Which Travel agent after flicking FCBT?

[Lucky_man]

We spend about $50,000 PA on flights per year so we were approached by Flight Centre Business Travel that tried to distance themsleves from their retail outlets. We gave them ago.

Well after the first booking it all fell apart. Things came up and had to cancel several days before. On the first call I was told no charges - I was pleasantly surprised - they had their booking fee it seemed that was enough - all the seats were premium economy, business or first. Then I get an email 4 hours before schedule departue suggesting I did not cancel the tickets becuase they would have to charge $100 per ticket and there were 10 tickets in total on one itinerary.

I checked the T & C and the refund is just a flat $100. Where some other charges are per passenger/sector/ticket the refund is just flat $100. They were all Business/1st class tickets. In fact the itinerary I received indicated a flat 450 cancellation which I could have also accepted.

Changing their mind and then trying to nut out a resolution 4 hours before take off is offensive in itself. Trying to twist the T&C to gouge is even worse.

Has any one dealt with FCBT on this type of issue and did they have to 'get legal' to get a result?

So can some one recommend a travel agent? Prefer in Adelaide but does not have to be. I can give them a list of flight numbers and simply sticking to what they say - is that too much to ask?

 

[Travel Guru]

Hi Lucky Man,

The problem with FCBT is that all they are standard FC stores that FC rebadged in an effort to get some of the SME market that FCM were missing.

Truth be told, most of the stores rebadged as FCBT were actually their under performing ones and changing their focus to SME travel was FC's way of trying to salvage their investment in the stores.

The people working in them are no more experienced in the needs of the corporate traveller than any other FC agent.

Would be happy to chat further with you and refer you to someone, being an agent myself and formerly from Adelaide i'd like to think I can recommend you to someone...feel free to PM me if you want to chat further.

TG

 

[shearsense]

...has a similarly bad experience with Flightcentre in ADL today. I ask myself the same question - why can't they just do what I tell them to do or follow the hard copy I do for them? Maybe THAT'S in their T & Cs

 

[Travel Guru]

...has a similarly bad experience with Flightcentre in ADL today. I ask myself the same question - why can't they just do what I tell them to do or follow the hard copy I do for them? Maybe THAT'S in their T & Cs

Personally a client who gives me a hard copy of what they're wanting is my dream client, they've done half the work, the I do what i'm good at and go to work ensuring everything comes off smoothly...it can't be that hard.

I guess its usual problem with FC, with such a high staff turnover, its a bit a lottery as to whether you'll get a consultant with 5 years experience or 5 minutes experience.

TG

 

[docjames]

I can recommend an agent in Melbourne (also have a sydney office but i use the Melbourne office even though i'm in BNE).

PM if you want details.

 

[vowgs]

Personally a client who gives me a hard copy of what they're wanting is my dream client, they've done half the work, the I do what i'm good at and go to work ensuring everything comes off smoothly...it can't be that hard.

Exactly! And as TG was saying, the high turnover in the industry means recruitment processes can sometimes be slack (particularly noticeable in the past 12 months). Happy hunting.

 

[medhead]

A small story to perhaps add to the picture of FC. I work with someone who is closely related to an area manager for FC in adelaide. another collegue was looking to do some travel and went with FC based on the recommendation and connection to FC via this other person. Anyway, they weren't very happy with the service.

If FC (senior/experienced staff) can't even give satisfactory service to a workmate of a close relative, what hope the walk in off the street?

 

[Lucky_man]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

Just to give you an update. They agreed to charge 550 for the refund. Apparently made up of the 450 flat they quoted on the itinerary which they now claim is a QF charge. A little research shows the QF charge is $HK2000 so they make a little on this but no hard feelings on that. It also includes the 100 refund fee.

The consultant is advising I should wait a week before she can confirm the refund as she is going on holiday (I hope she didn't self book!). She also advised that the refund can take 8 weeks. Now I have heard the airlines can be slow to refund (and you can't blame them - cancellations mess them around no end - sorry). But I am also concerned that it means any sort of charge back via amex is not possible. By the way the Charge Back fee from Flight Centre Business Travel should you try it is $25). They charged it on many invoices - each passenger got there own invoice and then QF and MU/KA invoiced seperately. Why do they do this.

