Where did you book your airfare
Aug 20th, 2003, 08:15 PM
#2
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Joannelyn,
I think so, but only if you are persistent and compulsive, so you will check the big three often (Travelocity, Expdia, and Orbitz). Sometimes special rates pop up briefly before disappearing, and if you're paying attention at that moment, you can pounce and nail a great rate.
I think so, but only if you are persistent and compulsive, so you will check the big three often (Travelocity, Expdia, and Orbitz). Sometimes special rates pop up briefly before disappearing, and if you're paying attention at that moment, you can pounce and nail a great rate.
Aug 20th, 2003, 08:41 PM
#3
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For what it's worth, I booked our fare from Seattle to Amsterdam September 1, returning September 19, on Travelocity on February 12, 2003. It was one of those deals that popp4ed up and then disappeared in a flash, but not before I booked it for $560 inclusive, Seattle to Newark and then Amsterdam and back.
Aug 21st, 2003, 04:43 AM
#4
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I always check every available resource on line, and then go to my travel agent to actually purchase the airfare. She is always able to find the same, if not better, deal that I find on line. I do this only so that I can have my tickets in hand and not have to wait for them to arrive in the mail (the mail system where we live is a real pain).
Hotels, apartments, rental cars, etc. I book myself on line after checking every resource again. Sometimes you get better deals with Expedia, Travelocity, etc. Then, sometimes you get better deals directly thru the hotel or car rental website. So, it pays to shop around.
Hotels, apartments, rental cars, etc. I book myself on line after checking every resource again. Sometimes you get better deals with Expedia, Travelocity, etc. Then, sometimes you get better deals directly thru the hotel or car rental website. So, it pays to shop around.
Aug 21st, 2003, 04:57 AM
#5
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Hi,
If you want to spend the time checking prices, you will save money by booking yourself.
In addition to the other sites mentioned, I use http://airtravelcenter.com/onetrav.htm
and
http://www.eltexpress.com/
If you want to spend the time checking prices, you will save money by booking yourself.
In addition to the other sites mentioned, I use http://airtravelcenter.com/onetrav.htm
and
http://www.eltexpress.com/
Aug 21st, 2003, 06:59 AM
#6
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Sometimes you can luck out with a great price directly with the airlines (particularly if they are running a "sale"
. We were surprised to end up with less expensive tickets to Prague/open jaw return from Budapest in spring when my husband called BA. I had searched Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, Cheap Tickets, etc. and the prices I was quoted were all higher than with BA direct.
. We were surprised to end up with less expensive tickets to Prague/open jaw return from Budapest in spring when my husband called BA. I had searched Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, Cheap Tickets, etc. and the prices I was quoted were all higher than with BA direct.
Aug 21st, 2003, 08:34 AM
#7
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I think there is a big advantage as it's so much easier. I can easily view all the options and times, etc, and make decisions that a travel agent would not be able to do easily. It would be impossible to relay all the information as to my preferences so I'd get the best flight, usually. However, I hate dealing with travel agents and find them obstructive and a pain, so avoid them at all costs. It just takes so much time getting a travel agent to do anything, and where I live, it would take a lot of time going to/from their office. I haven't used one in years, but find them useless when I did.
Aside from that, travel agents are probably going to charge you a fee for their services, aren't they? I just thought since a lot of airlines don't pay them commissions for cutting tickets any more, they are charging the customer a service fee which is a lot more than the online service fee some charge ($5), and airline sites don't charge anything.
Aside from that, travel agents are probably going to charge you a fee for their services, aren't they? I just thought since a lot of airlines don't pay them commissions for cutting tickets any more, they are charging the customer a service fee which is a lot more than the online service fee some charge ($5), and airline sites don't charge anything.
Aug 21st, 2003, 09:32 AM
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As a travel agent, I am a little hurt by the comment that we are all useless, obstructive and a pain. On 9/11 my phone line rang off the hook from clients...many of which we had not booked and were looking for information on how to cancel flights or rebook flights for later dates and could not get through to the airline or the internet provider that they purchased tickets from. We had agents working around the clock at our emgercy call center. I can say that I was happy to do my part in what was a very stressful and and confusing time for many people stranded as a result of grounded flights. Weeks later when one of our major airlines went bankrupt and closed their doors without notice we again tried to accommodate our own clients as well as many of the people who had booked directly with Canada 3000 and had to find alternate flights home from the Caribbean, Mexico, Florida and Europe. You may not have found the ideal agent for you but to trash us all is an insult.
