- F -

family plan - offered by most hotels, allow children to stay in the same room as parents, at no additional charge. Age requirements vary between hotels

fare basis (code) - Representing a specific fare and class of service with letters, numbers, or a combination of both. For example, the letter Y on its own represents full fare economy.

first class - most aircraft have at least some first class seats up front, which offer much more room and upgraded cabin service, meals, etc. Worth the price on some long, international destinations, if you can afford it

FIM - Abbreviated form of Flight Interruption Manifest. FIMs are flight coupons that are given to passengers when some change in their flight itineraries has occurred at the airport.

For example, if a passenger volunteers to take a later flight in an oversold flight situation and the new flights involve a different connection city, a FIM (which acts as a ticket) will be issued so that the passenger has a ticket to fly on the new flights.
final approach - A common term for landing an aircraft at the end of a flight.

FIT - foreign independent tour - actually used generically now for a travel package put together by a travel agent from separate components such as car, hotel and airfare, adjusted exactly as the traveler wishes. May include city tours, theater tickets, and other " independent " options, and may also include custom mapping/routing to accomplish the client's goals

FIRAV - The abbreviated form for First Available Flight, used in computer reservations systems.

FLIFO - The abbreviated form for Flight Information, used in computer reservations systems.

FQTV - The abbreviated form for Frequent Traveler, used in computer reservations systems.

fjord - a narrow inlet from the ocean, usually bounded by cliffs, and with spectacular scenery. Most are located in Alaska, Norway, and New Zealand

fly-drive package - a travel package featuring airfare, rental car, and perhaps hotels. Usually less expensive than booking each separately

fuel surcharge - A fee added to a ticket by an airline to cover the increased cost of fuel. Usually lumped onto the cost of a ticket as if it were a tax.
full service hotel - a hotel with restaurant facilities

funnel flight - a flight, such as on a regional or commuter carrier, that " feeds " larger planes which continue on to other destinations. Also, the use of a single flight number for an itinerary that really involves a connection with two separate flight numbers, thus making the itinerary appear to be a direct flight with a change of aircraft as opposed to a connection. Just call it a connection.

fuselage - The central body of the aircraft.

- G -

galley - the kitchen on a ship

gates - The physical areas of the airport where flights depart and arrive.

gateway city - a city that operates as an arrival or departure point for international flights

global distribution system (GDS) - an international computer reservation system that accesses many databases of suppliers, airlines, etc. in different countries, such as AMADEUS

global positioning system (GPS) - system of satellites that allows miniature radio receivers on earth to pinpoint one's location within a few feet. Most cruise ships make use of this system to navigate the world's oceans

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) - solar based time in Greenwich, England, fon which time in all other time zones in the world is based

Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) - a measurement of the enclosed space in a ship. Cruise ships in the 70,000 ton range are considered " superliners "

GST - Goods and Services Tax, such as levied in Canadian Provinces

guaranteed share - a cruise term that promises that a companion will be found for a single passenger, at a special rate. That rate will be honored even if the cruise line is unable to find a cabinmate. The rate is usually the going double-rate at that time, and is much less than the single person rate for that cabin

- H -

half pension - a hotel rate that includes breakfast and one other meal, usually dinner. Sometimes called Modified American Plan (MAP) or demi-pension

hard-copy - a printed version of a document, such as an airline ticket or hotel voucher
hidden cities or hidden-city ticketing - When a passenger books an itinerary that is further than his/her destination in order to get a lower fare. The passenger then ends travel by getting off the plane, and not connecting to the city that ensured the lower fare.

Let's say that there is a seat sale between Chicago and San Francisco, but you want to travel to Denver and there is no seat sale that is as low as the one to San Francisco. If you booked the ticket Chicago to San Francisco with a connection in Denver, and got off in Denver, you would be practicing the `hidden cities' process (which the airlines consider illegal).

high season - the time of year when a destination gets the greatest crowds, and thus can increase hotel and rental car rates, etc. As an example, summertime is high season for travel to Europe (check the airfares ! )

HK - Also KK and GK - the most frequently used codes to indicate confirmed space on a flight, used in computer reservations systems.

HL - The abbreviated form of have waitlisted (HL is a code representing waitlisting), used in computer reservations systems.

holding pattern - When Air Traffic Control has a flight turn away from the airport and remain at an assigned altitude instead of landing. The pilots then await further instructions.

hostel - an inexpensive accommodation, usually dormitory style, popular with the student crowd - thus the term " youth hostel "

HTI - Hotel and Travel Index - A quarterly publication listing thousands of hotel properties worldwide, used by many professional travel agents

hub - An airport where an airline bases many of its major flight operations, and uses many of the gates for its aircraft.

hurricane season - in the Caribbean primarily, and the Southeastern US, a period from June through October during which such storms are likely to occur

- I –

IATA - The abbreviated form of International Air Transport Association.

IATAN - International Airlines Travel Agent Network - administers the IATAN card, the only widely accepted form of legitimate travel agent identification as distinguished from the often-fake photo ID cards distributed by the so-called " card mills "

ICTA - Institute of Certified Travel Agents, located in Wellesley, Mass, since 1960 - providing education to the travel agent community exclusively - now called the "Travel Institute"
illegal connection - Connections that do not adhere to the minimum connection time, and are thus not legal connections because it is deemed that there is not enough time to connect.

inbound - The return flight portion of a ticket.

inflight - Services provided during a flight.

in season - meaning only available at certain times of the year

in transit - en route; in the process of traveling

incentive travel - travel as a reward for an employee's outstanding performance

inclusive tour - a package tour that bundles transportation, accommodations, transfers, sightseeing, possibly some meals, etc

inside cabin - a stateroom aboard ship that has no window. Sometimes smaller, but at times the same size as an outside cabin

interline connection - a flight on one airline that connects to a flight on another carrier - these tickets are usually more expensive than flying all on one carrier but may be the only way to get to a destination in some cases. Also unless an interline agreement for baggage handling exists, you may have to claim your luggage from the first flight and recheck it on the next carrier's flight. Not the best way to travel by air !

International Date Line - at 180 degrees longitude, the date on one side of this imaginary line, running from the north to the south pole, is different from the other. The line runs through the Pacific Ocean, and because of it, it is possible to leave one destination on one day, and arrive in another the day before !

INVOL - The abbreviated form of Involuntary denied boarding. Refers to passengers who do not volunteer to take a later flight due to an oversold flight situation (and are compensated for doing so), but are forced to take a later flight.

itenery - A list of flights that a passenger is scheduled to take.