How to book group flights for school trips from the UK
The UK is wonderful with loads of great places to visit on a school trip, but there’s a big world out there just waiting to be explored! So, if you’re planning a school trip this year, you might be considering the right destination for your students, and this may be outside of the UK.
From practising language skills in Germany to cultural trips in Morocco and adventure sports in Canada, there are so many great destinations to choose from. But choosing the perfect destination is often the easy part.
Organising group travel for a large number of students is tough enough, but add in booking group flights, and you’ve got a whole new challenge on your hands. In fact, this can be one of the trickiest parts of arranging educational travel.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide. Below, we’ll take you through the process, sharing how to make booking group flights for school trips from the UK much easier.
Consider the basics
The first thing you need to do is start ironing out the logistics of your school trip. This means thinking about key factors like:
The destination
Your travel dates and times
A rough idea of group size
You don’t have to get all of these details correct right away, but the more information you can start with, the easier group travel planning becomes.
This is your opportunity to send out letters or emails to students and their parents outlining a rough plan for the trip. That way, you can gauge interest in the trip and obtain parental consent to determine whether the trip will go ahead.
Start planning as early as possible
The sooner you can settle on the details and start the booking process, the better, especially if you hope to travel in peak school holidays.
The earlier you start the process, the more likely you are to secure availability and better rates. That being said, any earlier than 12-9 months before and flight schedules are unlikely to have been released.
But within that window, starting early can certainly give you more time to gather the required information, as well as giving you an advantage on seating allocations and ticket prices.
Work with a group flight specialist
Imagine you’re taking a class of 25 students abroad, plus at least three chaperones - that’s a big group!
Now imagine trying to book each flight individually for each person. It would be time-consuming, stressful and there’s no guarantee you’ll get good seats or fair prices. In fact, prices are likely to spike the more you book.
However, if you work with a UK-based group flight specialist or travel agent, they will do all the hard work for you.
They will work directly with airlines to secure blocks of seating for the best price. That way, your group is more likely to get seats together, and you can make sure you stay on budget.
Not to mention it takes away the logistical nightmare of trying to book 25-28 individuals onto a flight through an airline website, making the process far more relaxing for you.
Approach the booking process with a level of flexibility
When you start the actual group flight booking process, it’s best to approach this with a level of flexibility. Being too fixated on one specific date or trying to fly at exactly midday can drastically reduce your options or even push you over budget.
Often, travelling off-peak, out of school holidays or on quieter travel days can open up more options, usually for a better price. Though we know this isn’t always possible.
However, where possible, you should be flexible, and if you do choose to work with a group flight specialist, they will tell you your options and help you find the flights, times and prices that work best for you and your students.
Take advantage of group booking policies
Booking group flights for 10 or more people is no small task, and taking advantage of flexible booking policies can make this easier.
When you work with a group flight consolidator, you’ll have greater flexibility to make changes to your booking, for example, if your group size changes or if you need to change passenger information at a later date. This flexibility can make the early stages of planning your trip feel much easier.
With that in mind, speak to your chosen group flight specialist or travel agent (or airline if you are going it alone), to find out more about the flexibility and group booking policies on offer.
Ask about special requirements early
It’s a good idea to check out the airline’s baggage rules and any special arrangements you may need to make for sports equipment, musical instruments or any educational materials you may need.
If you have students with special needs or dietary requirements, it’s also a good idea to get ahead of these. Speak with the airline or your group travel specialist to make them aware of any requirements your group may have, so that they can accommodate these and get measures in place as early as possible.
Communicate with students and parents
Once you have made your group booking, it’s time to communicate the details to students and their parents. This should be your plan for:
Destination and airports
Flight dates and times
Baggage allowances
Ticket prices
This gives them time to gather passport details, arrange travel insurance and sort visas if required. It is also an opportunity to share any special requests or requirements so that you can pass these on to the airline or your group travel specialist.
Keep all your documents in one place
Last but not least, throughout the booking process it is a good idea to keep all relevant documentation in a safe place. If you’re using physical paper letters, make sure to file these properly.
If you’re using email or other digital tools, create a dedicated folder or spreadsheet to store this information. This will help you stay organised, reduce stress and make booking your school trip from the UK far more enjoyable.
Are you planning a school trip from the UK?
If you’re planning a school trip and looking for support booking group flights for your students, you’re in the right place.
At BTG Travel Management, we specialise in educational travel, and our team of group flight consolidators works directly with some of the world’s biggest airlines to find you the best prices and seat allocations.
Plus, we take the stress out of group flight booking, so you can focus on the fun tasks like planning exciting educational activities.
So, if you need help booking group flights from the UK, get in touch with our talented team today to get started.