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CNN Saturday Morning News

Interview With Tom Parsons

Aired February 16, 2002 - 09:25   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: And time now to talk travel. Starting tomorrow, the federal government takes over airport security around the nation. And here to help us sort through the new security issues and how they affect fares, as well as how to travel the world for the last amount of money -- very important -- travel expert Tom Parsons of Bestfares.com.

Thanks a lot for joining us.

TOM PARSONS, BESTFARES.COM: Well, good morning.

MESERVE: So Tom, I'm traveling tomorrow. Am I going to notice a difference in security?

PARSONS: Probably not. I think it's going to take the -- it depends on the airport, but I still don't think you're going to see much different. I think what will happen over time, though, which will be good for America, is the consistency. Today I can go out of New York La Guardia and then also depart out of Dallas, and they have a different set of rules how I bring my tickets, how e-tickets work, how paper tickets work.

The -- what has -- what's good about tomorrow is that the airlines do no longer dictate. One airline says you got to do it this way, another airline. Now we're going to have consistency even though it's the U.S. government, which may be a good bet thing or a bad thing, I'm not sure yet. But I think we'll see a little bit better as we get going in the next probably six to eight weeks.

MESERVE: Now, some of the same people are going to be doing screening. Is it going to be any safer?

PARSONS: I don't know if (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I tell you, yesterday I was going through, I'm actually in Tampa today, and I think they really are trying to do a good job. I get a kick out of watching business executives from the Fortune 500s have to take their shoes off and get irritated. I just get a kick out of that. And it's a humorous thing.

So if you make it look a light, but be, you know, travel, you know, pack light, and I think you'll find that everything will go kind of smooth.

But I think the -- I do like the way the new security's working, even though it can be an irritation to some of us.

MESERVE: And we're all starting to pay for it, aren't we?

PARSONS: Yes, well, that's already been put in place. That happened on February 1. It's up to $10 per ticket. Again, the government's getting a lot money when you look at that, plus another $12 for what they call an FIC, I think it's a segment tax. And then they also have the PFCs, which can be up to $18, and then with the 7.5 percent in taxes, you know, that can get -- they're getting a lot of money for this extra security.

So hopefully they'll use it and do it, do a good job at it.

MESERVE: Separate and apart from the fees, are fares going up now?

PARSONS: Yes, I think so, in some markets. I mean, I've got some goodies here for you, I'm going to tell you in a minute. But I think some parts of the -- if you go back to January 15, the international fares have definitely climbed. I mean, some markets in the Caribbean were going for $350, $400, now they're up in the $600, $700 all range. As I remember, Dallas to Tokyo, $398, today it's $778. Some of even the springtime fares into Europe still haven't down to the right levels. I think they're going to come down more.

But there are pockets and pockets of deals. I mean, if you're thinking about the Caribbean, I think the two better spots for cheap air fares, below normal, is Grand Cayman and Montego Bay. We're seeing it like on the East Coast in the $350, $360 range, which is OK for Grand Cayman, it's a great island.

To Europe, the hot city, only if there's one hot city, six cities from the East Coast, Providence, Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Islip, $198 to London from now through March 21. You can't even take the New York shuttle to Washington for $200. L.A....

MESERVE: Yes, what about, what about domestic fares? What are they doing?

PARSONS: Well, here you got to be careful. If you look at Washington, D.C., to San Francisco today, it's back up to $398 to $418.

MESERVE: Boy, I'm glad I bought my tickets last week.

PARSONS: Yes, well, actually, though, if you go market served by Southwest Airlines and then and some of the major lines, especially America West and U.S. Airways, if you look at those, there's 58 U.S. cities, and it's our first major summer sale, good to August 3, Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Saturday being the cheapest days, but we're looking at $200 or less coast to coast, from Baltimore to Oakland, $198, San Jose, California, to Providence, $198. Seattle to Fort Lauderdale, $198. Good to August 3.

And this -- and no blackout dates. So if you're thinking about spring or summer travel, you better try to lock in this, because as we have another sale when this one ends, you could see more restrictions, maybe higher fares. But boy, nobody ever thought we'd probably be flying coast to coast through August for $200 round trip.

MESERVE: OK, Tom Parsons of Bestfares.com, thanks a lot.

PARSONS: Thank you.

MESERVE: We'll be hopping on a plane soon.

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