Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to construct international air itineraries and cost promotional or 'special' international airfares. It requires the ability to interpret airfare information accurately and configure air itineraries which create optimum airfare costs. This unit does not include ticketing which is found in the unit SITTTSL009B Process travel-related documentation.

In most States and Territories, organisations that sell air tickets must meet the requirements of relevant state or territory Department or Office of Fair Trading which, in most cases, requires the tourism organisation to hold a travel agent's licence. In many cases managers must managers must have formally achieved competence in constructing airfares through a registered training organisation that must use this unit as the basis for their training.

Application of the unit 

This unit describes a key operational function for the sale of international airfares. It applies to tourism industry sectors and organisations where airfares are sold; mainly to retail travel agencies, tour wholesalers and consolidators. The tourism enterprise must be accredited with the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Fare construction would normally be managed within a computerised system but some small business operators may use a manual system.

The unit applies to frontline sales or operations personnel who operate with some level of autonomy or under limited supervision and guidance from others. It is undertaken by a diverse range of people such as retail travel consultants, retail travel agency managers, corporate consultants, ticketing consultants, reservations and operations consultants.

Prerequisite units 

This unit must be assessed after the following prerequisite unit:

SITTTSL013B Construct normal international airfares.

Employability skills 

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised  text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge and/or the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1

Interpret promotional airfare information.

1.1

Identify and access sources of international promotional fare information .

1.2

Interpret information on international promotional air itineraries , fares and fare rules .

1.3

Interpret information on nett fares.

2

Configure air itineraries and cost promotional airfares.

2.1

Configure air itinerary to create optimum airfare cost .

2.2

Configure international air itineraries, select and calculate international promotional fare costs  with complete accuracy and in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations.

2.3

Calculate add-on charges, any additional taxes , special fees  and other charges.

2.4

Check the constructed airfare to ensure it has been costed accurately and complies with applicable conditions.

2.5

Record  full details of the calculated international promotional fare.

5

Minimise waste of printed materials.

5.1

Minimise use of printed materials and maximise electronic fare calculation and filing of all records to reduce waste and negative environmental impacts.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit:

• interpretation of fare schedules and other airline or consolidator guidelines
• interpretation of rules and conditions applicable to fares
• interpretation of current airline and IATA regulations
• literacy skills to read and interpret complex airfare schedules, airline and IATA regulations, costings and applicable rules and conditions
• numeracy skills to perform complex airfare calculations.

The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

• familiarity with content and format of text-based tariffs and supporting manuals or automated fare systems
• encoding and decoding of airport and airline codes
• role of nett fares
• how to access information on the different types of current international fares and the applicable rules and conditions, especially the most popular and currently available promotional international fares
• how to access information on current airline and IATA regulations
• promotional fare construction principles and procedures, including currency and neutral units of construction (NUA) conversion.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• knowledge of how to access information on the current range of international airfares and ability to interpret conditions applicable to specific fares
• ability to calculate airfares accurately and according to current airline and IATA regulations and conditions applicable to specific fares
• ability to create practical air itineraries in response to customer needs
• ability to calculate promotional international airfares accurately covering a range of different air routes and to meet varying customer requirements
• completion of airfare calculations within typical workplace time constraints and deadlines determined by the customer or the organisation.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• demonstration of skills using appropriate computers, printers, publications and reservations systems currently used in the tourism industry to assist with airfare quotations
• use of industry-current documentation or computer data such as airline, IATA and consolidator schedules, tariffs and bulletins outlining fares, rules, conditions and regulations.

Methods of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• evaluation of integrated activities completed by the candidate, including sourcing information on destinations, selling products, providing quotations and issuing documents
• fare construction activities and case studies to assess ability to construct and cost promotional international airfares for different routes and to meet varying customer needs
• review of fare calculation worksheets completed by the candidate
• written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of rules and conditions applicable to specific fares
• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• SITTTSL005A Sell tourism products and services
• SITTTSL009B Process travel-related documentation.

Assessing employability skills 

Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

Sources of international promotional fare information  may include:

• airline guides
• airline schedules and timetables
• fare manuals
• computerised data
• centralised reservations system (CRS)
• tariffs from airlines
• tariffs from consolidators
• special bulletins issued by airlines and consolidators
• general information from airlines
• internet.

Information on international promotional air itineraries , fares and fare rules  must include:

• airport codes
• airline codes
• fare types and classes
• IATA areas
• global indicators
• international airline terminology
• IATA terminology and definitions
• taxes and surcharges, including:

• domestic head tax
• noise tax
• GST
• fuel surcharge
• Q surcharge

• general air travel rules and restrictions
• conditions applicable to specific fares, which may include:

• payment deadline
• ticketing deadline
• extensions to ticketing deadline
• cancellation charges
• availability of any type of change to the air itinerary
• availability of changes to class of travel
• amendment fees
• baggage allowance
• excess baggage charges.

Information on international promotional air itineraries , fares and fare rules may include :

• non-stop services
• direct and connecting services
• minimum connecting times
• route maps.

Configure air itinerary  must include the following types of fares:

• sector fares
• fares incorporating open dated travel and surface segments
• fares incorporating non-stop, direct and connecting services
• fares incorporating intermediate points
• nett fares
• fares incorporating airport and other taxes.

Airfare cost  may be calculated:

• manually
• using a computer.

Calculate international promotional fare costs  must include the following types of calculations and checks:

• neutral units of construction (NUA)
• local currency fares (LCF)
• global indicators (GI)
• mileage system:

• maximum permitted mileages (MPMs)
• ticketed point mileages (TPMs)
• extra mileage allowance (EMA)
• excess mileage surcharges (EMS)

• higher intermediate points (HIPs)
• circle trip minimum fare checks (CTM).

Taxes  may include:

• domestic head tax
• noise tax
• fuel surcharge
• Q surcharge.

Fees  may include:

• service fee
• transaction fee
• air itinerary preparation fee
• loyalty program (e.g. frequent flyer) redemption fee
• courier fee
• credit card fee
• communication fee
• flight fuel emissions offset fee ("flying carbon neutral").

Record  of the calculated airfare may involve use of:

• paper-based or electronically filed materials
• manual format
• linear format.

Sector 

Tourism

Competency field 

Tourism Sales and Operations