Airlinespeak

Apex: Advance purchase EXcursion. A kind of discount ticket that is cheaper because you pay in advance. In countries with restrictions on discounts, this might be your only option.

Confirmation: Tickets need to be confirmed at the airline, before your reservation is valid, even if you can't change your flight. It is silly, but confirm, otherwise your seat might be given to somebody else. Usually you should do this with 72 hours before leaving.

Courier tickets: Companies like UPS or FedEx give people steep reductions on their fares, if they give up their right for luggage. Packets are brought instead. If you travel light, this might be the way to go.

ITX: Independent Inclusive tour Excursion. Cheap ticket with hotel included. The idea is to offer a cheap ticket with hotel to get more tourists. Of course nowadays you get ITX tickets without hotel, just a voucher. Check the conditions though. Greek officials have been known to cancel ITX tickets because the carrier had visited Turkey during his Greek holidays (should have stayed in his hotel.

MCO: Miscellaneous Charge Order. Looks like an airticket, but is more like a coupon valid for some airticket you might buy. Has some use as an alternative for advance airtickets that some countries demand, but be carefull, not all countries accept them, as they usually can be traded in for cash.

Overbooking: Airlines usually book more seats then they have, because they know from experience that not everybody shows up. Sometimes everybody does show up and then there are not enough seats. People that forgot to reconfirm or checked in late might not get a seat or sometimes money, hotelnights or airtickets are offered to those willing to take another flight.

Stand-By: Sometimes you can get a cheaper ticket without a reservation. You won't be sure to get a seat until the last minute. Fairly popular accross the Atlantic and on some internal flights. Also, if you miss your flight and your ticket was not changable, you might try to go Stand-By on a next flight.

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