Sales Are Brisk for Cut-Rate Air Fares

Area travel agents say many San Fernando Valley residents are taking advantage of the latest round of fare-cutting by most major airlines.

“Our business is going crazy,” said Annette Pressman, co-owner of Willett Travel, Studio City, which says it is the oldest travel agency in the Valley.

In the last two months, airlines have slashed fares dramatically, trying to boost leisure travel during the typically slow end-of-summer period. The latest round of cut-rate fares began last week when Continental Airlines Inc. announced discounted rates on domestic travel.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines Inc., UAL Corp.’s United Airlines, Trans World Airlines Inc. and USAir Group Inc. all matched Continental discounts.

The low fares, which can save travelers as much as $100 per ticket in some cases, are available only through Friday, and apply mainly to trips between Sept. 21 and Dec. 14.

The discounts do not apply to travel around Thanksgiving--the busiest travel period of the year.

“Everybody’s taking advantage of the air-fare wars,” Pressman said. “They come and they go. For us, it’s not so fun, because we exchange tickets for the lower prices. But people are going everywhere.”

Lately, she has seen heavier bookings than usual to several cities in particular, including San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, New York and Atlanta.

But other travel agents say fare wars are not always as wonderful as they sound.

“Not everybody who calls will get the discount,” said Christina Adams, owner of New Age Travel in Sherman Oaks.

If an airplane has 100 seats, possibly only 20 may be available at the discount rate. “Then they’ll tell you, ‘Sorry, that fare has sold out,’ and ask you if you’ll take a more expensive fare,” she said.

Air fare wars begin when one airline announces discounted rates, which are then matched or beaten by other airlines. As each airline discounts further, prices are driven lower.

Continental initiated a previous fare war last month, prompting a two-week ticket-buying binge during which fares were lower than some travel agents said they had seen in years.

“Some people will not go on a trip for $630, but they’ll go for $338,” said Pressman. “It generates business.” Currently, a round-trip ticket to New York that typically costs around $450 can be bought for about $350.

A spokesman for Continental said the lower rates give people “an incentive to get off their couches and away from their TVs and go travel.”

Continental’s previous discount period ended Aug. 26. Dave Messing, spokesman for Continental, said the airline decided to offer the latest discount rates because the airline feared many people were on vacation the two weeks during August when the low rates were offered.

“It’s either we offer the discount, or someone else will,” Messing said.

Christine Hicks, president of Studio City Travel, added that airlines continue to attach restrictions to their discount rates, making it difficult for many people to match arrival and departure dates with vacation plans.

“Another fare war, big deal,” Hicks said. “September is a hard time for people to travel.”

Still, she said, “for those who can go, it’s a bargain.”