Hello all,

I love this forum and have been montioring it closely the past several months. I am planning a trip to Bangkok this summer leaving in May and returning in July. I htought I had my airline tickets purchased, but my travel agent made a mistake. Anyway, could anyone here recommend a good travel agent for booking tickets to Bangkok from Chicago?

Thanks in advance for any help!!

"made a mistake" - what does that mean? Booked wrong tickets? Didn't book tickets? Then have the TA fix it, that's their job.

Or, call the airlines yourself - United, Thai, Korean, Cathay... there are lots of carrier who fly to BKK. Check your local paper for consolidators who can handle this for you.

I'd also check on your visa (given on arrival), as I believe the visa is only good for 30-days. Someone out there, please clarify if I am wrong. Thnx.

Thanks Sandi for the info! My agent had tickets confirmed, but then failed to book them before AA took the seats (longer than 14 days).

Also, I will get a tourist visa from the Thai consulate that is good for 60 days. I travel to Thailand every year and this is no problem at all.

Can anyone suggest a reputable travel agent?

I always deal directly with the airlines.

Deal with the airlines directly. Do your research on the travel sites first. Travel agents are good for cruises and expensive tours but not much else.

Hmm...okay thanks for the advice but in my experience going directly with the airlines means paying a MUCH higher rate. The fare I was quoted by AA directly was $400 more per person than what my agent could get me. If she would've booked the confirmed tickets I would've had this fare and my tickets.

I have also saved similar amounts in years past by going through agents than the airlines directly - especially when flying internationally.

Does anyone know of any good Thai agents anywhere in the U.S. I could contact?

Thanks!

www.highadv.com
used them many times for my rtw trips.
They would then fedex tickets to you.

I just put in some off the wall dates and it was outlandish. Try
Goodway Travel-HongKong
[email protected]
or Charlies Connection in Bangkok-need to google address. I have used those guys and they are reliable and cheap. Get you under $8oo I think.Again they would fedex or DHL.

Or go to any travel agent in Chicago's Chinatown. All have access to consolidator fares to Asia on various airlines plus United.

Check the price through UA first. But since your trip's total length is over a month, I doubt you can find good rate through UA.

For example, searching on beta.itasoftware.com, the lowest fare for May-July ORD-BKK seems to be about $1,000 on Delta (actually operated by Korean Air). UA is about $1,300. That's way higher than you should be able to get through a consolidator or an agent who gets tickets from a consolidator.

i have been using chip cooper in ny...he is good especially if you tell him exactly what you want...he has great hotels as well...

his email is: [email protected]

i think the reason you lost your ticket was that the agent booked you at the wrong price and the airline would not honor it...i would find $1000 to be the standard price to bkk from boston so chicago would only be slightly less if at all...united is the natural carrier but i like northwest through detroit which is an easy hop for you....chip favors all nippon at the moment i believe...

let us know if he was able to help you

I used Anne at [email protected]. She is Thai and in the D.C. area. Our tickets on NW from Providence were $1160 for the end of June, which is when rates are higher on NW.

tnnc---we have been back and forth and i did not know you were in NE....i am justwest of boston...small world...my boston to bkk tickets are $1212 including 4 nites at the royal river and transfers from nwa tour group...leaving may 18

Thai airways will be starting a non-stop flight from New York to Bangkok soon. Contact the Thai Airlines office in the States for info. I am sure they will have good promotional rates.

reservations: (1-800)426-5204

Yes rhkkmk, we're in RI. Our tickets were actually $1155, not $1165, and $910 child. We always go to Thailand in the summer and the rates are always higher if you leave after June 1st I believe. I did call NW vacations and it was much higher than the rate you got because we leave June 23. By the way, did you know there are 2 Thai temples in Boston-actually Bedford and Watertown?

i did not know that....are you thai??

i am a uri graduate by the way....we lived there 4 years in the 70's....west warwick---directly behind the station nite club, although it was a restaurant in those days and in n. kingstown twice....

we often go to newport...we were there a few weeks ago with some english friends... we even spent a weekend in providence a year or two ago...we have a friend who is an actor at trinity....
small world....sorry we will not be there at the same times....how long are you going for?? how many times have you been??

bob

what have you decided about ko chang??

rhkkmk-No, I'm not Thai, but my husband is. I was a Peace Corps Volunteer from 86-88. Since then we've been back about 4 times, but this is the 1st trip with both kids, hence all the questions. We'll be in Thailand June27-July27. We have to go to RoiEt to visit family, and depending on their health, will travel around after that. Thus I'm still undecided on koh chang- waiting to hear your report. Will you post from Thailand or when you return? We actually live very close to the Station nite club but in Warwick, and my parents lived in N.Kingstown for 22 years,only recently moving.

Thanks to all who contributed names of agents! I actually was able to rebook through my agent at the same price (she paid the difference due to her error).

By the way, I also contacted Chip Cooper - very nice guy who I may use in the future, especially with hotel reservations.

Thanks to all!!

tnnc---small world...hope you have a good trip...i probably won't post from thailand specifically....but lets do this....on or about June 5 send me an e mail asking me to respond to you about koh chang....i will then make sure i send you an answer within a few days of that transmission....send it to both of my addresses:

[email protected]
[email protected]


write it on your calendar so you don't forget...

are you going to try the seats in the back or have you settled on something else??

I'll do that-I have to write everything on the calendar! However, if I wait until end of June to book hotels in either Koh Chang or Samui, do you think we can still get a beachfront bungalow at Peace Resort? James just wrote that it gets busy around July 25th, but we would be there before then. Our flights to Thailand are both on 330-200 planes because we're going via Seattle with a stopover, so those seats are as far forward as was possibe. I think the same seats you have on the Narita-Bkk leg. I'm waiting for the return seats to open the end of this month so will then check on the back of the plane, b/c that's the Narita-Det. flight.