Off topic: travel agents

[Onyx]

Anyone know of cheap travel agents they can recommend? I just discovered my "regular" (Flight Centre) is ripping me off. I was quoted a figure for a trip today, I went online and plugged similar details into Zuji Australia website, and out came a whole page full of flights from various airlines that are $200-300 less than what I was quoted from FC.

[Manta]

Onyx,

Niether Flight Centre nor any other agent can hope to keep up with every fare deal that people are able to get at any given time. To do this they wouldn't be able to operate any shopfronts as they'd be online 24 hrs a day and that is not how they run their business.
However, what Flight Centre DOES do is GUARANTEE to beat any published air fare so I would be hightailing back to your local FC store and showing the deal to your agent. He/she is obligated by company policy to better it for you.
They are not 'ripping you off', merely giving you the best price they have at their fingertips at the time you enquired. Also, and this is where most people come unstuck with internet deals, you have to compare apples with apples. Look very closely at what the internet deal is giving you for your money. Are you flying with a reputable airline? Are you making more stops than necessary? Are you able to cancel or alter your booking? The internet price may not stack up when you compare it fairly to other options.
Hope this helps a bit.

[Onyx]

Manta, thanks. Yes, I'll certainly keep in mind their 'lowest airfare guarantee'.

However, what initially got me stirred was that they told me only Cathay and Qantas flew direct to my intended destination. I have since discovered at least half a dozen other airlines have direct routes. My family and I have given this FC branch much business over the years, and to think they weren't able to be anywhere near competitive on this occasion makes me question their prices on previous occasions as well (my Zuji search came up with at least 20 fares from 5 airlines in the $760
to $900 range. FC quoted me the cheapest fare was $1090).

[Manta]

On the face of it, it appears the FC staff may seem misinformed. What could also be true is that the misinformationis coming from Zuji, not FC.
I'd go back to FC with all the info you have and see what they say. They may be able to explain the anomaly for you or you may be throwing light on a situation they weren't aware of. I'm sure they will do whatever they can to keep your family's business.
(PS As you've probably guessed, I do have links with FC and know how their staff are supposed to handle these situations. I'd be VERY surprised if you aren't able to come to an amicable solution with them.)

[MCWB]

If it's for where I think it is, try heading in to Chinatown and checking travel agents there. Maybe take a Cantonese speaker too.

Also check that airport taxes and all the other stuff is included as well; these make a lot of fares seem cheaper than they really are.

[Manta]

Also check that airport taxes and all the other stuff is included as well; these make a lot of fares seem cheaper than they really are.

Good point MC. I knew I'd left something out in my earlier post regarding 'apples and apples'.

[gstark]

Call me a hard nosed cynic, but I think your subject line for this thread says it all - travel agents are, indeed, an off topic.

I have yet to see a travel agent, in Oz or in the USA, actually do anything that suggests they're working in my interestes.

My own experience - in over 20 years of regular international travel - tells me that I will get the best deals, and the best serevice, when I do the legwork myself.

One thing I've found is that most Oz based consultants know less than zero about internal travel within the USofA; ask them about travel on, for instance, SWA, and the best you can hope for is a totally blank look.

By way of contrast, I've actually had a couple of very good experiences when dealing directly with airline staff, and when purchasing a trip in combination with using FF miles. Yes, this was with an OS based airline; trying to expend Quaintarse miles is like trying to extract service from Telstra, and besides, why should I pay them in order to be loyal to them.

What a bloody joke.

What is your destination, OnyxI'm currently thinking of a quick weekender (with Lindy, finally) in HNL for AU$800 R/T ex SYD.

[Greg B]

Onyx, I have used STA many times, they are great and I recommend them highly. The staff are younger, less world weary, and showing much less crap attitude.

They specialise in good prices. They're not just for students, not by a long shot.

Costs nothing to talk to 'em - let me know how you go.

[Manta]

I wasn't suggesting that any of our agents are better or worse than any other or better than doing your own research. My point was based on my perception that Onyx was annoyed that his usual agent wasn't looking good for this deal and I was just suggesting some ways he may be able to rectify that situation, if that is what he wanted to do.

I can understand your frustration with the industry, Gary, but it's like everything these days: no-one cares about client focus and good old-fashion service any more.

[Manta]

Onyx, I have used STA many times, they are great and I recommend them highly. The staff are younger, less world weary, and showing much less crap attitude.

They specialise in good prices. They're not just for students, not by a long shot.

Costs nothing to talk to 'em - let me know how you go.

Younger staff showing LESS crap attitude? Wow, that IS worth celebrating!! My experience across the board is that the younger the staff member, the more likely it is that a) you know more about the product or service than they do, b) they'll have to run things past a manager or other staffmember before they can give you a good price and, c) they treat you with disdain rather than respect, as if you are taking up their valuable time. I'm pleased you've found somewhere, Greg, that proves this wrong. Well done!

Incidentally - STA is FC's direct competition so when you get the price from STA, head back to FC (or their subsidiary "Student Flights") and they'll beat whatever low price STA can come up with. STA can't make the same promise as they haven't got the bargaining power that FC has with airlines.

[gstark]

I can understand your frustration with the industry, Gary, but it's like everything these days: no-one cares about client focus and good old-fashion service any more.

I accept all of what you're saying, except that I cannot recall any time when one could say that the travel industry ever had client focus.

I can certainly recall a number of travel agent scams during the late 60's and early 70's though, and at least the industry has been cleaned up in that regard.

But while I have used FC on one occasion, I'm continually frustrated - and this is a complaint about the travel industry in Oz in general - by the total absence of (a) customer focus, (b) easy to obtain pricing, and (c) totally unrealistic pricing from and/or for within Oz.

Permit me to expand on points b and c ... we already seem to agree on a.