Aug 21st, 2003, 10:07 AM
#12
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I like Orbitz. (I jsut used it about an hour ago, in fact.) I first used Orbitz a year and a half ago to get a $268 round trip fare Newark/Milan. I usually find Orbitz a little better than Expedia, Travelocity, etc.
Last week I called a consolidator just to get a feel for his prices. It turns out that the "best" fare he had was about $100 more than the one I just booked, and it was via Zurich, while the one I just booked is direct to/from Milan.
I used to use a travel agent, and I did so this past November, when I was flying to/from different airports. I shouldn't have. I think agents can be sloppy, and it's best not to rely on them too much. For example, last fall, the agent told me that the Alitalia flight had been credited to my Continental frequent flyer account, when in fact Continental and Alitalia were no longer in the same FF program.
I get very nervous buying a big thing like a plane ticket online, but I do think that's a very good way to do it.
Last week I called a consolidator just to get a feel for his prices. It turns out that the "best" fare he had was about $100 more than the one I just booked, and it was via Zurich, while the one I just booked is direct to/from Milan.
I used to use a travel agent, and I did so this past November, when I was flying to/from different airports. I shouldn't have. I think agents can be sloppy, and it's best not to rely on them too much. For example, last fall, the agent told me that the Alitalia flight had been credited to my Continental frequent flyer account, when in fact Continental and Alitalia were no longer in the same FF program.
I get very nervous buying a big thing like a plane ticket online, but I do think that's a very good way to do it.
Aug 21st, 2003, 10:09 AM
#13
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I have used my TA for 15 years,since I was 10..I could not possibly do my own planning..He knwos me inside and out.An email or fone call is all thats needed.I realize that is the excpetion to the rule.I can tell you I have personally witnessed other agents in his offic being completely harrassed by clients,in broad daylight and in front of God and everybody,shamelessly and without regard to human dignity.The agents just sigh and take it with a grain of salt.Kmed-hang in there!....
Aug 21st, 2003, 10:47 AM
#14
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I search on Orbitz, then try to find the same deal on the airline's own website... ie. $570 total pp for Florida > Amsterdam, Zurich > Florida in September (bought it last Feb/Mar on Continental web).
Aug 21st, 2003, 11:02 AM
#15
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kmed, why don't you read this sentence which is exactly what I wrote:
<<...I hate dealing with travel agents and find them obstructive and a pain, so avoid them at all costs. It just takes so much time getting a travel agent to do anything, and where I live, it would take a lot of time going to/from their office. I haven't used one in years, but find them useless when I did.>
Now, exactly where in that sentence did I make the statement that ALL travel agents were useless etc? I did not, I reflected my experience, opinion and tastes. this is an example of what the problem is, though, as I have found travel agents difficult to deal with as they can't evaluate things very well.
I am certain there are some good travel agents in the world, but there are not in the majority and I have better things to do with my time and money than wasting them trying to find the elusive good travel agent in a haystack. Your complaint should be with your industry, not customers who dislike travel agents due to back experiences. I have never had one yet do anything right or get me the lowest price, and often they don't even return phone calls. So, you can be hurt all you want, but you won't change my mind.
<<...I hate dealing with travel agents and find them obstructive and a pain, so avoid them at all costs. It just takes so much time getting a travel agent to do anything, and where I live, it would take a lot of time going to/from their office. I haven't used one in years, but find them useless when I did.>
Now, exactly where in that sentence did I make the statement that ALL travel agents were useless etc? I did not, I reflected my experience, opinion and tastes. this is an example of what the problem is, though, as I have found travel agents difficult to deal with as they can't evaluate things very well.
I am certain there are some good travel agents in the world, but there are not in the majority and I have better things to do with my time and money than wasting them trying to find the elusive good travel agent in a haystack. Your complaint should be with your industry, not customers who dislike travel agents due to back experiences. I have never had one yet do anything right or get me the lowest price, and often they don't even return phone calls. So, you can be hurt all you want, but you won't change my mind.
Aug 21st, 2003, 01:28 PM
#16
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"persistent and compulsive" I like that. It describes the way I get when I am researching my trip and looking for deals.
If I assigned any kind of dollar value to the time spent searching for the deals, it wouldn't pay off. But since I get some entertainment out of it, it is more than worthwhile.
I would rather watch paint dry than play the lottery. But tons of people love it.
Many people would hate researching their travel as much as I do, but I find it a ball.
Keith
If I assigned any kind of dollar value to the time spent searching for the deals, it wouldn't pay off. But since I get some entertainment out of it, it is more than worthwhile.
I would rather watch paint dry than play the lottery. But tons of people love it.
Many people would hate researching their travel as much as I do, but I find it a ball.
