Here's News; diferent prices from different agents
 

Just finished booking a long and complicate trip, with several legs, using FF miles, etc. First agent said, "no, can't be done, no availability on those dates" not enough miles, etc. Called back and got a different agent who, without too much fuss, booked the entire trip for me. So,remember,there are no concrete answers in the airline industry.

I always, always, always hang up and call back if I don't like the answer I get. I wait until 2 competent-sounding agents or even 3 questionable ones have all told me the same thing --- which, by the way, almost never happens. Good for you, Marcia, for not taking "no" for an answer w/the airlines. You almost never have to if you are persistent and patient.

I never took the first answer as the correct one. Always call back until you get the same answer atleast 3 times before you believe it. There are alot of newbies that just don't know all the ropes.

In the travel world, being told &quot;no&quot; when the answer is &quot;yes&quot; is a way of life. I've long thought that people in the travel industry ought to answer the phone by saying: Good day, Sir. . . The answer is &quot;no&quot;, now what's the question?<BR><BR>Gerry K

Yes, you can get several answers tot he same question, but how responsible is that, and who has the patience to call again and again, go thru their endless list of &quot;press One&quot;options, and on and onbefore you get to a live person, who may or may not be willing to help you. With all the trouble the airlines are in, they, at least, ought to adopt some standards in pricing--and FF miles options,rewards, etc. It is all most confusing, and to a newcomer it could be altogether too daunting. And that is just the beginning of the hassles. Enough has been said on this forum about security hassles once you get to the airport. Takes your entire vacation to recover from the strain of trying to get there.!!!

One agent once honestly told me: I can't book you on this flight, we don't have an agreement with this airline. Of course different agents give you different answers! And different prices. I find it much easier to deal with computer screens rather then with agents.

I have had this happen to me several times. Recently, I wanted to use FF miles to go to Sydney. The agent told me there were no flights available on my preferred departure date. When i asked if there was anything I could do, she said my only option was to keep calling back to see if anyone had canceled. I hung up, called back about 10 minutes later. The second agent also told me the date was booked, but then VOLUNTEERED to wait-list me. About a week later the date cleared. I have also been quoted different airfares depending on the agent. Yes, it's a hassle to keep calling back, but if you don't get the answer you want the first time, it is worth it to make at least one follow-up phone call.

The reason you may be quoted different airfares by different agents is there are a certain number of seats on each flight sold at a certain fare. When that fare sells out, then there's another price. When those sell out, another. And so on. The price can change while you are dicking around on the phone with the agent. Maybe there's a cheap seat available and then by the time you make up your mind, it's gone. Or maybe somebody just cancelled a cheap seat and that's why it seems like you are getting a lower price when you call back. There are also a certain number of seats available to use with FF miles. That inventory can keep changing, too, as people book and cancel their seats.