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The Sira Blog

The Art of
Wandering.

Itineraries, destination guides, and engineering deep dives from the team building Sira.

terminal Engineering

Airline & Booking Deep Dives

How airline pricing, fare classes, and booking systems actually work — explained by the team building a flight search engine.

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Class Y: The Most Expensive Economy Seat Nobody Wants to Buy
class Y Mar 25, 2026 · 6 min read

Class Y: The Most Expensive Economy Seat Nobody Wants to Buy

What is Y class in airline fare codes? Why full-fare economy costs 3-5x more than discount economy, who actually buys it, and when it makes sense.

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Economy Class Fares Explained: What You're Actually Paying For
economy class Mar 22, 2026 · 8 min read

Economy Class Fares Explained: What You're Actually Paying For

A breakdown of economy class fare types — basic economy vs regular economy vs flexible economy, what each includes, and how to decide which one to book.

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Your Flight Got Canceled? What Airlines Owe You
airline regulations Mar 19, 2026 · 4 min read

Your Flight Got Canceled? What Airlines Owe You

Selling flights is regulated differently in every market. From DOT rules in the US to EU261 passenger rights in Europe, here's how governments control who can sell you a ticket and what protections you get.

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Can You Sell Flight Tickets From Your Basement?
IATA accreditation Mar 17, 2026 · 3 min read

Can You Sell Flight Tickets From Your Basement?

IATA accreditation is the license to sell airline tickets. Here's what it takes to get it, why it costs six figures, and how it shapes who can and can't sell you a flight.

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There's a Secret Airfare Market Where Flights Are 40% Cheaper
airline consolidator Mar 13, 2026 · 3 min read

There's a Secret Airfare Market Where Flights Are 40% Cheaper

Airlines quietly sell seats at 20-40% below published prices through wholesale companies called consolidators. Here's how the consolidator market works and why those fares never show up on Google Flights.

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Google Flights Doesn't Show You Every Fare — Here's What It Misses
airline aggregator Mar 10, 2026 · 3 min read

Google Flights Doesn't Show You Every Fare — Here's What It Misses

Google Flights, Skyscanner, Kayak — these platforms search dozens of sources at once. Here's how aggregators find fares, why prices differ between them, and what they can't show you.

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3 Companies Control Every Flight You Book
GDS Mar 6, 2026 · 10 min read

3 Companies Control Every Flight You Book

Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport — three companies power nearly every flight booking on Earth. How money moves from your credit card to the airline, why airlines can't just sell direct like Amazon, and what actually happens when you cancel.

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The 26 Secret Price Tiers on Every Flight
airline fare classes Mar 3, 2026 · 12 min read

The 26 Secret Price Tiers on Every Flight

Every flight has up to 26 invisible fare classes — letter codes that determine your price, refund rights, miles earned, and upgrade eligibility. Here's the system airlines don't explain.

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