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The world of travel is a complex one, and so is the lingo. It’s filled with acronyms, jargon and the oddexaggerated or completely misleading definition (see Direct Flight). The staff and contributors to TakeOffeh.com work to make sense of this world for Canadian travellers, with an editorial policy of ‘non-stop travel intelligence.’ The following glossary of key travel terms should help you be a better travel shopper, next time you’re planning a trip.
Add-On: An option added to travel arrangements, usually at extra cost.
Advertised Price: A very attractive fare posted in large, bold type followed by a series of asterisks and words written in small type that make it a much less attractive fare.
Airport Codes: A two or three-letter code assigned to all airports. Examples: Toronto is YYZ, Montreal YUL, Vancouver YVR. If you find a tag on your bag reading ‘FAT’ don’t be insulted. It just means you’re going to Fresno. Hope that’s where you wanted to go.
Air Rage: When passengers become violent towards crew members or other passengers. Variations include airport rage, airport restaurant rage, airport security line rage, airport check-in rage and airport parking lot rage.
All-Inclusive: A hotel plan that usually includes all meals, drinks, tips, service charges, accommodations and some water sports. A Canadian favourite.
Bricks and Mortar: The quaint term referring to a traditional travel agency with real people in it who actually know about travel and won’t put you on hold.
Carry-On: Luggage that is permitted to be carried on the plane by a passenger. Also known as ‘everything you own jammed into a bag’ or ‘the luggage they can’t lose.’
Charter Flight: A flight that has been chartered for a specific journey, often as part of a holiday package. Charter flights are very common in Canada, for travel to sun destinations in fall, winter and spring, and within Canada and to Europe in spring, summer and fall.
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Consolidator: A company that buys blocks of seats from airlines and sells them through travel agents, usually at a discount.
Cruising: A vacation mode in which a ship of some kind acts both as transportation mode and accommodation. Variations include river cruising, barge cruising, expedition cruising, themed cruises, luxury cruises, small-ship cruises etc.
Direct Flight: A flight that stops at another airport enroute to the final destination. Passengers remain on the plane during the stop. Where does the direct part come in? Ask an airline.
Double Occupancy: The way most hotel packages, tours and cruises are priced, based on two people staying together. Solo travellers usually pay a surcharge of up to 100%, referred to as a ‘single supplement.’
