Can anyone else?

[JamesUK]

My son wants to set up a website selling airline tickets; something along the lines of Opodo or Expedia. Does anyone know what is needed to set up a venture like this? Im guessing that it will be quite costly to set up - Paying for a reservation system etc.

 

[JamesUK]

Sorry, that should say can anyone help!

 

[Sandy]

You need to get the legal buffs involved because I believe there is a legal requirement. When I was going to include organising flights with my viewing trips, my solicitor told me I couldn't unless I was regulated and registered with something or other. Sorry. Can't help you much more than that.

 

[Coding Monkey]

Basically, you would need the following

1) Domain name - about £3/y for a .com from Yahoo
2) Hosting - dependent on size of project, and something not worth going cheap on, as you always want your website to be up
3) Website design - making it look attractive to customers, easy to use, professional and so forth
4) Web developer to make the system work how you want, and allow you to have the control that you want over running the website
5) Payment provider - someone like Fasthosts, SecPay, Protx, WorldPay, PayPal in order to process your payments. They will take a cut of your turnover, ranging from as little as 1% (dependent on turnover) to 5%
6) SEO in order for users to find you, and make you able to compete in a highly competitive market. With all of the above, you're not much good unless you can't be found. Admittedly, there are other methods, and AdWords is a very effective one. If you're an online business, it doesn't hurt to be found via online search engines
7) Copywriter. Make the website appealing, selling your services, benefits and unique selling points in a clear manner. Not as easy to do as it sounds.

If you want some free advice to be pointed in the right direction, feel free to give me a call. Contact details available via the website (see signature).

 

[thejoshm]

You'd also probably have to be ATOL and/or IATA registered which gives the customers protection should you go bust.

 

[JamesUK]

Thanks for the advice - all were great points. Thanks Mac - some interesting points to think about there. I think I might take you up on that phone call.

So what sort of costs are involved? To get everything set up properly and for him to stand a chance, how much money will he need to find (... or borrow from yours truely)?

 

[RapidBI]

To do this properly, including the bonding you are looking at 100,000 UKP upwards. Talk to ITOL/ IATA for costings here (software is about 20K - but I believe you can buy off the shelf solutions for this - look in the travel agents trade press)

From memory training to be an accredited 'travel agent' will also cost £3000 plus take about 3 months - but you could always employ someone with this.

Good luck

 

[JamesUK]

HI Rapid,


You mentioned £100,000 to set things up - that was a lot more than I was expecting!!! He is planning to use the internet ONLY to sell, so are the costs you gave if he had retail stores, or just to sell online?

 

[RapidBI]

Because of bonding issues the sale of airline tickets is protected - it does not matter if you are retail or on line.

My figures are a guestimate - do your homework with the agencies mentioned - I hope I am wrong - but this figure comes from when I was a business advisor to a large travel agents

 

[Rob Holmes]

My son wants to set up a website selling airline tickets; something along the lines of Opodo or Expedia. Does anyone know what is needed to set up a venture like this? Im guessing that it will be quite costly to set up - Paying for a reservation system etc.

I've seen a third party solution that he can customise that pays a commission for sales if thats any good?

Rob

 

[JustOneUK]

there is an online booking system/software for travel agents, I am pretty sure it is called Amadeus reservation system, you will probably need to look into that and /or get a licence for it.

hope that helps.

James.

 

[d30]

check our demo webbuilder you could be able to do the site yourself but double check reservation technology and all the other legal bits .
d30web.com