Why use a travel agent
 

With the internet and wide use of 800 numbers why is anyone using travel agents these days. Travel agents are like the govt. cheese programs. Is the travel agent going to call to see if there is a reduction in price when you booked something 6 months ago. Is the travel agent going to use all the tools available these days to get you the lowest price or just pick up the phone and call an 800 number the same as you can do.

Eric, why are you posting this question? About a month ago a similar question was posted here and it deteriorated into a "travel agents are without fault" post with nasty mudslinging galore. Fodors choose to delete it and now here we go again . . . <BR><BR>Okay Penny, Vic, Joyce et al let it sling. Let's see how long this thread gets before Fodors ditches it too.

I would like to know what Eric's career is, and hope it too can be taken over by the net. It is hurtful to wish other's to lose thier careers.

In answer to your question. Yes some agents do that.<BR>He is an email I received recently.<BR><BR>Thanks Joyce. We are really looking forward to it. Looks like you were<BR>able to get the lower price. Thanks so much for waiting and doing that.<BR>That means we can take one more snorkel trip.<BR>I ask my clients to check the Ads each week and if the rate goes down let me know, so I can fill out a Refund Request Form. I also check them, but with the Clients help, no rate reductions get missed.<BR>Yes, this cuts into my commission, but the Good Will and Trust gained by saving the Client Money well exceed what I have lost.<BR><BR>

Eric, there will always be people too busy to listen to "your call is important to us,please continue to hold" at 800 numbers. Or people too lazy to make their own arrangements. Or people thinking TA will do it better. It's a personal preference. Or a company policy.

There are times when a TA specializing in a region or type of trip or need is necessary. I'm planning travel to Russia, and an agent I located can handle hotels, trains and Visas. There are reasons this is more effectively done by an agent, although I could do it alone over internet. For one thing, the quotes from hotels over internet are misleading - unless done by an agent, you find that taxes, services, etc. are added on while you're there. Also, TA can obtain lower rates than those offered to tourists. One also needs a Visa to go to Russia - and to get that, you must have hotel reservations in hand, or an invitation to Russia. This is a strange, prolonged process, and the TA has a firm which can handle the Visa arrangements (I am in DC near the Russian embassy, and it's still to my advantahe to have the TA to handle it, for a fee, of course). Because I am using FF miles for my airline tickets, the TA is charging me $50 to handle all the arrangements for the two os us - and this is a fair fee for what she will be doing. So, there will always be times when a TA is critical to the arrangements. Ciao

I have been shopping for flights to Italy. I went to every conceivable website I could find, and then called many of the New York consolidators. I found a very wide range of prices, but the best I could find was $530 rt. I then called about 6 local travel agents. Five of them quoted me prices that were on the high side of my web quotes. However, one of them was able to match the $530. In kind of situaltion, I would prefer to deal with a local business, so that's what I did. On the other hand, as far as finding accomodations I get much more info on the web, and by browsing thru the travel books in my local bookstores (plus it's actually fun to find your own places).

Doug-<BR>I am just curious, how much time did you spend doing all this reaserch?

I am now at DFW and my flight has been canceled due to mechanical difficulties. The line at AA is 100 deep and the next AA flight is 3 hours from now. I called my TA and she gor me on Delta leaving in 40 minutes. That is why I use a TA. I wonder if expedia could have gotten me on my way so quickly? Going home now.

Martin, any reason someone couldn't have called AA's 800 number and gotten rebooked, the same way?

Sure, one can call the 800 #, but there was a line at the pay phones, and then 'please press one if you are flying in the continental US, 2 for international, including Canada blah blah, then we are sorry, all agents are busy helping other customers your expected hold time is 10 minutes.' Then you might get disconnected and have to start again. It's easier to call a number where a friendly human being answers the phone and knows who you are. Off again next week.

Spoken like a true travel agent. <BR><BR>How have you managed to be such an experienced traveller and still not have a cell phone???????<BR><BR>Also, you can dial the airline the MINUTE you know you have a problem -- which includes calling from the plane's phones in flight (if they work, of course).

Spoken like a true user of a travel agency. Cell or phone card, I would rather speak to a person than a recording. I would rather get an answer right away than sit on hold. Like most people, I like to be appreciated and treated well. The airlines provide transportation, my agent provides service. That's why. ps I used one of those airline phones once. couldn't hear a thing and paid thru the nose. <BR>

Gee Martin, you got on a flight because you used a travel agent. I bet they made everyone else who didn't use a travel agent walk home. Maybe you could explain to the rest of us about the "pull" your agent had with the airline and how he/she was able to "pull strings" to get you a flight. With expedia, or whomever else, you could just as easily make the call yourself. Your travel agent could have been at lunch or not in yet and you would have been just as screwed as everyone else. But oh yeah, since you're a travel agent, you don't mention that.

Wow I've got a big ego! She didn't 'pull' strings, she just did her job so I didn't have to hassle with it. Sorry I brought good service into the picture. Good bye.

One last question, Martin: Is this travel agent your personal travel agent, or does she and her agency work for your employer? Difference? How hard she'll try to please you and how much the airline cares whether it helps her/you. I get much worse service from any travel agency when I'm traveling on my own than when it's a corporation booking my way. <BR><BR>Of COURSE it makes sense to use a travel agency with a formal relationship with a corporation that throws lots of travel their way. Of COURSE you get a courteous human talking to you, because she's talking to your whole corporation. And maybe she's gotten to know you through that connection and is STILL nice to you when you travel by yourself.<BR><BR>But if your travel is for yourself and the agent doesn't see much chance of volume business -- or if the agency doesn't do volume business with the airline -- well, tough luck.

I am a self-employed consultant. I travel alot. My agent appreciates my business, as I appreciate the business of those I work for. I am one of a few business travelers she works for. I have referred family and friends to her. She is a pleasant, hard-working professional who enjoys her job and does it well. She has a sense of humor. So call expedia, call orbitz, call whoever. I'll call her. Thank you.

Somebody mentioned Expedia... Believe me, it's extremely easy to get a live person on the phone without any waiting. And they are very knowledgeable, and I used Expedia after my co-worker told me how easy it was for him to change his travel itinerary using Expedia. Did they hire unemployed travel agents?

Expedia's live people are Travel Agents.<BR>Guess you can't use them anymore that would mean helping a agent make a salary.<BR>Flapper, while many Mega-Corporate Agencies might not want to do your personal business, a medium size or small leisure or corporate would probably be delighted to.

You people are too funny. Just read the post "Problems with Orbitz". You are so concerned over paying a travel agent $20.00 service fee and others charge even less, and then when you find you have been burned by your "self booking" sites you come here to cry about it..<BR><BR>LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL