Paul

I've never booked a flight through one of the internet sites before. What's the deal with the deals on these sights? Why can't you get the same deal on the airline's web site? Are these sights safe to use? How about Orbitz.com?

Kara

I find that they are incredibly safe and convenient to use. I am not sure why they are cheaper at times than the airline's web site - maybe because they offer a variety of airlines and have blocks of seats.<BR>I use Orbitz, Expedia and Travelocity all the time and have never had a problem. Hope this helps

ifly

Just don't make a mistake, like push enter more than once or you'll be charge twice. Delta said 80% of call to refund department were caused by this. Watch your dates, as changing is expensive or not possible. Be careful, check all sites and buy immediately when you see the deal you want cause it might not be there later.

reply

Just be sure there are no more than 4 of you to fly at the same time. Can't book more than 4 at a time.<BR><BR>And if your using a debit Visa/Mastercard, be sure you have twice the amount of money required in case one of their computer gliches seizes double or triple the amount.<BR><BR>And watch your statements for months to follow as your banking info is subject to be hijacked and used by criminals.

x

Penny/Reply for you:<BR>Stop lying about online booking! It is perfectly safe. You get better deals and you don't have to deal with bitter, lazy, uninformed travel agents.

Faina

When I book a flight or hotel I always check Expedia and others and compare rates. After that I go to airlines web sites to check their rates. Then I call hotel to ask for specials. Last time I booked a flight with Travelocity and hotel with Expedia. The only problem is: they are non-refundable, so sometimes it may make sence to overpay a little.

joan

The internet if not that great. what if you get stuck enroute! what if they cancel your flight who are you going to call the internet the airlines what a joke they don't care about the traveller<BR>just the $$$$$ good luck

Vic

Travel agents try to scare people from using the net. The fact is most tickets you buy on the net are the same as the ones available from an agent. The rules are the same -- you can change your reservations, cancel the ticket, whatever. If it can be done with a ticket purchases from an agent, you can do it with an internet ticket. The net sellers have 800 numbers.<BR><BR>In some cases, net fares are more restrictive. These tickets are the net only fares that are deeply discounted. So read the rules carefully. The net sellers always show them to you before you buy.<BR><BR>The major airlines stopped paying base commissions last week. So travel agents must charge a service fee to sell you a ticket. The fee can be as high as $75 per ticket. And they are charging for changes because the airlines have stopped paying the $20 that they were paying agents for making changes.<BR><BR>That's not to say that you shouldn;t use an agent. If you want their services, you'll have to pay more now, that's all.

Penny

Paul,<BR>I have stayed off this board for a long long time now because of all the ill-mannered and foul tempered/mouthed bullies on this board: But I will reply to this for you. The internet sites are as safe as you can expect on any internet site when making a purchase. It is what you are comfortable with doing. BUT, the cost of a ticket, is a widely varying range. Please see the example below and then make up your own mind.<BR><BR><BR>1. The Airlines cut our commissions and stating they can no longer afford to carry the cost of us. <BR><BR>2. They announce this to the public. They announce they can offer lower fares by cutting us out via their "WEB" sites such as Expedia, delta.com, Orbitz, etc....<BR><BR>3. In a fellow agent's example<BR>the fare WAS $195.50 in his CRS(computer reservatons system).<BR><BR>The fare via CO's website was $221.50.<BR><BR>Now let's do the math, <BR>Fare in CRS = $195.50<BR><BR>5% of $195.50= $9.78 plus a $20.00 service fee<BR>$225.28 travel agent cost<BR><BR>Add an 8% = $15.64 service fee plus $10.00 <BR>$221.14 travel agent cost<BR><BR>Cost via CO's website=$221.50<BR><BR>So no matter how the consumer purchases this ticket he will still be charged the additional cost by the airlines.<BR><BR>Even though they are showing us to have the lower fare,and making us look bad because we have to account for our costs, the CONSUMER IS LED TO BELIEVE that our SERVICE CHARGES will up the cost ot the ticket higher than the a/l's own "WEB" site fare. And the airlines would like you to believe we are ripping you off for charging the fee. So, go ahead and flame away, I and many thousands of other agents know the truth. And btw Vic, my business is just fine. Going strong.<BR><BR>DO you realize that SPIDERS BUILD WEBS TO TRAP PREY.....???? <BR><BR>Oh, and I almost forgot. How could I do that?<BR><BR>The airlines are still paying up to 9% to Middle Eastern Countries, and many other countries 7% all uncapped, and all countries that breed, harbor and encourage TERRORISM. Now ain't that AMERICAN?<BR> <BR>

