How to find the best flights to the world’s best places
Travel agencies have been struggling for years to keep up with the demand for their services, but now they can do it more efficiently.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said Monday that it will start charging travelers to book flights and air travel, an initiative it announced in June and aimed to bring to the skies in 2019.
The new fees, which will start rolling out in 2019, will be a way for travelers to better manage their budgets and be better prepared for the coming economic downturn.
The fees are the first steps to bringing them to the airlines, which are already charging a fee for every flight booked.
The industry had struggled to keep pace with the growth of new airlines.
IATA expects to see a surge in the number of airlines in 2019 from 7 to 10, up from about 3,200 now to about 7,600.
It expects to hit 7 million by 2023.