So you've snared a low fare to someplace you want to go. So you know about yield management, which results in air fare quotes that can change in a matter of hours, if not minutes. So you have to check with a traveling companion or the dogsitter to make sure traveling on those dates will work. So you stare at the screen, reading about sudden-death booking conditions -- once you've clicked to book a ticket with a well-priced fare, it's yours with no penalty-free refunds or changes.
UpgradeTravelBetter.com reported that "in some [Air France] markets, you can reserve a low fare for up to two weeks, without buying the ticket, for €10." That certainly should be plenty of time to get your proverbial ducks in a row before you nail down your ticket. Don't get excited yet. North America is not one of those markets -- yet. The site quoted the translation of a Dutch report with details on this innovation. (Why a Dutch report? Because the same holding company owns Air France and KLM.)
When reserving online, you can choose the Time to Think option*. Starting at €10 per passenger, this new option lets you hold your reservation and fare for up to 14 days**.Is it a good idea? Probably for expensive long-haul tickets, but maybe not so great for (presumably) less expensive tickets for short flights. As for domestic "within metropolitan France," I wouldn't bother flying at all but would take the wonderful TGV. Why go through all the annoyances of airports and air travel these days when a high-speed train whisks you through the landscape?
To purchase your ticket, simply visit the “Manage your reservations” section.
If you decide not to confirm the reservation, it will be canceled automatically when your Time to Think period expires.
* This option is offered on our flights within metropolitan France and from France to Europe and North Africa.
** The period allowed varies according to your reservation date, destination and travel fare conditions. Option non-refundable and in addition to your ticket price.
Even though North Americans are not yet given Time to Think, Upgrade blogger Mark Ashley did offer a suggestion: "When I do a test booking of an itinerary between Charlotte and Paris (via Detroit and/or Atlanta), I’m given an option of holding the itinerary for over 24 hours — until 10 pm the next night — at no cost. It’s not 14 days of hold time, but it’s not 10 euros, either."
Travel within France and to nearby European countries aside, this is another add-on that other airlines are surely looking at and might copy.
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