Vic

The airlines eliminated base commissions. They are still paying commissions to their best producers which includes Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz.<BR><BR>So the bottom line is that they are not charging service fees while agents are charging anywhere between $40 and $75. That's the facts<BR><BR>US airlines are not dealing with terrorist countries. They do sell tickets in foreign countries, and they pay the going rate. If they didn't, they wouldn't sell any tickets. It has nothing to do with patriotism.

mj

Vic,<BR>I am a travel agent and I have bought tickets off of the internet for myself. They are safe but you're not right in saying the rules are the same. They are more restricted and you do have to know what you're doing and be very careful. You also have to remember to reconfirm your flights (which is something we should all do anyway but often don't) because the airlines may not get schedule changes to you.<BR><BR>If your flight goes perfectly smooth, you won't notice any difference than if you'd bought directly from the airlines or a travel agent. It's only when it doesn't that you will see the difference! You have to know your rights when you have problems and you have to be very assertive with the airlines because they will lie to you. I know there are agents that are making it sound horrible and it's not, but that is the one case where someone with an agent will come out ahead.

Vic

I don't know if travel agents really believe what they are saying or are knowningly telling fibs.<BR><BR>The airlines have established various fare categories, they are not universal among the airlines, but each fare code means the same thing regardless of who do buy your ticket from. A "Y" fare for example is a totally unrestricted coach fare, you can get a total refund (travel agents tend to charge a service fee because most airlines are nolonger paying them to exchange tickets). <BR><BR>Now, the airlines have special fare codes that are available only through net sellers. These are very cheap fares and the ticket may be use it or lose it. Obviously, the buyer must decide whether he can live with the rules in exchange for the low fare.<BR><BR>Then there is the myth of no service if you use the web. Well thanks to technology intelligently applied, many of the web sellers provide better service than agents. Here is a sample of what Orbitz provides:<BR><BR>"Traveler Care Alerts are an exclusive Orbitz feature in which we relay to you any changes or other important information that could impact your trip. This information will be available prior to your departure date, as well as on the day of your departure, and may include weather, airport conditions, and delays. When you sign up for Traveler Care Alerts you'll choose the method by which you want to receive them (i.e., e-mail, voicemail, PDA, phone, or pager)." <BR>

Sarah

I booked a flight to Europe online, can't remember which. Went smoothly, no surprises <BR>Some people like to deal with a TA or don't have access to a computer. Either way I've always had good experiences.

peaceseeker

I used to do a search on google for different sites and then compare prices, but after many times of doing so and continuously getting the lowest fare from orbitz i stopped looking at other sites and just use them. I like saving time and money and orbitz helps me do both.

Statia

Just my two cents:<BR><BR>I always do all my airfare research on the web, and then call my travel agent to get me the same deal. She usually can, believe it or not.<BR><BR>I must say, though, that I would book on line, but timely mail is a problem where I live. I'm always afraid the tickets will get lost in the mail or won't arrive in time, so I just go thru the agent.

question

Vic, do you work for an online agency? You seem so anti travel agent and I think they do a good job helping their customer (i am one). You make it seem like a crime to prefer dealing with a person instead of doing all the work myself. I just don't have the time. Why not live and let live?

Vic

Travel agents out there. Just read my posts above and tell me where I've gone astray?

Lisa

Don't know Vic, but you seem to think that the internet sites do not charge you a service fee, read the fine print, I know for a fact that Travelocity does, and Cheap tickets.com, etc etc..some charge at least $5 per ticket. Also they don't tell ya about fuel surcharges, excess baggage, taxes until the very end...that adds up. Also are you aware that the agents on their 800 numbers are not agents at all...that they do not know the airlines rules and regulations for connecting times, visa requirement, checkin times, what to do if flights are cancelled/delayed, what your rights are as a passenger. I know someone who booked a flight (easy Newark to Orlando)on Expedia, and was routed via Raleigh on Continental connecting to Midway airlines...1 hour connection. Well no-one told her that they do not transfer baggage, so when she called CO they told her no they wouldnt transfer her bags, that she'd have to get them, and that she has an illegal connection. to make long story short, she called the 800 number for internet, spent 3 hours arguing that they sold her flights she couldn't possibly make, illegal connections, and she wanted to change to legal flights. <BR>What was her response....waste of time, should've called a travel agent. Now I work in the group end of this business dealing with 2000+ passengers or more at a clip, so the commission thing doesn't really effect my business, but its wrong for the airlines to do what they are doing. They are not paying us to sell them, they are posting cheaper fares on their websites so we can't compete, and then ontop of that, they are charging us to use their computer systems so if we decide to book online for our clients, and not book in their computers, we get charged as well. How is that right? The consumes will ultimately pay the price, sad but true. Monopoly is big business.!!<BR><BR><BR><BR>

