6

This link is from the website of Switzerland's Consulate.

They say that they require a confirmed airline reservation. Do I need to purchase a ticket? Or is it the airline reservations done by travel agents?

UPDATE:

I emailed the Switzerland Consulate and here is the response: The flight must be of confirmed status (not “on hold” for example). If you plan your vacation, we suppose you already purchase the flight ticket.

2 Answers 2

3

The pdf link you provided isn't loading for me, however...

(EDIT: Got the link to work, it describes what I expected, and I believe my answer below to be correct)

A confirmed airline reservation, normally, is evidence that you have a flight paid for and booked in your name.

This can be shown in several ways:

  • documentation from a travel agent. It'd need to show proof of purchase, airline, flight number, and date of travel.
  • if directly purchased from the airline - similar information as from the travel agent.
  • and if you purchased online and received an electronic ticket, you'd need a print out indicating your flight date, details, and evidence that it's in your name.
2

If you contact a travel agent and ask them about flights, they can provide you with a "held" itinerary with an airline. What this means is that they reserve a seat on an airline's flight (can provide you documentation for it) without actually making a "confirmed" reservation. Then, once your visa is approved you can pay for the tickets. If the price goes up meanwhile, you'll have to pay the higher price.

This method works only when done directly with a travel agent (or if you are a frequent flyer member, directly with an airline), not on online booking sites.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .