Do you use a Travel Agent?

[RooFlyer]

Sitting in my garden on a still 5:50 Friday evening, having a drink. Text from Travel Agent - check e-mail.

I check phone. A QR fare for a trip to Europe I've been planning has popped up pretty cheap (the TA has a corporate deal with QR). Previously TK was abt $3K cheaper, and I was going to go with that; now only $1K difference. That's worth it TK vs QR. Itinerary sent to me, with several options returning to ADL, MEL and SYD (ADL cheapest). Can only hold for 2 days.

Me - dash inside to computer, re-check itinerary with ADL return yep, good, give CC numbers (has them on file), and seat numbers wanted. Doha stopover cheap 5* hotel for a couple of days on the way over.

Settle back to drink in garden 10 mins later. Who doesn't like a Travel Agent?

 

[Quickstatus]

A QR fare for a trip to Europe I've been planning has popped up pretty cheap (the TA has a corporate deal with QR)

What were your instructions to TA prior to getting this email.

 

[RooFlyer]

What were your instructions to TA prior to getting this email.

I'd asked them to look at fares ex Australia for a trip I'm taking (cruise Athens to Malaga in November). Initial fares on TK ex MEL were looking good, QR a fair bit more expensive, Oman didn't have the network. (I've run out of points to position to Asia to commence the paid fare, unfortunately.)

TA and I have excellent relationship - I've used them for about 15 years now; they know my style of travel, so they just monitor things for what I may be OK with. QR have various levels of J seats, often with quite big price steps between them. Lower price return seat became available on one of my possible dates ex BCN AND they pointed out that Istanbul much cheaper to fly into outbound than Athens and knew I could get an Award seat between IST and ATH.

So TA just contacted me - at nearly 6pm on a Friday .

 

[Quickstatus]

TA and I have excellent relationship - I've used them for about 15 years now

So it's more about developing a relationship over time? Do you use them for flight and cruise ? How do you know the prices they give you are "good" (I understand you are buying a service not just price of a ticket)

This is a TA where you communicate face to face or electronically?

 

[RooFlyer]

So it's more about developing a relationship over time? Do you use them for flight and cruise ? How do you know the prices they give you are "good" (I understand you are buying a service not just price of a ticket)

This is a TA where you communicate face to face or electronically?

Very definitely about the relationship. If you consider the amount of time that a TA has to put into assembling an itinerary, trying to match up what an unknown person’s preferences and dislikes are in travel (and their changes of mind), and they only get paid if the person ends up going ahead with the booking, my TA knows that when I initiate something it’s not going to be budget and that they’re going to get a booking. They have a series of fees for various amounts or categories of bookings so I know pretty well I’m going to be charged on top. On a return business fare to Europe from Australia the fee will be in the order of .03% of the value of the fare. And that gets me all the follow-up required as well, including 24/7 emergency rearranging in case of cancellation etc.

Of course I think they do a good job for newbies as well , as I have referred a number of people here to them ( the agency) and I believe everyone’s been happy.

I research my itineraries I want first up, to get an idea of timings etc. And of course I look at the website prices then so I know roughly how much it’s going to be. But then as we refine things I might shift a flight or move a day or a destination so then the website price I have in my mind is probably not going to be the same. But they definitely can outdo any QR website price due to the corporate deal they have with them.

Sometimes they cannot beat a website price that I’ve found and those cases they know I’ll book it myself. These are nearly always just single legs within Europe or within the USA for instance.

I’ve met my TA a couple of times at their office over the years, but other than that it’s phone and email.

Yes, very definitely do cruises as well as flights. They are a cruise specialist and usually book me through Virtuoso if they can which will automatically get me about a €100 on board credit.

 

[drron]

We have been with our TA for about 20 years. The thing I value the most is the way they can fix things when they go pear shaped. Sometimes the first thing I know of a problem is the email from our TA with the new itinerary.

Also they arrange some special events for their clients. For example our October Crystal cruise they have a group of us on a wine cruise with Bruce Tyrrell and Stephen Henschke.

 

[Quickstatus]

Maybe I should re-look TA. Been many years since I used a TA

 

[RooFlyer]

The thing I value the most is the way they can fix things when they go pear shaped. Sometimes the first thing I know of a problem is the email from our TA with the new itinerary.

When I first joined AFF, I thought "Gee, all these people have so many problems and difficulties. I must be lucky."

