Airlines are ANTI-AMERICAN
Mar 20th, 2002, 07:36 PM
#23
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I've seen too many posts about the demise of TAs on this Web site lately and I can't stay out of it any more. To all TAs: I used to believe that, since I spend several hundred dollars on an airline ticket, hotel, rental car, etc. I'm certainly not going to quibble over paying an extra $10-25 to have someone else sit on the phone for ages with the vendors, save me the long distance charges, etc. However, I have never, repeat never, had a good experience with the TAs I used. And, before the advent of the Internet, I used them for years--they were the only game in town, after all. I'm a nice person, I do my homework, I even gave the agents recommended hotels, flights, etc. But none ever got even the simplest thing right. From being put in a hotel in the business district of Munich when I asked for one by the Christmas Market (costing me a fortune in taxis) to a flea bag hotel in Florence to one who forgot to order the airline tickets, I've seen incompetence and it's sitting at a desk with posters of Hong Kong behind it!
I gave them another try last fall for a Disneyworld/Disney cruise package I bought for five people. This was through a "specially trained Disney agent" at AAA. Right! Horrible, horrible plane connections and "sorry, no other Delta flights that day. Besides, if you want AAA to change the flight we have to charge $25 per person." Keep in mind that they chose the flights and the airlines arbitrarily--their choice, not mine. I called Delta myself and found out there were 8 flights that day and they kindly put us on direct flights!
Sorry I rambled, but Joyce, there's a bigger reason why people don't use TAs anymore and you're deluding yourself if you think it has much to do with money.
Thanks for letting me vent, folks. Now back to your regularly scheduled travel postings.
I gave them another try last fall for a Disneyworld/Disney cruise package I bought for five people. This was through a "specially trained Disney agent" at AAA. Right! Horrible, horrible plane connections and "sorry, no other Delta flights that day. Besides, if you want AAA to change the flight we have to charge $25 per person." Keep in mind that they chose the flights and the airlines arbitrarily--their choice, not mine. I called Delta myself and found out there were 8 flights that day and they kindly put us on direct flights!
Sorry I rambled, but Joyce, there's a bigger reason why people don't use TAs anymore and you're deluding yourself if you think it has much to do with money.
Thanks for letting me vent, folks. Now back to your regularly scheduled travel postings.
Mar 21st, 2002, 04:02 AM
#25
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Yesterday I called my TA for a ticket on AA to Nashville. Her computer said 391.50. She checked Orbitz and it was 220.00. She said buy it. I paid her 25.00 to do it for me cause I am going into a daylong meeting. Less competion = higher prices for all of us. Am I the only person in the world that pays someone to do something I don't have time for?
Mar 21st, 2002, 07:06 AM
#27
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Great TA story:
Through a TA, I booked a room at the Camelback in Scottsdale, and ran into a disaster. The room wasn't ready, then they gave us the wrong room, We ended up sitting around for four hours waiting for the room.
When I got back, I told the TA about it to complain. She feigned sympathy and said, "If I were you, I'd write to the hotel and complain!" Oh, thanks for your help.
Here's the punchline: A year later she called to inform me that I had not paid her. I fortunately had my old credit card bills, which showed she had been paid, and I faxed her a copy. Which was followed by a letter from her saying that she hadn't been paid.
Guess what? She's now out of business (and probably blaming the airlines for it).
Through a TA, I booked a room at the Camelback in Scottsdale, and ran into a disaster. The room wasn't ready, then they gave us the wrong room, We ended up sitting around for four hours waiting for the room.
When I got back, I told the TA about it to complain. She feigned sympathy and said, "If I were you, I'd write to the hotel and complain!" Oh, thanks for your help.
Here's the punchline: A year later she called to inform me that I had not paid her. I fortunately had my old credit card bills, which showed she had been paid, and I faxed her a copy. Which was followed by a letter from her saying that she hadn't been paid.
Guess what? She's now out of business (and probably blaming the airlines for it).
Mar 21st, 2002, 07:13 AM
#28
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Joyce is an example of the reason I don't use travel agents. They don't make any sense and don't understand business and think people should be forced to pay them money and support them when they don't want their services.
The bottom line is, if you are offering a service that is of value to someone in our society, you will get paid for it. If you don't, you should find another line of work. People who find TA services of use should pay for them. People who don't (like me and many others) will do our own travel research and booking. If TAs deliver such useful services, clients should be willing to pay for them, shouldn't they? Those who find TAs useful and a time-saver can pay for them. This is really very simple, it's the same for any occupation or business.
What is "un-American" is to expect laws to be passed that force businesses to pay TAs money when they don't want to. I don't know of any other business like that (although there may be one, I'd be curious if there were) -- where the manufacturer/supplier is forced by law to pay a commission to a vendor of their product, which can also be purchased directly from them (by phone or an office in major cities or the internet) and which many people prefer to do because they find a middleman not useful, but obstructive and time-consuming.
I think clients who use TA's services should be the ones who pay for them.
As far as airlines paying foreign TAs a commission, so what? I don't know if it's true, but if it is, I would imagine there is a good reason for it. Namely, that US airlines don't have a big presence in foreign countries and this is just a sales incentive for those agents. This is a business, if that works for them, why not? I'm sure they aren't doing that out of charity but because it makes sense financially. In fact, it makes sense to me, to try to increase US airline sales in foreign countries. It also contradicts the thesis that agents are "unbiased" sources of info. That is really funny. I also only buy tickets from the airlines themselves or web sites like Travelocity. Web sites run by a consortium of airlines do not raise fares, in fact, they often offer the best deals (ie, opodo.co.uk in Europe).