agent

Most online companies do charge service fee's, and they have just been advised they must be posted on their websites, so public can see them. For instance, Orbitz (which is owned by airlines) charges many fees...see below.<BR> <BR>Please read the following carefully.<BR><BR>Fares shown in offsite advertisements include the service fee, described below, and some, but not all applicable taxes, charges and government imposed fees. Fares shown in the display matrix include all such taxes, charges and government fees, but not the service fee. Fares shown in the itinerary displays on the flights search results page, and all subsequent pages leading to a booking, specify the fare, with all taxes, charges and government fees either included in the fare or separately itemized, service fees separately itemized and provide a total trip cost.<BR><BR>Service Fee: A non-refundable fee of $5.00 USD when you buy one air ticket and $10.00 USD when you buy 2-4 tickets is charged for each air transaction on an airline that pays us a fee or commission, including our charter associates. A non-refundable fee of $10.00 USD when you buy one air ticket and $20.00 USD when you buy 2-4 tickets is charged for each air transaction on all other airlines. These non-refundable fees will be itemized prior to purchase.<BR><BR>On changes to previously issued tickets that require new tickets to be issued, a service fee will be charged again.<BR><BR>The current maximum number of tickets per transaction is four. Purchasing more than four tickets begins a new transaction with its own fees. Orbitz' service fee applies to both e-tickets and paper tickets. A shipping fee also applies to paper tickets. Airfare searches on Orbitz are still free.<BR><BR>There is no service fee on hotel, rental car, cruise or vacation package transactions made via the Orbitz web site.<BR><BR>Passenger Facility Charges: Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) of up to $18.00 USD may apply depending upon the itinerary chosen.<BR><BR>Federal Excise Tax: A federal excise tax of $3.00 USD applies per flight segment. A flight segment is defined as one takeoff and one landing.<BR><BR>September 11th Security Fee: A September 11th Security Fee of $2.50 USD applies per flight segment (maximum charge per trip--$5.00 USD one-way, $10.00 USD round-trip). A flight segment is defined as one takeoff and one landing.<BR><BR>U.S. or International Departure and Arrival Charges: U.S. or international departure and arrival charges of up to $200.00 USD may apply depending upon the itinerary chosen.<BR><BR>Shipping Fee: There is a $15.00 USD shipping fee per transaction when you request paper tickets. The current maximum number of tickets per transaction is four. Purchasing more than four tickets begins a new transaction with its own fees. Paper tickets will be delivered within three and five business days to your credit or debit card billing address via FedEx. If your tickets are undeliverable and are returned to Orbitz, there will be an additional $20.00 USD express re-shipping fee.<BR><BR>Itinerary Changes/Cancellations/Refunds: Itinerary changes, if permitted for the fare, may have a change fee of up to $150.00 USD that will vary by market, carrier and specific fare rule.<BR><BR>(this ones good..change fees are generally only $100.00 with major airlines on nonrefundable domestic tickets)<BR><BR>By making reservations on this site, you agree to abide by the policies described herein as well as the Terms and Conditions governing your use of this site. Please review these policies from time to time as they are subject to change. For more information also refer to our FAQs.<BR> <BR> <BR> close window<BR> <BR>Think your still not paying service fees? Double check that theory.

Vic

Agents.<BR><BR>You can't have it both ways. Travelocity, Expedia, brick and mortar, amd garage based travel agents are screaming bloody murder that Orbitz which is owned by the airlines is posting fares that are not available to others. They got the Congress all excited and Congress directed the Department of Transportation to investigate this charge. And DOT is investigating and getting an ear full about thousand of instances where Orbitz posted fares far lower than available anywhere else with the expection of the airlines own website.<BR><BR>So agents which is it? Is Orbitz unfairly posting fares unavailable to others, or not?