A RESEARCH ON HOW ONE CAN AVAIL OF "LOW

COST CARRIERS" OR "PROMO FARES" FROM

DIFFERENT LOCAL AIRLINES

8 INSIDER TIPS: How to Book PISO FARE Flights Successfully

1. Follow airlines’ social media accounts.

Stalk them on Twitter and Facebook. Gone are the days when they would surprise everyone. They now
announce the sale days ahead.

It’s hard to know when exactly promos will happen, but there have been constant elements over the
years: They launch special sales during holidays and important occasions. For example, to celebrate
their anniversaries, airlines usually launch massive promos as a treat and a marketing stunt. They also
usually have promos on Easter, Valor Day, Independence Day, and New Year’s Day among others. I’m
referring to booking periods, not travel periods.

Many frequent travelers I know have turned on the GET NOTIFICATIONS feature of the FB page of
airlines so they receive alerts. Downside, they are notified for other shit, too.

2. Sign up for an account before the sale.

This way, you don’t need to type in your details when it’s time to book. Many airlines put a time limit on
each booking session. Signing up for an account means you don’t need to type your personal info and
credit card details each time you book.

But that’s not all. Register for an account with their Reward Programs too. Airlines usually hold sales
that are EXCLUSIVE to members of their Loyalty Programs! That’s AirAsia BIG for AirAsia, GetGo for
Cebu Pacific Air, and Mabuhay Miles for Philippine Airlines.

3. Be ready with your companions’ personal details and preferences.

Collect all your companions’ personal details beforehand. Don’t ask your friends for their details and
preferences when you’re already in the process of booking. It’s super stressful! Friends take forever to
reply! Also because like I said, your booking session might expire. Worse, someone else might book
the seat you’re eyeing while you and your companions are still deliberating. Happened to me multiple
times: Just when we’ve finally decided, poof, it’s gone.

So before the sale, decide on the following:

 Destination
  Alternative Destinations (as Plan B, in case you don’t find fares)
 Travel Dates
 Preferred Time

Here are the personal details you need from your companions:

 Full name (including middle name and as written on passport)

 Birth date
 Email address
 Contact number
 Passport Number (some airlines require this)
 Passport Expiry Date (some airlines require this)

While you’re at it, ask them too if they prefer aisle or window seat and meal choice, if they’re willing to
pay for them. LOL.

4. Book by small batches.

This is one thing I have proven so many times. When you book for so many people at once, the site
displays “SOLD OUT.” But when you book for just one or two people, you can have that same flight
(same plane, same day, same time).

For example, once, during a promo, my friends and I were booking tickets to Cagayan de Oro. There
were 5 of us. Every date we chose, we would get a SOLD OUT display. But when we tried just booking
for two people, suddenly some slots became available. So what we did was book two flights and then
my friend booked the same flight for three people using a different computer. All 5 of us flew to
Cagayan de Oro on the same flight.

There are risks, though! These may be the last 2 or 3 seats so if you’re a big group, there’s always a
chance you’ll end up taking different flights.

5. Be quick and early. Book on the first day of SALE.

Perhaps the reason I always grab sale seats is because I book early. If the announced sale period is
November 3-6, book on November 3. There’s a big chance there won’t be anything left in the following
days. The number of seats in a plane is finite and they can only put a few of them on sale but the
demand is so big that they tend to get sold out easily.

Some airlines replenish promo seats after a specified period of time so they’re evenly distributed
throughout the sale period, but they don’t disclose the exact date and time. The easiest way remains
booking at the start of the sale.
If you found cheap fares and you like the dates, book them fast. You have no idea how many users are
eyeing those same seats at that moment and you will lose them soon. If you’re booking for other
people, make sure you have their full names and birth dates (sometimes, passport numbers).

6. Book in the wee hours.

I know it sounds ridiculous but if you really want to grab a cheap seat, book in the wee hours of
announced date of sale. The sale usually activates at 12 midnight. You will have more chances if
you’re searching within the first hour.

Also, whenever there’s a sale happening, airline websites can’t seem to handle the volume of users
trying to book at the same time, slowing down the system. This also leads to a lot of waiting times and
errors. This is what you can avoid when you book while the rest of the world is in slumber.

7. Consider other dates.

If there are no more seats on your chosen dates, pick another. Obviously, weekends tend to get sold-
out faster than other days of the week. Be flexible when it comes to dates and timings.

Be patient. I know it can get tiring clicking the Next Day/Previous Day button but if you really want it
cheap, you shouldn’t mind going through all dates if necessary. If you have very specific dates that
can’t be changed, then good luck to you.

8. Choose a not-so-popular destination.

Davao, Cebu, Bohol and Palawan seem to be the most loved destinations — they go “sold out” even
before you consider booking. So come up with alternative places to visit that are also worth your time.
For example, Dumaguete offers a heritage-rich experience as well as great beaches. Iloilo is your
gateway to Guimaras where beaches are as stunning as in many provinces in the country. Laoag
opens your doors to Pagudpud and the best of the Ilocos region.

Also, try using other gateways to the destination you wish to visit. Want to fly to Dumaguete but no
more P1 seats? Try Cebu and just take a ferry to Dumaguete. This way, you’ll also get to explore
Cebu. No more Caticlan seats? Kalibo is just two hours away. Going to Samar but no more Catarman
or Calbayog seats? Try Tacloban. Be open to other possibilities.

Airlines actually disclose the number of available promo seats per sale. Just go to their website and
check which destinations have a lot of seats on sale.

https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2017/06/piso-fare/
 Research and name of the officer-in-charge of the
different offices of the Department of Tourism

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

Bernadette Romulo-Puyat — Secretary of Department of Tourism
Maria Acela Katrina Padua — Head Executive Assistant (HEA)
Atty. Edwin R. Enrile — Undersecretary for Legal and Special Concerns and Chief of Staff
Howard Lance A. Uyking — Assistant Secretary for Branding and Marketing Communications
Atty. Lara Victoria O. Estevez-Austria — Director for Legal Affairs Service
Reynaldo M. Rosas, MNSA — Director for Internal Audit Service
Carlos L. Magnaye — Director - Office of Special Concerns

ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

Atty. Reynaldo L. Ching, CES Eligible — OIC - Undersecretary for Administration and Finance
Atty. Leila Magda G. Rivera — Assistant Secretary for Administration and Finance
Mary Angelene Arabit-Tolentino — Director, Administrative Service and Procurement
Management
Milagros Y. Say — Director, Planning Service
Susan S. Nagtalon — OIC-Director, Financial & Management Service

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
Benito C. Bengzon, Jr., CESO I — Undersecretary, Tourism Development
Verna Esmeralda C. Buensuceso, CESO III — Assistant Secretary for Product and Market
Development
Czarina Zara-Loyola — Director, Office of Public Affairs and Advocacy
Renee Marie N. Reyes — Director - Office of Product and Market Development
Warner M. Andrada — OIC-Director - Office of Tourism Development Planning, Research and
Information Management
TOURISM REGULATION, COORDINATION & RESOURCE
GENERATION
Roberto P. Alabado III — Undersecretary, Tourism Regulation, Coordination & Resource
Generation
Maria Rica C. Bueno, CESO III — Assistant Secretary, Tourism Regulation, Coordination &
Resource Generation
Myra Paz V. Abubakar — Assistant Secretary for Mindanao and OIC - Regional Director DOT IX
Virgilio M. Maguigad — Director, Office of Tourism Standards and Regulation
Rowena Lu Y. Montecillo — Director, Office of Industry Manpower Development