Special travel benefits for agency and airline employees!
Work in the tourism industry comes with some unique advantages. While helping others to travel, Employees of travel agencies and airlines often can travel themselves under very favourable conditions. Perhaps you've heard of terms like Stand by card, ID90 Or PEP tariff – these are just some of the special benefits that the industry offers its employees. Below, we will explain what these terms mean and how they work, and how people employed in tourism can take advantage of these perks for their own travels.
Stand-by: passenger “on hold”
Standby Travel by “stand-by” means that the passenger does not have a guaranteed seat on the flight in advance, but waits until the last moment to see if there are any free seats. This literally means you are "on standby" – you are registered for the flight, but you will only board if there are seats left after all regular passengers have boarded. For those working in tourism, stand-by status is a common condition when using their privileged tickets. The advantage of stand-by travel is a symbolic or significantly lower ticket price, but the disadvantage is uncertainty: it is possible that you will not board if the flight is full.
When travelling on standby, it's useful to have flexible plans. Employees who travel this way often monitor flight occupancy and have a plan B in case they don't get on their first preferred flight. Nevertheless, with a little patience, stand-by offers them the opportunity to travel far at minimal cost – sometimes only airport fees or a small fraction of the full ticket price need to be paid.
ID90: Big savings for airline employees
ID90 je vrsta interne karte za zaposlene u zrakoplovnim kompanijama koja nosi otprilike 90% discount on the regular price of the airline ticket. Abbreviation Identification denotes Industry discount, and the number 90 represents the level of discount. In practice, an airline employee with an ID90 card pays only about 10% of the fare (plus airport charges), which is a huge saving. These tickets most often carry a standby status, which means that, despite holding a ticket, the passenger can only fly if a seat becomes available on the flight.
ID90 benefits can usually be used by employees of a specific airline for flights on their company's services, but often also for flights with partner carriers thanks to interline agreements. For example, a pilot or flight attendant can take a family member with them on a trip for a nominal cost. For example, An airline employee can travel to another continent with an ID90 card, paying just a tenth of the regular ticket price. Of course, they must expect that their seat will only be confirmed if there is space left after all passengers with purchased standard tickets have boarded. Some airlines also offer variations of these discounts (such as ID50 tickets with a 50% discount) where, for a slightly higher price, a seat is guaranteed – but the ID90 is popular among staff precisely for its maximum savings, even with the stand-by condition.
PEP: Preferential rates for agency and tour operator employees
PEP is a special benefit intended for employees of travel agencies and tour operators. This term denotes Preferential fares for personal travel staff in the tourist sector. Unlike ID90 which is primarily for airline staff, PEP offers come directly from airlines, hotel chains or other travel service providers so that to travel agents enabled more favourable personal travel for agents. The aim is to reward agents and give them the opportunity to experience first-hand the destinations and services they sell to clients.
PEP cards typically offer a significant discount (sometimes 50–75% off the fare, depending on the offer). To obtain such a card, an agency employee usually has to prove their employment status – for example, via an official request or a portal intended for tourism professionals. The airline then approves PEP card for a private employee trip (often with the option to bring a companion or close family members). Case study: A travel agent who regularly sells packages for exotic destinations can take advantage of an airline's PEP offer and visit the destination personally at a significantly lower airfare. For instance, instead of several hundred euros, they will pay only a nominal amount and fees for a return ticket. Many PEP tickets also function on a stand-by basis, so the agent awaits confirmation of available seats upon departure. Nevertheless, the value of such a trip is twofold: alongside personal travel satisfaction, the agent also gains valuable experience that they can later share with clients.
ZED tariffs – the most valuable benefit for airline employees
ZED (Zonal Employee Discountis a global system that allows airline employees to travel on flights of hundreds of other carriers at extremely affordable prices. Companies sign agreements with each other, and prices are determined according to distance zones, with three levels: Low, Medium, and High. Most ZED tickets function on Standby principle, meaning the passenger only boards if there are spare seats. The employee usually pays a small ZED fare and airport taxes, so intercontinental flights often cost just £50–£150. Employees, partners, children, and with some carriers, parents and „buddy pass“ travellers are eligible to use it. ZED allows airline employees to travel almost anywhere in the world at a low cost, making it one of the most valuable and popular benefits in aviation.
It is important to note that both PEP, ID and ZED tickets are intended exclusively for the personal use of authorised employees (and their companions). Misuse of these benefits – for example, reselling preferential tickets – is strictly prohibited and may result in the loss of these privileges or even termination, about which we recently wrote, for example, in the Austrian case. If used responsibly, these special fares are a great bonus of working in tourism.
Travel as a reward for work in tourism
For many who work in airlines or travel agencies, this is exactly what travel benefits one of the most cherished benefits of the job. Although stand-by flying requires patience and flexibility, the ability to go almost anywhere at minimal cost is truly special. PEP offers, on the other hand, allow agents to get to know the world they talk about with their clients better, which also helps them in their business in the long run.
Besides that, the actors in tourism (Airlines, Hotels, Destinations, GDS'si) They also organise so-called FAM trips (Familiarisation trips) to introduce them, i.e. to familiarise them with their products and services. In this case, the trips are either entirely free or partially paid for. Furthermore, a great value of such trips is meeting colleagues from the profession as these trips are most often group trips.
Finally, whether for a flight Stand by principles, usage Identification sale, PEP fares, Zed rates or Family Clearly, tourism professionals have the opportunity to see the world with less financial burden. It's a small reward for all the effort they put in to make unforgettable journeys possible for others. Next time you have the chance to speak with someone considering a career in a travel agency, or if you're looking to hire someone, make sure to highlight these advantages of working in tourism. We face the problem of finding staff in all industries, especially in tourism, on a daily basis – perhaps this is precisely the argument to attract young people to the most beautiful industry in the world – tourism.
