Monday, April 28, 2008

Hot Air - An informational message from the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber

MONDAY, APRIL 28TH, 2008
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Arranging airline flights has become a nightmare in today’s travel age

If you have ever attempted to reserve airline flights online or via the airlines directly, or if you have ever attempted to cash in your hard earned frequent flyer miles, then I am sure that you will agree that in part, we have all become victims of the airlines!

Of late, since life moves at a far more hectic pace than it did when I started my travel career over 30-years ago, airline fares change by the minute, if not (due to the internet), by the second. Oftentimes the ‘Airline Fuel Surcharges and Mandatory Taxes’ cost more than the actual flight itself creating an even larger element of confusion between the passenger, their appointed travel professional and the airlines. Simply stated; the golden age of ‘Clipper Class’ has long gone and the airlines have transformed themselves to no more than an irritating form of ‘Public Transportation’, each with its own structure of non-negotiable Terms and Conditions!

Here at the Original 2AFRIKA, INC. we have found that we waste more time negotiating with the airlines than is necessary and that what we tell you today regarding your airline reservations might be quite different tomorrow. With unending communication between ourselves, the airlines and our valued passengers, it has become quite clear that we have lost sight of our strength which has always proven to be to our passengers benefit, and that is ‘selling Africa’ and ‘Keeping Africa Affordable’.

The information which follows supersedes all and any online information, any hard-copy printed media reporting and any of the Original 2AFRIKA, INC. advertisements in print as of today’s date – Monday, April 28th, 2008

Keeping the reservations process ‘simple’ and how this affects you!

Under my leadership here at the Original 2AFRIKA, INC. effective as of Monday, April 28th 2008, we’re taking the ‘air’ component out of our Safari Collection (with the exception to our Safaris to East Africa i.e. Kenya and Tanzania) despite the fact that there is media print available and upcoming which might indicate otherwise.

The reason for my hard-line decision is to enable my team and I to dedicate our time to talk with you about Africa and to steer you in the right direction to ensure that you spend your hard earned dollars appropriately and save wherever necessary.

We will however continue to offer free standing airline arrangements alongside our entire Safari Collection, under each specific airlines non-negotiable Terms and Conditions. We have at our disposal Consolidator Contracts with all of the pertinent airlines serving our destination and feel sure that in 95% of cases, we will be able to still offer the most savings and the best value for money. Combine the assurance of that statement with our already highly cost effective Safari arrangements and soon you will come to realize as we do, that we will still retain our marketplace stance of ‘Keeping Africa Affordable’.

Now, the prices which you see on our website will be 100% accurate and the free standing airline arrangements which we attend to on your behalf will be 100% accurate, the combination of both ultimately enabling you to make a well educated decision to appoint us as your travel professionals!

Effective immediately, your Original 2AFRIKA, INC. Specialized Safari Consultant will be able to break out the cost of your airline reservations and your Safari land arrangements making the reservations process far more ‘simple’ and indeed, to your benefit for now you are able to use our Consolidator Contracts, arrange your own airline flights online or via the airlines directly (if you feel that the unnecessary waste of time and irritation will assure you of sufficient and warranted savings) or you can cash in your hard earned frequent flyer miles or other rewards which you might have accumulated.

How this decision will benefit you

Once we know your intended flight routing, we are able to check for the availability of services immediately and give you a quotation instantly (which quotation will be valid for 24-hours only). Your quotation will include the Airline Fuel Surcharges and Mandatory Taxes as shown in the section AIRLINE SURCHARGES to the right of the page below HOT AIR

The moment your intended flight routing becomes confirmed, we will once more verify the price and actual routing with you at which time we encourage you to pay for your airline tickets in full to ensure that there is no price fluctuation

You may choose to pay via a Certified Check or a major Credit Card (we would encourage you to make payment via a major Credit Card for oftentimes Credit Cards have a ‘built-in’ Travel Insurance which might save you unnecessary Travel Insurance costs). Additionally, there is no adjustment to the price of your airline tickets should you choose to make payment via a major Credit Card

Your airline tickets will be issued immediately and you can proceed (once we have provided you with your Record Locater Number) to call the airlines concerned and take care of issues such as in-flight seating, in-flight dietary requirements and you can provide the airlines with your Frequent Flyer number(s) – once done, you do not need to revisit your flights which saves you wasted time

In the event that your major Credit Card does not provide you with sufficient Travel Insurance, you can proceed to purchase additional cover at this time either via our preferred supplier, TRAVELEX or another insurer of your choice

Your airline tickets will be issued and shipped to you with little or no delay. Please review the Original 2AFRIKA, INC. Disclaimer below

NOW – we can focus on our strength which has always proven to be to our passengers benefit, and that is ‘selling Africa’ and ‘Keeping Africa Affordable’. Our response time will be far more rapid permitting us to focus on you and ‘preparing’ you for your Safari (which is far more important than unnecessary wasted time haggling with the airlines)

The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. Disclaimer:

Airline flights to the tour originating point and from the tour terminating point are not included. Airline flights may be purchased from the Original 2AFRIKA, INC. for travel originating in the United States (subject to availability)

Airline Flights – Airline Flights may be purchased through the Original 2AFRIKA, INC. for travel originating from the United States. By using the Original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s airline flight services, you agree that the Original 2AFRIKA, INC., in purchasing, selling or otherwise arranging air transportation, is acting only as your agent and is not liable or responsible for any accident, death, personal injury, illness, property damage, delay or other loss or expense of any nature whatsoever arising directly or indirectly out of any act of God, or any actions or omissions (including any failure to provide services) or default of, any airline carrier. All airline carriers are independent contractors and are not owned, managed, controlled or operated by the Original 2AFRIKA, INC. Your airline ticket constitutes a contract between yourself and the airline (and not the Original 2AFRIKA, INC.), even if purchased through the Original 2AFRIKA, INC. the Original 2AFRIKA, INC. is not liable for, and does not assume responsibility or accept claims with regard to, seat assignments, schedule changes, flight changes, cancellations, claims for a refund or reimbursement of airline ticket fees, or any other loss incurred by you for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation to, bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar relief from creditors). The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. must handle ticketing for the Original 2AFRIKA, INC. special fares, which are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed until reserved. Special fares cannot be combined with any other promotional offer. The Original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s air services can only be purchased in conjunction with an Original 2AFRIKA, INC. tour. Tickets or e-ticket numbers will be shipped with your final travel documents. If you cancel or change your air before or after departure, all airline cancellation and change fees will apply according to each individual airlines non-negotiable Terms and Conditions

2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism

For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/

The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.

If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com