Realised after a while that my TA constructed itineraries such that the common problems and questions didn't arise.

 

[AuSammy]

When I first joined AFF, I thought "Gee, all these people have so many problems and difficulties. I must be lucky."

I still think that, and I don’t use a TA.

Some of the “trials and tribulations“ posted on here have me shaking my head and thinking “that really happens?” or “touch wood that never happens to me”.

Then again, some (many) of them I put in my “storm in a teacup category” ️

 

[drron]

I still think that, and I don’t use a TA.

Some of the “trials and tribulations“ posted on here have me shaking my head and thinking “that really happens?” or “touch wood that never happens to me”.

Then again, some (many) of them I put in my “storm in a teacup category” ️

So what would you have done if flying QFi on a Tuesday and on the Saturday the QF CEO shuts down the airline. It is what happened to us. But I found out when I got an email from our TA with our BA tickets on the same day and route as our QF flight. I would think there may have just been a problem even getting through to QF if you had bought the tickets personally.

 

[AuSammy]

So what would you have done if flying QFi on a Tuesday and on the Saturday the QF CEO shuts down the airline. It is what happened to us. But I found out when I got an email from our TA with our BA tickets on the same day and route as our QF flight. I would think there may have just been a problem even getting through to QF if you had bought the tickets personally.

Well it didn't happen to me so a bit hypothetical and one of those “touch wood that never happens to me” I referred to above.

One of my previous jobs for a few years was "Mr Fixit" - run around and fix problems that came up in the organisation and the NGM would get me to find a solution for whichever department/section had a problem they were having difficulty solving. Guess that's why I don't get too fussed when something seems to be going wrong and I just get on and deal with it.

Disclosure: I have used a "travel agent" a couple of times (Fright Centre - and caused me no end of pain )

 

[RooFlyer]

Disclosure: I have used a "travel agent" a couple of times (Fright Centre - and caused me no end of pain )

Good use of the scare quotes - FC not the type of travel agent I'm talking about.

Some things a TA can do that one can't do yourself (and have done for me):

* On a DONE5 that included South America, got an exception to the rule where you can't return to a continent - I was allowed to go from Nth America to Sth America, then back to Nth America.

* Got me access to well up the food chain in Ponant, where I took some issues, with good resolution

* Almost-permanent discounts on QR fares (their contract I think goes for 11 months/yr?)

* One just commenced, I think - QR PC Gold when booking through that contract.

* Direct access to airlines to make changes/put queries - not the dreaded call centres.

Me - dash inside to computer, re-check itinerary with ADL return yep, good, give CC numbers (has them on file), and seat numbers wanted. Doha stopover cheap 5* hotel for a couple of days on the way over.

As it happened, after this, I found that to get me back from Adelaide to Hobart, there were no suitable business Awards and the $ fares were horrendous on both QF and VA. So I was able to e-mail my TA on Saturday and ask them to return me to Melbourne, which cost a few hundred dollars more over Adelaide, but I could get an award flight, so putting me well in front.

If I had come across the good itinerary myself, I would have had to pay for it there and then (or risk losing it). TAs can hold bookings for a couple of days (for this cheap one) or maybe a week before they have to be paid for. I frequently make refinements during this time. In the good old days, they could cancel and immediately re-book repeatedly to 'hold' a booking for maybe a month, but the airlines have cracked down on this.

Sorry, this is coming over all gushing - but I couldn't imagine booking the travel I do without using a TA.

 

[Viridis]

Good use of the scare quotes - FC not the type of travel agent I'm talking about.

Some things a TA can do that one can't do yourself (and have done for me):

* On a DONE5 that included South America, got an exception to the rule where you can't return to a continent - I was allowed to from Nth America to Sth America, then back to Nth America.

* Got me access to well up the food chain in Ponant, where I took some issues, with good resolution

* Almost-permanent discounts on QR fares (their contract I think goes for 11 months/yr?)

* One just commenced, I think - QR PC Gold when booking through that contract.

* Direct access to airlines to make changes/put queries - not the dreaded call centres.



As it happened, after this, I found that to get me back from Adelaide to Hobart, there were no suitable business Awards and the $ fares were horrendous on both QF and VA. So I was able to e-mail my TA on Saturday and ask them to return me to Melbourne, which cost a few hundred dollars more over Adelaide, but I could get an award flight, so putting me well in front.

