dorkforcemom

My experience working with a travel agent this week caused me to ponder when we had actually used a travel agent last? Was it 10 years ago? 15? When did we last go to a travel agent to have an airline ticket issued or hotel suggestions booked?

I've had an interesting experience this week. Thanks to those who made suggestions for my upcoming trip to Sorrento/Amalfi Coast! Here's the scenario:

My husband had a $3000 travel voucher with a travel agent from a work-related aspect. We've known about it for a year but an opportunity to utilize never really formulated until Sunday...when I realized we had until July 1 to book or lose the credit. We picked a week in September, I held 2 seats on American to Rome, emailed the hotel in Sorrento I was interested in for rates, and called the travel agent with my request. I'm now so internet dependent for travel planning that I felt like I was in a time warp processing everything. The agent, while extremely kind, helpful, and courteous, explained that he couldn't ticket on a reservation I'd already made. I cancelled the tickets I was holding. He immediately booked/ticketed the same flights and charged me $120 for doing so.

Next came the hotel portion. The hotel responded that the rooms would be 200euros per night - he quoted me $371 (USdollars)per night for the same category of room. I went back and forth with him over two days forwarding my info. With much back & forth insistence on my part concerning the room rate, he eventually offered to send me a check (minus a $30 processing fee)that could be used how I choose - which was very gracious of him.

All in all, my experience was a good one, albeit something out of tyeh 80's and I'm grateful for an opportunity to go to an area everyone raves about - my comments are more about how travel has drastically changed.

Anyone else with a travel agent time warp scenario?

SAnParis

My wifes first trip to Europe as it was a group thing w/her school. Over ten years ago, probably closer to 15.

missypie

I totally remember the last time I used a travel agent. Our law firm uses a certain agency for work-related travel. I was flying to NYC for a client development activity. Since it was on the firm's nickel I searched for the best available fare, then asked the travel agent to book it. By the time she got around to it, that fare was unavailable and I had to fly into a different airport and pay quite a bit more to get to New York.

Underhill

At least ten years ago.

bobthenavigator

The whole ballgame has changed. The internet is the reason---thank goodness.

L84SKY

Trip to Barcelona in 1999. I found a little tiny ad in the travel section of the Sunday paper that had airfare cheaper than on the internet.
I still check the ads but the internet rates have been very competitive, plus I don't have to get out my magnifying glass to book them.

jaclynpoulson

I actually did for my airfare for my trip to Italy/Greece just this May/June. Somehow, after diligently checking every website for almost 2 months, I decided to call just to see what kind of fares they would offer - she got me fares that were about $200 less than anything I ever found.

Gardyloo

Of course every time you book through Expedia or Orbitz et al you're using a TA. So most of us, I suspect, use TAs quite a lot. Just not "storefront" TAs, which are a disappearing breed.

I currently run (fitfully) a small travel consulting company (not an agency) and am actually going to affiliate with a "host" TA firm later this year, so that I can expand the range of services I can offer to clients. TAs in North America don't get commissions on air travel anymore, but do on some hotel and most cruise bookings, so pax who travel by air generally don't encounter TAs. If you want to go on a cruise, though, or assemble complicated routings, TAs still have access to products and prices you can't access as Joe Bagodonuts.

TAs who know their stuff can be very useful, but the key is knowing one's stuff.

Margaretlb

My first trip to Europe (Paris)in 1999. I was a novice and the trip was spontaneous.

FainaAgain

I used a travel agent in 1998 - don't think we had a computer then. Used phone to make plane/hotel reservations in 1999 - this was the last time before buying a computer.

Then used an internet travel agency to get 10% discount on tours "affordable tours". Always make my own air reservations and post-tour hotels.

OReilly

I use my TA for every trip. Apart from the small hotels which I contact driectly, I have never found a fare, car rental, hotel quote (even on Expedia) that she can't match or better. I don't find THAT area of planning a trip any fun at all adn am gald to hand it over.

Christina

well, that's true I used internet travel "agencies", but they are different in the sense that you still make the choices and can see the alternatives.

One thing I never liked about travel agents was you had no idea if what they were telling you was true or not, or what was available (like what the cheapest airfare or best route was, etc.). Last time I used a travel agent was by recommendation of a colleague for a simple trip to Las Vegas. I lived in Los Angeles at the time, so this was a common thing to do, and it was an agent he had used for various leisure trips.

I knew mine wasn't top priority (airfare and couple nights hotel), but after not hearing anything from her in about a week, I did make a few phone calls from ads I'd seen in the travel section of the paper, and got an airfare on a new low-cost airline that specialized on that route (Muse Air). I just booked one of the usual LV hotels and made a few phone calls on the rates; these advertised a lot in the LA paper. Finally, the agent called me back, and I waited for what she had to say. She told me the lowest possible airfare on my dates was $x on a certain airline, which was about $50 more than I had just paid myself.

So, I then told her when I hadn't heard from her in a week, I just made the reservations myself and that she was wrong, that wasn't the cheapest airline ticket that Muse air regularly had cheaper flights. She paused and I could tell she was looking in her magic computer system and she finally said -- oh, yeah, I guess you're right. I wasn't even in the business and found better deals by reading the paper once.

I never used one again. That was around 1987. The last time I really actually used one and bought something through them was about 1983.

Robespierre

I use one every time. I cost out my itinerary and turn her loose on it. Our agreement is that she keeps 50% of anything she can save. Last year, she made $73; the year before, $112.

suze

I've never used one.

JennaZ

It's probably been over ten years since I've personally used a travel agent. However, I do think they can be worth it if you can find one who is truly resourceful and committed to saving you money. Unfortunately, that isn't always easy.

walkinaround

>>>>
Our agreement is that she keeps 50% of anything she can save.
>>>>

how do you measure this? do you exclude any fees from the equation? do you search the internet, etc to get your best price and then see what she comes back with...and give her half of this savings? just curious.

dba31498

I used one today for work

Queenie

I think it depends on where you are travelling. If you are going to the frequently visited European areas, no travel agent is needed.

I am working with an agent now trying to hammer out a trip to Greenland/ Iceland. I could find no availability for hotels in Iceland for a set of dates, however she could get them.

Also, try to book those small commuter flights in less frequented areas - many of those websites are not even in English. And if they are, there is no mechanism for payment..Like Oman Air or Zan air in Africa. Thats when I use a travel agent.

SAnParis

We do use a travel service for work (through Amex). I'm not sure who is getting the kick backs for that decision. I still (shhhhh...) oftentimes 'work around' that...

laclaire

I still remember the first time I used a travel agent. . . I was 17 and it was my first summer without going to camp. My best friend from camp and I decided that in lieu of camp, we would go on a vacation together, so we worked all summer doing a million jobs (I flipped burgers, babysat, chauffered and did odd jobs) and at the beginning of August I went to the travel agency and explained that my friend in Wyoming and I wanted to go to Disney World together. I ordered her tickets and mine, got the package with hotel and everything, and paid for it all (she paid me back when we got to Disney). I remember being extremely proud and the agent was really supportive of us.

I was just at the travel agency a few days ago to change my Spain ticket. I find STA to be a great agency and the people that work there are really nice (in Boston and in Dallas, where I have experience). When I went to change my ticket (2nd change in the past week), she was really nice and definitely found me the best deal. Their prices were better than what I found on-line (and more flexible!).