Unit of competency details

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Comments 

1.0

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Replaces and but is not equivalent to SITTTSL013B Construct normal international airfares.

Changes to Elements and Performance Criteria to better describe the tasks involved and to Required Knowledge for clarity of requirements. International Air Transport Association (IATA) references amended for accuracy. Requirements for checks when calculating airfares updated. Any ‘must’ statements in Range moved to Required Knowledge and Critical aspects for assessment.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

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

1. Interpret international airfare information.

1.1 Identify and access sources of fare information .

1.2 Interpret information on international flights , fares , fare rules  and conditions  applicable to specific fares.

2. Create air itineraries and calculate international airfares.

2.1 Configure air itineraries for direct and connecting international flights.

2.2 Accurately calculate and check  international fares according to IATA regulations.

2.3 Calculate sector fares and those with intermediate points.

2.4 Calculate concession fares .

2.5 Calculate taxes  and fees .

2.6 Create the optimum airfare that meets customer needs.

2.7 Check the airfare calculations for accuracy and compliance with applicable conditions.

3. Construct fares incorporating add ons.

3.1 Correctly interpret add on tables.

3.2 Calculate through fares, incorporating add ons according to IATA regulations.

4. Document and maintain records of calculations.

4.1 Record full details of the calculated airfare.

4.2 Minimise use of printed materials and maximise electronic record keeping to reduce waste.

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• literacy skills to:

• read and interpret complex flight schedules, airline and consolidator fare schedules, applicable conditions and IATA regulations
• research and sort relevant airfare information
• write records of fare calculations

• numeracy skills to:

• interpret fare components
• calculate taxes, fees and surcharges
• complete complex calculations and checks to cost the optimum airfare for customers

• planning and organising skills to prepare fare quotations in correct customer file sequence according to the earliest departure dates for customers
• problem-solving skills to identify and resolve mistakes in calculations and non-compliance with rules
• technology skills to use calculators, computers, software programs and printers for the preparation of airfare calculations.

Required knowledge 

• sources of information on international flights and fares including information on:

• airline codes
• airport codes
• concession fares
• direct and connecting services
• fare conditions
• fare rules
• Global Indicators (GI)
• IATA areas
• IATA regulations
• IATA terminology and definitions
• international airline terminology
• Minimum Connecting Times (MCT)
• normal fares
• payment and ticketing deadline
• published fare types and classes
• route maps
• taxes, fees and surcharges

• the content and format of information provided by airlines and consolidators including:

• fare schedules
• flight schedules
• published fares
• special bulletins
• websites

• encoding and decoding of international airport and airline codes
• the key elements of and procedures for international fare calculations and checks involving:

• GI
• Local Currency Fares (LCF)
• mileage system:

• Maximum Permitted Mileages (MPMs)
• Ticketed Point Mileages (TPMs)
• Extra Mileage Allowance (EMA)
• Excess Mileage Surcharges (EMS)

• Neutral Units of Construction or Currency (NUC) conversion

• a range of formats to calculate and record international airfares including the ladder and linear fare calculation methods.

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

Overview of assessment 

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

Evidence of the ability to:

• accurately construct multiple and diverse normal international airfares to meet varying customer requirements
• use the following types of calculations and checks:

• GI
• LCF
• mileage system:

• MPMs
• TPMs
• EMA
• EMS

• NUC conversion

• create practical air itineraries to meet customer needs
• interpret information on international fares, fare rules, conditions applicable to specific fares, IATA regulations and construct airfares which meet these requirements
• demonstrate knowledge of:

• sources of information on international flights and fares
• the content and format of information provided by airlines and consolidators
• a range of formats to calculate and record international airfares

• complete airfare calculations within commercial time constraints and deadlines determined by the customer or the organisation.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure use of:

• a real or simulated tourism business operation or activity which sells international airfares
• a real or simulated tourism industry environment; for example:

• a reservations area or call centre
• a retail shopfront or mobile sales situation for the retail travel sector
• an office environment as defined in the Assessment Guidelines

• computers, software programs, printers, and reservations and operations programs currently used in the tourism industry to facilitate airfare calculations
• current airline, consolidator and IATA documentation or computer data such as published fares, schedules and bulletins outlining fares, rules, conditions and regulations.

Method of assessment 

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

• activities that allow assessment of the individual’s ability to construct normal international airfares for different routes and to meet varying customer requirements
• review of fare calculation worksheets completed by the individual
• written or oral questioning to assess knowledge of:

• sources of information on international flights and fares
• the content and format of information provided by airlines and consolidators
• a range of formats to calculate and record international airfares

• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the individual.

Guidance information for assessment 

The assessor should design integrated assessment activities to holistically assess this unit with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role, for example:

• SITTTSL303 Sell tourism products and services
• SITTTSL304 Prepare quotations
• SITTTSL307 Process travel-related documentation
• SITTTSL311 Construct promotional international airfares.

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, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Sources of fare information  may include:

• centralised reservations system (CRS)
• global distribution system (GDS)
• information from airlines and consolidators:

• fare references
• fare sheets
• fare schedules
• flight schedules
• published fares
• special bulletins
• tariffs
• websites

• the Internet.

Information on international flights, fares, rules  fare rules  includes:

• airline codes
• airport codes
• concession fares
• direct and connecting services
• GI
• IATA areas
• IATA regulations
• IATA terminology and definitions
• international airline terminology
• MCT
• normal fares
• payment and ticketing deadline
• published fare types and classes
• route maps
• taxes, fees and surcharges.

Conditions  include:

• amendment fees
• availability of:

• any type of change to the air itinerary
• changes to class of travel

• baggage allowance
• cancellation charges
• excess baggage charges
• extensions to ticketing deadline
• payment deadline
• restricted articles in baggage
• ticketing deadline
• time limits for PNRs.

To calculate and check  involves:

• GI
• LCF
• mileage system:

• MPMs
• TPMs
• EMA
• EMS

• NUC conversion.

Concession fares  may include those for:

• carers
• children
• groups
• infants
• military personnel
• pensioners
• seamen
• students.

Taxes  may include:

• airport tax
• fuel surcharge
• GST
• head tax
• noise tax
• Q surcharge.

Fees  may include:

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