Rates continue to climb as normal travel resumes after attacks

AMY WINKLER/Arizona Daily Wildcat

STA travel adviser Sebastian Tonazzi points out information on a computer screen to linguistics freshman Elizabeth Logan, right, while STA Travel branch manager Minnie Hodge, front, and travel adviser Jeff Mahnken, back, look on yesterday afternoon at STA Travel in the Student Union Memorial Center. Logan and a friend plan to travel to London after finals in celebration of completing their first semester of college.

Students seeking ultra-low airfares in the wake of the recent drop in air travel might be too late, a local travel agent said.

An agent for STA Travel, the University of Arizona's on-campus travel agency, said prices for domestic airfares are not as low as many might think in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

During the two weeks following the Sept. 11, airfares were extremely low due to the reluctance of many Americans to travel. However, Minnie Hodge, branch manager of STA Travel, said this marked drop-off in air travel was temporary.

She said it may have been possible to find cheap fares during that time, but the amount of air travel is gradually increasing, allowing airlines to raise their fares to almost normal levels.

"Flights to New York are actually the most expensive right now," she said. "There is a real demand from people wanting to see Ground Zero."

Hodge said that although fewer people than expected are booking travel this month, it does not seem that students are more hesitant to fly home for the holidays this year.

Charles Livermore, a philosophy junior, paid $350 for a round-trip ticket from Tucson to Houston after the attacks. He expressed no fears about flying home.

"If someone tries something again, I think people are going to beat them with the luggage," Livermore said.

One hundred-eighty students booked travel through STA in October, Hodge said. Thanksgiving flights are almost completely sold out except for expensive first-class seats.

Shirly Hsu, an education junior, purchased tickets for Thanksgiving shortly after the attacks and paid $226 for a round trip from Tucson to Eugene, Ore.

"That is really good considering that I'm flying into a small airport·instead of a large airport (Portland) that is usually cheaper," Hsu said.

Although many students may still be thinking about tickets home for Thanksgiving, Hodge suggested they plan ahead to get cheaper fares for Christmas.

"If people are wanting to travel for Christmas, now is the time to book, especially for international flights because there are fewer of them," Hodge said.

Although domestic flights are no longer inexpensive, students can still find bargains on international flights.

For example, students booking with STA Travel can fly round-trip from Tucson to London for $375.

"International flights are pretty competitive right now," Hodge said. "They're trying to get people back into traveling internationally. You can't beat it - sometimes you can fly to London more cheaply than you can fly to New York."

Bella Schroeder of Campus Travel, 1010 E. Sixth St., reported similar fares, such as $398 for a round trip from Tucson to Japan.

Although promotional airfares are often subject to blackout dates, certain days are less traveled and more likely to have cheaper fares. Schroeder said that Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are the best days to book for less expensive airfares.