, including base fare, taxes, and surcharges, that the student may eventually allow for accurate calculation as well as the explanation of fares to clients.

3. Learned Ticketing: This would include the entire processing of ticketing, showing the ways and means of issuing, reissuing, and handling refunds so as not to get confused with any sort of ticketing event.

4. Interpretation of Fare Rules: Attendees will be able to interpret and apply fare rules which should further their ability to manage cancellations, changes, and even other adjustments more efficiently.

5. Hands-on Activity: By going through practical exercises, attendees will learn how to run real-life flight searches, bookings, and ticket quotes on the GDS platforms so they are as close to reality as possible for ticket work.

6. Global Industry Standards: The course is designed to expose delegates to IATA standards and industry best practices, thus preparing them to actualise all global ticketing requirements while compliant in their operations.

7. Career Promotion: After graduation, attendees will also obtain a globally recognised certificate that would provide the credentials for prospective improvement in career acquisition and employment opportunities within the travel and tourism field.

1. Introduction to Global Distribution Systems (GDS)

• Overview of GDS

• How GDS platforms facilitate booking and ticketing

• Key features of Amadeus, Sabre, and Galileo

2. Airline Fare Structures and Components

• Base fare vs. total fare

• Taxes, surcharges, and fees

• Fare categories: economy, business, first-class

3. Ticketing Process

• Issuing a ticket: The procedure

• Reissues and exchanges

• Refund policies and how to process refunds

4. Understanding Fare Rules

• The importance of fare rules in ticketing

• How to interpret and apply fare rules

• Handling cancellations and changes

5. GDS Functionality for Fare Search and Ticketing

• Searching for flight availability using GDS

• Booking, confirming, and modifying reservations

• Ticket issuance through the GDS

6. Calculating Fares

• Factors affecting fare calculation

• Pricing tickets for complex itineraries

• Building and interpreting fare quotes

7. IATA Standards and Industry Practices

• Introduction to IATA

• Complying with global ticketing regulations

• Best practices for managing ticketing operations