Keith
Aug 21st, 2003, 03:20 PM
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Christina...your opinion is certainly as valid as any posted on this site but the tone of your message indicated that you paint us all with the same brush. The amazing thing is that it is usually people like yourself that are the first on the phone calling us when you can not reach a representative from the airline or online service you booked through to try and fix the many problems encountered when there is a catastrophic event like 9/11. Your second response was as insensitive as your first so I will not try and change your mind about us but the next time I answer the phone in a crisis to a person that booked elsewhere and is looking for my help as they can not get through to the airline...I will say...Is that you Christina...
Aug 21st, 2003, 05:16 PM
#18
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We booked our flight from orlando to Paris via Miami in June on Autoeurope.com for $635 total. Now I'm finally seeing a few fares that are cheaper, but I would have had one heck of a time booking hotels for our trip in 2 weeks if I'd waited. So, for us, it worked out well.
Aug 21st, 2003, 05:41 PM
#19
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Bravo, kmed.
I am not a TA but I worked in the financial service industry for 30 years. Christina sounds like one of those clients that I occasionally had to politely ask to leave and never return.
I am not a TA but I worked in the financial service industry for 30 years. Christina sounds like one of those clients that I occasionally had to politely ask to leave and never return.
Aug 21st, 2003, 09:39 PM
#20
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kmed,
I certainly wouldn't say all TAs are useless. I know they aren't. My wife is acquainted with a very competent and thorough agent who has worked with her family for years. Unfortunately, the TA is based in Australia and we live in the US.
Otherwise, I have had the same experience as Christine in that we've not found a TA that was helpful. Now, that doesn't mean they don't exist in droves. It also doesn't mean that being a travel agent isn't a good, honest and difficult profession. I'm absolutely certain it is and that you number among the better ones. (not sucking up, but you're actually here researching your trade)
All that said, I won't use a TA again and sincerely, I wouldn't dream of calling a TA to help with a ticket they didn't book for me. It's just that I can't afford to keep looking for that good TA out there. Others I know have had the same experiences and no one has a good recommendation.
It's just that I have had to do all the research myself, and then prove to a TA that the prices exist in order not to be asked to pay considerably more for a routing. It's that I don't want to be have to say more than once that I'm not interested in being booked in package deals at chain hotels. It's that no, I'm not considering a cruise instead, nor a Hawaii/Florida/Cancun vacation or a group tour. After I throw that criteria out, it comes down to "oh, then here's your air ticket" and that's it.
The last one tossed us a brochure on travel insurance as we were saying our goodbyes and suggested we call them. Non-chain hotels? She wasn't sure but try the internet she offered. Nice lady, really but I had the sense that we just weren't buying what she was selling and I STILL ended up checking what we got when we got home on the internet. She was the long time owner of a multi-rep agency. Turns out she overshot by $100 by what AA was offering some 20 minutes later. Yeah, I should have done my homework, but if I'm then a click away from online anyway, why not?
I certainly wouldn't say all TAs are useless. I know they aren't. My wife is acquainted with a very competent and thorough agent who has worked with her family for years. Unfortunately, the TA is based in Australia and we live in the US.
Otherwise, I have had the same experience as Christine in that we've not found a TA that was helpful. Now, that doesn't mean they don't exist in droves. It also doesn't mean that being a travel agent isn't a good, honest and difficult profession. I'm absolutely certain it is and that you number among the better ones. (not sucking up, but you're actually here researching your trade)
All that said, I won't use a TA again and sincerely, I wouldn't dream of calling a TA to help with a ticket they didn't book for me. It's just that I can't afford to keep looking for that good TA out there. Others I know have had the same experiences and no one has a good recommendation.
It's just that I have had to do all the research myself, and then prove to a TA that the prices exist in order not to be asked to pay considerably more for a routing. It's that I don't want to be have to say more than once that I'm not interested in being booked in package deals at chain hotels. It's that no, I'm not considering a cruise instead, nor a Hawaii/Florida/Cancun vacation or a group tour. After I throw that criteria out, it comes down to "oh, then here's your air ticket" and that's it.
The last one tossed us a brochure on travel insurance as we were saying our goodbyes and suggested we call them. Non-chain hotels? She wasn't sure but try the internet she offered. Nice lady, really but I had the sense that we just weren't buying what she was selling and I STILL ended up checking what we got when we got home on the internet. She was the long time owner of a multi-rep agency. Turns out she overshot by $100 by what AA was offering some 20 minutes later. Yeah, I should have done my homework, but if I'm then a click away from online anyway, why not?