I feel a little stupid really. The reason we stopped using their "Escape Travel" offices is that they wanted to recharge me the whole fare for changing the date on a Business Class KA flight bought at the full ITIA J price + Booking fee. I had to argue with them to change the date for a change fee (reasonable). Why use an agent when it just adds to the arguments and reduces the service.

Do many people book direct with the airlines? Any tricks to keeping the value for money up if you do this? Any companies just register with ITIA and do it themselves?

 

[anat0l]

I had to argue with them to change the date for a change fee (reasonable). Why use an agent when it just adds to the arguments and reduces the service.

Do many people book direct with the airlines? Any tricks to keeping the value for money up if you do this? Any companies just register with ITIA and do it themselves?

I certainly for my personal travel always deal direct with the airlines. As much as possible online but some fares have only been possible by calling the airlines and paying their telephone fees (for example, some award redemptions).

I agree that going through a TA has its headaches, especially when they're not switched on. In the end you might just get a glorified version of what you can do, except you're out of pocket a commission and possibly more. Nevertheless, a good TA can help leverage your time successfully - if you can find one and if that is what your idea of going to a TA is all about - plus there are some tickets which are difficult if not impossible to book by yourself.

I don't know of a good TA so can't help you there. FWIW our university travel is done through Campus Travel, another arm of Flight Centre :shock: . Thankfully, mostly what we have to do is just tell them what flights we want and they book them for us. Unfortunately, they're still not very popular at least amongst our admin people....

 

[Lucky_man]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

Just to give you an update. They agreed to charge 550 for the refund. Apparently made up of the 450 flat they quoted on the itinerary which they now claim is a QF charge.

Further update. They want to chage the $550 twice - once for each passenger. Which is not what they agreed - the previous deal is actually further down in the email now demmanding the extra 550. HELP - SCREAM - is there no end to the lows that they will go to. I checked out Austlii and it seems their typical approach in court (except for customers just being ridiculous) is to let it go all the way to court and then not even try to defend their actions just pay what they have to. But they put the customer through all the distress first.

Where to from here?

 

[Lucky_man]

Finally a resolution!
Because it involved some QF flights I asked QF to get involved.
Much to me surprise and pleasure - they did.

After the QF involvement the games stopped. The alleged $450pp fee from Qantas was corrected to the $275pp that Qantas actually charge and FCBT got their refund fee of $100 (charged per passenger).

The refund has now been creditied to my account.

If they had done this in the first place they would still have a customer.

Since then I have booked directly with the Airlines - including airlines with minimal Australian presence like China Eastern - it has been a pleasure in comparison.

 

[AlphaVictor]

One of Australia's best independent retail and corporate agents in located in Adelaide. PHT or Phil Hoffman Travel - well respected with good old fashioned experience.

Leisure Travel, Cruise holidays and Escorted Tours with Phil Hoffmann Travel Adelaide

Disclosure: Not affiliated with agent - just good feedback.

 

[UP4014]

For all the talk on this board of poor service from Flight Centre, having used them for business travel for about 7 years until 2007 where it went up for tender, I can say we never had a problem and we booked about $2M through them p.a accross their corporate arm in each of the capital cities except Hobart where we used the local FC shop front with a designated staff member looking after us.

Our travel increased and we put it out to tender, Qantas Business Travel won it against AMEX and a couple of known larger others.

Flight Centre (Corporate Traveller was the business name) dealt quickly and professionally each time, they even covered the cost of a non-refundable ticket which we had to rebook.

The issue with travel is it is very personal and everyone likes to think they are the special FF they are of course. So while I'm sure there are stuff ups, FC never did it to our business and not correct it quickly at their expense.

Just one persons viewpoint - I should point out I have no connection with Flight Centre at all other than having been a customer.

 

[Lucky_man]

I had to laugh when some one pointed out this to me

Flight Centre - Corporate

I don't think it quite reads how they intended it.

 

[tuapekastar]

I had to laugh when some one pointed out this to me

Flight Centre - Corporate

I don't think it quite reads how they intended it.

I like it!