Whenever I'm trying to find a price for something, or perhaps make an online booking, I'm continually finding that online pricing and/or booking systems - quite common in the civilised world - are rarely in evidence here in the land of the long white 19th century.

Virgin are good in this regard, Quaintarse are very slowly catching up, but local hotel chains aren't just stuck in horse and buggy days; the horse has long bolted, and the buggy continues to roll backwards down the hill.

Comparing websites like FC (and I really don't want to single out FC in this regard) with some of the major US travel portals is a bad joke; I may as well be using carrier pigeon such is the technical accumen evident in Oz sites.

As to pricing, we still seem to be stuck on per person pricing for a great many things. Why does an hotel care if there are one or two people in the hotel room I'm booking? Try and book me on anything other than an honest, per room rate, and I will usually walk. I'm really quite pissed off that I'm pretty well forced to book that stle of accommodation for the GP in Melbourne, but I at least am familiar with the establishment we're staying at, and I know that the total room cost we're paying isn't actually too far OTT, even compared with their normal rack rate.

With very few exceptions it's an excuse to rip clients off, and the sooner that the travel industry drags itself into the current century, the sooner we'll all be able to benefit.

[Manta]

Well spoken Gary. Couldn't agree with you more. (Especially about the per person charge structure. Amazing how much that extra towel can cost to provide and clean!!!)

Two final points I'd like to make on this matter:

1. We're stuck with travel agents, hotel booking services and internet portals for the long haul. We just have to try to identify the lesser of the available evils.

2. All of the bogeymen are answerable to shareholders or the gods of profit. We, the mug punters, will always come off second best in the deal.

[glamy]

I booked with Flight Center and found cheaper on Zuji ( same airline,same flights...). They garantee to beat the price and they did. In the end you do like at Woolilies: if you see the person at the register charge you more than the marked price for an item, you shut up, go to the customer service and get it free
Cheers,
Gerard

[Onyx]

Thank you all. Looks like I will end up having to do the legwork...

Yep, MCWB it is where you think it is. I'll head down to Chinatown and try my best. BTW, fares I mentioned earlier were all plus taxes.

Now, does anyone have a preferred airline? I'm not into the flyer miles so I find it hard to distinguish between airlines. Nearly all offer the same levels of service as far as I'm concerned (for international journeys).

[MCWB]

Last time I went there, I went Singapore, and was quite impressed with their service (better than Qantas/BA that I'd flown 4 months earlier). The downside is that you have to go through Singapore, but I chose that as an opportunity to explore Singapore a bit, as they offer free stopovers. Make a journey of it.

[birddog114]

Thank you all. Looks like I will end up having to do the legwork...

Yep, MCWB it is where you think it is. I'll head down to Chinatown and try my best. BTW, fares I mentioned earlier were all plus taxes.

Now, does anyone have a preferred airline? I'm not into the flyer miles so I find it hard to distinguish between airlines. Nearly all offer the same levels of service as far as I'm concerned (for international journeys).

Onyx,
Shop around in Cabramatta, good price there!

[Greg B]

Younger staff showing LESS crap attitude? Wow, that IS worth celebrating!! My experience across the board is that the younger the staff member, the more likely it is that a) you know more about the product or service than they do, b) they'll have to run things past a manager or other staffmember before they can give you a good price and, c) they treat you with disdain rather than respect, as if you are taking up their valuable time. I'm pleased you've found somewhere, Greg, that proves this wrong. Well done!

Incidentally - STA is FC's direct competition so when you get the price from STA, head back to FC (or their subsidiary "Student Flights") and they'll beat whatever low price STA can come up with. STA can't make the same promise as they haven't got the bargaining power that FC has with airlines.

The staff at STA are all fairly young, and most are travellers. They don't know everything about everything, and they don't pretend to,

We have used a couple of different STA branches, they actually do what they say they will do, they are friendly and they are helpful. I don't know if your across the board experience includes STA - if not, there is still some board to be crossed.

I detect a doubtful tone manta, but I am reporting first hand experience. I have been to other travel agancies, I know the difference.

I suppose you could use STA to try and beat down flight centre, on the other hand, you could support a place that is delivering what everybody says they can't get.

Anyway, I still say, try them out before making a judgment. I am not saying they are perfect, nowhere is, but they warrant a go.
Based on our experiences with them.

[Manta]

Hi again Greg.

I'm really pleased to hear of your positive experience. I'm certainly not doubting it happens, just stating that, sadly, it seems to be the exception these days rather than the norm. If STA operate that way then kudos to them and I hope they continue to build their client base with happy travellers like yourself. They are obviously doing things right and I echo your recommendation to check them out.

I'm a HUGE believer in putting my hard earned dollars in the pocket of the service provider who gives me the best 'feeling'. I start evaluating a business from the moment I walk in the door. I treat the staff with respect and expect the same in return. I don't expect staff (junior or senior) to know everything but I do expect them to admit it when they don't know the answer - not try to schmooze me with crap. (I had one photography shop assistant in NZ try to tell me that Nikon was only a new company and was a subsidiary of Minolta - HELLO!!!!!)

On this point, if the FC agent told Onyx that only 2 airlines flew to his destination when clearly this wasn't the case then he/she was either incompetent or dishonest. If the former, he/she should have stated they didn't know and go from there. It's interesting to note that the two airlines mentioned were FC's preferred carriers.... no surprises there. But every business does this - they'll always try to push the product that pays them the most. Consumers who aren't aware of this will always pay too much.

As I said previously, if it's just a dollars and cents decision, go with the company that gives you the lowest price and be done with it. If you want top service then it may cost you a little (or a lot) more but you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you're paying commision to someone who has earned it. In your case, Greg, you appear to be getting a good price AND good service to go with it. Why wouldn't you be singing their praises??!!