If I had come across the good itinerary myself, I would have had to pay for it there and then (or risk losing it). TAs can hold bookings for a couple of days (for this cheap one) or maybe a week before they have to be paid for. I frequently make refinements during this time. In the good old days, they could cancel and immediately re-book repeatedly to 'hold' a booking for maybe a month, but the airlines have cracked down on this.

Sorry, this is coming over all gushing - but I couldn't imagine booking the travel I do without using a TA.

I’m glad that you’ve had such a great experience.

For my working life, all my travel has been booked corporately and so I’ve never had to worry. Personal travel was generally out and back, invariably to London, and usually involved (pre internet) walking into the airline office (usually BA or QF) and booking the tickets

I’ve only got a few years left now before I retire, the kids have grown up, and my wife and I are booking more complicated itineraries now. It would be terrific to have a relationship with a TA such as the one you enjoy. But as you correctly point out, this is based on having a trusting relationship which can only be established with time and experience. Sadly, it’s too late for us to start so I will just have to hone my web and disruption management skills. Fortunately I’m in the @AuSammy camp when it comes to those kind of stresses.

You are very lucky to have that relationship with your TA. Enjoy

 

[AuSammy]

Good use of the scare quotes - FC not the type of travel agent I'm talking about.

Some things a TA can do that one can't do yourself (and have done for me):

* On a DONE5 that included South America, got an exception to the rule where you can't return to a continent - I was allowed to from Nth America to Sth America, then back to Nth America.

* Got me access to well up the food chain in Ponant, where I took some issues, with good resolution

* Almost-permanent discounts on QR fares (their contract I think goes for 11 months/yr?)

* One just commenced, I think - QR PC Gold when booking through that contract.

* Direct access to airlines to make changes/put queries - not the dreaded call centres.



As it happened, after this, I found that to get me back from Adelaide to Hobart, there were no suitable business Awards and the $ fares were horrendous on both QF and VA. So I was able to e-mail my TA on Saturday and ask them to return me to Melbourne, which cost a few hundred dollars more over Adelaide, but I could get an award flight, so putting me well in front.

If I had come across the good itinerary myself, I would have had to pay for it there and then (or risk losing it). TAs can hold bookings for a couple of days (for this cheap one) or maybe a week before they have to be paid for. I frequently make refinements during this time. In the good old days, they could cancel and immediately re-book repeatedly to 'hold' a booking for maybe a month, but the airlines have cracked down on this.

Sorry, this is coming over all gushing - but I couldn't imagine booking the travel I do without using a TA.

Glad you have an arrangement that suits and worked well for you.

We all have our own preferences and experiences.

I’m not one to tell others what to do, just share what I do.

 

[Brissy1]

knew I could get an Award seat between IST and ATH.

I've been looking for that route in May but not much available J or even Y for me. I only have points with AC (unreasonable departure times), VA (not an available route), and QF(no direct flights).
So adding, you might want to book soon

 

[Flyerwin]

Maybe I should re-look TA. Been many years since I used a TA

Same here. Not for a couple of decades actually lol.

 

[Noah Count]

I mainly book most our travel, however there has been occasions I have used a TA and from memory this maybe the same TA you use/used to use. Or maybe I am just confused.

 

[RooFlyer]

I’m not one to tell others what to do, just share what I do.

Capital! Is there anyone here you think is telling others what to do?

For those coming late to the thread, it wasn't started by me. It was split off from another thread by a mod when it became a bit of a Q and A.

I only have points with AC (unreasonable departure times),

Me too. In November, 5 non-stop TK flights a day, 15k miles and C$77 in business.

I mainly book most our travel, however there has been occasions I have used a TA and from memory this maybe the same TA you use/used to use. Or maybe I am just confused.

Possibly mine - I've referred about 6 AFFers to them.

 

[serfty]

I mainly book most our travel, however there has been occasions I have used a TA and from memory this maybe the same TA you use/used to use. Or maybe I am just confused.

I suspect used one or twice but has reverted to their original TA as referenced in post #1.

Of the TA I believe you were referring to, I have had several bookings with them and they are great.

Once on a booking using them I was landing late into SEA and my connection to an ORD redeye was in jeopardy. I decided to pay for WiFi on the flight to look at options and found they had already rebooked me onto a later flight.

 

[RooFlyer]

I suspect used one or twice but has reverted to their original TA as referenced in post #1.

Correct

Of the TA I believe you were referring to, I have had several bookings with them and they are great.

Yes, really good and can do things my TA can't .