Each year, millions of people travel by plane, train, ship, bus, and automobile. Many of these travelers rely on the services of reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks. Agents and clerks perform functions as varied as selling tickets, confirming reservations, checking baggage, and providing useful travel information.
Most reservation agents work for airlines or large hotel chains, helping people plan trips and make reservations. They usually work in reservation call centers, answering telephone or e-mail inquiries and offering travel arrangement suggestions and information such as routes, schedules, fares, and types of accommodations. They also change or confirm transportation and lodging reservations. Most agents use their own company's reservation system to obtain information needed to make, change, or cancel traveler reservations.
Transportation ticket agents are sometimes known as passenger service agents, passenger booking clerks, reservation clerks, airport service agents, ticket clerks, or ticket sellers. They work in airports, train stations, and bus stations, selling tickets, assigning seats to passengers, and checking baggage. In addition, they may answer inquiries and give directions, examine passports and visas, or check in pets. They may be required to assist customers who have trouble operating self-service ticketing machines or kiosks. Other ticket agents, more commonly known as gate or station agents, work in airport terminals, assisting passengers boarding airplanes. These workers direct passengers to the correct boarding area, check tickets and seat assignments, make boarding announcements, and provide special assistance to young, elderly, or disabled passengers.
Travel clerks provide travelers information on points of interest, restaurants, overnight accommodations, and availability of emergency services. In some cases, they make rental car, hotel, and restaurant reservations. Clerks also may provide assistance in filling out travel documents and answer other travel-related questions.
Work environment. Most reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks work in airports, call centers, and train and bus terminals that generally are clean and safe. Reservation and ticket agents who work in large, centralized reservation centers spend much of their day talking with customers on the telephone and using a computer to plan itineraries and to make reservations. The call center environment is often hectic and noisy. Ticket agents, who work at transportation sites may stand on their feet for long periods of time, and may have to lift heavy baggage.
Although most reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks work a standard 40-hour week, about 14 percent work part time. Some agents work evenings, late nights, weekends, and holidays. In general, employees with the most seniority tend to be assigned the more desirable shifts.
The work performed by reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks may be repetitive and stressful. They often work under stringent time constraints. Agents and clerks must work quickly and accurately to avoid mistakes and angering customers. Difficult or angry customers also can create stressful situations as agents usually bear the brunt of customers' dissatisfaction. In addition, prolonged computer use, which is common in this occupation, may lead to eyestrain.
| 1. | Plan routes, itineraries, and accommodation details, and compute fares and fees, using schedules, rate books, and computers. |
| 2. | Make and confirm reservations for transportation and accommodations, using telephones, faxes, mail, and computers. |
| 3. | Prepare customer invoices, and accept payment. |
| 4. | Answer inquiries regarding such information as schedules, accommodations, procedures, and policies. |
| 5. | Assemble and issue required documentation such as tickets, travel insurance policies, and itineraries. |
| 6. | Determine whether space is available on travel dates requested by customers, and assign requested spaces when available. |
| 7. | Inform clients of essential travel information such as travel times, transportation connections, and medical and visa requirements. |
| 8. | Maintain computerized inventories of available passenger space, and provide information on space reserved or available. |
| 9. | Confer with customers to determine their service requirements and travel preferences. |
| 10. | Examine passenger documentation to determine destinations and to assign boarding passes. |
| 11. | Provide boarding or disembarking assistance to passengers needing special assistance. |
| 12. | Check baggage and cargo, and direct passengers to designated locations for loading. |
| 13. | Announce arrival and departure information, using public-address systems. |
| 14. | Trace lost, delayed, or misdirected baggage for customers. |
| 15. | Promote particular destinations, tour packages, and other travel services. |
| 16. | Provide clients with assistance in preparing required travel documents and forms. |
| 17. | Open and close information facilities, and keep them clean during operation. |
| 18. | Provide customers with travel suggestions and information such as guides, directories, brochures, and maps. |
| 19. | Contact customers or travel agents to advise them of travel conveyance changes or to confirm reservations. |
| 20. | Contact motel, hotel, resort, and travel operators to obtain current advertising literature. |
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