(oh, yeah, the idea that TAs keep airline ticket prices low is hilarious)
The bottom line is, if you are offering a service that is of value to someone in our society, you will get paid for it. If you don't, you should find another line of work. People who find TA services of use should pay for them. People who don't (like me and many others) will do our own travel research and booking. If TAs deliver such useful services, clients should be willing to pay for them, shouldn't they? Those who find TAs useful and a time-saver can pay for them. This is really very simple, it's the same for any occupation or business.
What is "un-American" is to expect laws to be passed that force businesses to pay TAs money when they don't want to. I don't know of any other business like that (although there may be one, I'd be curious if there were) -- where the manufacturer/supplier is forced by law to pay a commission to a vendor of their product, which can also be purchased directly from them (by phone or an office in major cities or the internet) and which many people prefer to do because they find a middleman not useful, but obstructive and time-consuming.
I think clients who use TA's services should be the ones who pay for them.
As far as airlines paying foreign TAs a commission, so what? I don't know if it's true, but if it is, I would imagine there is a good reason for it. Namely, that US airlines don't have a big presence in foreign countries and this is just a sales incentive for those agents. This is a business, if that works for them, why not? I'm sure they aren't doing that out of charity but because it makes sense financially. In fact, it makes sense to me, to try to increase US airline sales in foreign countries. It also contradicts the thesis that agents are "unbiased" sources of info. That is really funny. I also only buy tickets from the airlines themselves or web sites like Travelocity. Web sites run by a consortium of airlines do not raise fares, in fact, they often offer the best deals (ie, opodo.co.uk in Europe).
(oh, yeah, the idea that TAs keep airline ticket prices low is hilarious)
Mar 21st, 2002, 09:27 AM
#29
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I agree with Owen. TAs will have to specialize to survive.
My company also uses an agency for business travel, and it is worth the time savings to do so. However, I think the agency works hard to keep the big corporate accounts. They are easy and pleasant to deal with, because they know if they weren't, my company would find another agency.
I would also consider a tour put together by an agency if it was something special. I know people who use them often for all-inclusive trips and find the convenience worth it.
I do agree, though, that the days of calling an agent for every vacation are over.
My company also uses an agency for business travel, and it is worth the time savings to do so. However, I think the agency works hard to keep the big corporate accounts. They are easy and pleasant to deal with, because they know if they weren't, my company would find another agency.
I would also consider a tour put together by an agency if it was something special. I know people who use them often for all-inclusive trips and find the convenience worth it.
I do agree, though, that the days of calling an agent for every vacation are over.
Mar 21st, 2002, 02:47 PM
#30
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I was an Executive Secretary to one of the Vice Presidents of a large bank in the US before I had children and decided to stay home. We had a large, well-known travel agency handle all of our corporate travel and they were forever messing up preferences, frequent flyer miles, hotels etc. I had to double check everything and spent countless hours on the phone trying to get things straightened out. I was not only doing my job, but the travel agent's job as well....
Mar 28th, 2002, 11:26 AM
#31
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Why are t/as so frustrated about this? if they save so much money they should charge a fee for their services instead of making all air fare consumers pay for their comissions. Orbitz and those sites are doign fine but t/a make the majority of ticket sales so they shoudl stop crying and get to working.
Mar 28th, 2002, 12:56 PM
#33
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You go Joyce- she is so right. And why do you think you are paying more to use a travel agent..it just isnt true. It is true that it is sometimes cheaper NOW to buy on the internet and its certainly everyones right but you are also paying a fee there whether you see it or not. I have no idea why everyone on here are so angry at TA;s....in the past our commission from the airlines etc was paid directly from the company and was not a charge to you. You will soon find the airline fares rising and yes her statistics are correct..most airline tickets by far are done thru an agency. We are only working and making a living like anyone else and working very hard i might add....thanks for your time
W
W
Mar 28th, 2002, 12:59 PM
#34
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I'm not going to argue Joyce's point, but to Sam I say, the federal gov't DOES bail out private industry in many ways (see subsidies, tariffs, the deal the airlines recently struck). So that line of reasoning isn't valid. And I did get a good "Fly Free" trip to Puerto Rico through a travel agent lately.
Mar 28th, 2002, 01:34 PM
#35
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Use travel agents if you want someone to do the work. Pay them. Don't use travel agents if you want to do the work. Either method is totally acceptable. Unfortunately for those that aren't computer literate or don't have a computer are the ones who will suffer with commission cuts. They do not have the choice.
But, enough about commission cuts agents. They happened. The airlines aren't going to change their mind.
A plea to all agents quit writing about this to Fodors. This is an internet site devoted to people who want to do it on their own. Why continue to waste your time? You aren't going to change someone's mind. No one is going to come to you for business because you posted here.
Agents complain about the public on their sites, well I'm complaining about agents on this site. If you want to post as the public, great. But stop with your problems already.
Let's move on from airline bashing, agent bashing and all these ridiculous issues.
But, enough about commission cuts agents. They happened. The airlines aren't going to change their mind.
A plea to all agents quit writing about this to Fodors. This is an internet site devoted to people who want to do it on their own. Why continue to waste your time? You aren't going to change someone's mind. No one is going to come to you for business because you posted here.
Agents complain about the public on their sites, well I'm complaining about agents on this site. If you want to post as the public, great. But stop with your problems already.
Let's move on from airline bashing, agent bashing and all these ridiculous issues.
