Travel Agents Say MoneySaving Is Immoral!

ComedyMartin

Can someone tell me why Travel Agents charge a 2% surcharge if you pay by credit card?

No other industry seems to charge customers for what is essentially an operating overhead. Can you imagine going to Tesco's and the checkout operator adding 2% to the household shopping bill because you had the audacity (sock horror!) to pay by dredit card !!!!

Also, 2% is waaaay above the actual cost of the merchant fees which the card issuers charge, so not only are they passing their operating costs on to the customer, they are also adding a profit margin to it !!!

It's just one of the numerous laughable terms & conditions which the travel industry has dreamt up to increase their profit margins. Another example is the requirement to pay the balance in full 6-8 weeks prior to departure. WHY?? You take a deposit (quite rightly) at the time of booking, to secure the holiday - surely the balance should be payable at any time up to departure date ??

DaveO

dbilsborough wrote:

I always book holidays over the Internet these days, so this particular "rip off" is not an issue for me, but I do think that the high street agencies provide a valuable service to the people in society that do not have access to the Internet, and I fear the time when they all shut their doors and retreat to the Internet where they can provide lower prices in line with everyone else.

Did you not read my post immediately above yours?

The Eclipse and First Direct holiday prices I mentioned were both Internet prices delivered through the same booking system by two parts of the same organisation so I would say this rip off is an issue even on the Internet. Same with the flights booked.

As to travel agents and the service they give, have another look at my post again.

No service from Lunn Poly apart from reading back top me what came up on the screen this year and last year after our Florida holiday no support for that mess either.

If all they do is relay prices from a screen and then wash their hands of you what service are they providing? They will be priced out of existance so they do need to offer more of a service. I appreciate that may be bad news for those who don't want to book over the Internet or can't do so but I can't see any other outcome unless they buck up their ideas. I don't mind paying more for decent service but I can't see what service they have offered me this year or last.

Dave

dbilsborough

DaveO wrote:

Did you not read my post immediately above yours?

The Eclipse and First Direct holiday prices I mentioned were both Internet prices delivered through the same booking system by two parts of the same organisation so I would say this rip off is an issue even on the Internet. Same with the flights booked.

As to travel agents and the service they give, have another look at my post again.

No service from Lunn Poly apart from reading back top me what came up on the screen this year and last year after our Florida holiday no support for that mess either.

If all they do is relay prices from a screen and then wash their hands of you what service are they providing? They will be priced out of existance so they do need to offer more of a service. I appreciate that may be bad news for those who don't want to book over the Internet or can't do so but I can't see any other outcome unless they buck up their ideas. I don't mind paying more for decent service but I can't see what service they have offered me this year or last.

Dave

Dave,

Funnily enough no! As our posts are only 4 minutes apart at most, I spent longer than that typing, thinking and re-reading before I posted, I find that it saves me posting embarassing statements, maybe you could benefit from the same system?

DaveO

dbilsborough wrote:

Dave,

Funnily enough no! As our posts are only 4 minutes apart at most,

That would explain it then.

dbilsborough wrote:

I spent longer than that typing, thinking and re-reading before I posted, I find that it saves me posting embarassing statements, maybe you could benefit from the same system?

I am not sure what you mean by that {edit - unless you mean FD instead of FC lol] but do you have a comment on my experience with both Internet and traditional travel agents?

I think two parts of the same company offering the same holiday for different prices is a pretty poor show when they are complaining about Martin suggesting consumers haggle.

Dave

ComedyMartin

TRAVELMAN wrote:

LOADS of companies charge the 2%

Like Who? Examples please? (other than those in the travel industry)

TRAVELMAN wrote:

This threadd is about buying the same PACKAGE holiday at different Agents at different prices-I think the overall thread has gone WAY off-topic. Let's stick to the original post from Martin.

Sorry - but I don't think it's up to you to decide what does and doesn't get posted, thankyou very much. This thread is all about travel agents ripping consumers off. I believe my post fits the scope of this topic.

budgetflyer

Up to 20% of the cost of these major brand packages is BROCHURES and ADVERTISING and wasted time with people who have absolutely no intention of booking.How many millions of these brochures end up in the bucket with no holiday booked?
Along with airline meals and transfers, I can see the day when the brochure will be an added extra .Why not a consultation fee for speaking to a professional advisor who will truly get you the best deal to suit your budget and requirements.People dont mind paying for good service.
In most cases it is the tour opperators who dictate the price. The travel agent may cut their commission down to 0% hoping to maybe gain a bit with insurance,airport parking /hotels etc

Independants like TRAVELMAN and Peejay who will put together a package similar (if not identical) to a brochured deal will prosper as long as they can provide a better service (not hard) at a better price (not hard) than the High street multi chains.
I dont care whether they run their business from their bedroom.shed or high street shop, its what they deliver that counts.

TRAVELMAN_2

Comedymartin....the thread (as Martin corrected earlier) is NOT a blanket thread for slating all aspects of Travel Agents-it's about buying the same package at different Agents at different costs.

The thread is not about QUOTE 'is all about travel agents ripping consumers off.'. I'm sure if you PM Martin he'll put you right on this.

The 2% is charged by a lot of the low-cost airlines & accom only companies.

I don't have the time to check each one but know it's about right. I've just done a booking on Thomas Cooks low cost flight site & the card fees were approx £4 pp-over 2%.

I suggest you use your obvious enthusiasm for being venemous to the industry & going on about card charges (not been mentioned once by anyone as not relavent to this thread) to publish a book maybe on the evils of the travel trade??!

Look at Budgetflyers reasoned post-this is how most level-headed people would reply.

Chris

GDEvans

I think Martin is right - shop around. However this is more applicable to tailor made holidays than packages.

Two years ago I went on a 1 month round the world trip. I planned it in detail before speaking to a travel agent (Travelbag - they were excellent). They were able to advise on some changes to my itinerary so I wasn't rushing everywhere - it was a holiday after all!

But they were also very honest with me. They allocated a rep that I spoke to every time I called. Although I bought the flights from Travelbag, she knew that I was shopping around for various aspects of the holiday. When looking for hotels in various places, sometimes my prices were better, sometimes their prices were better. When I found the cheaper price I was advised to book it.

It should be a trade off. If the agent has spent time doing research for you (I'm no easy customer - I know what I want!) then you should expect to pay a small premium - they have to make a profit. However if there is a big difference I will take my business elsewhere. But at the same time I expect them to be open and honest with me.

The internet has done wonders for the common man (or woman). No longer can we be bluffed by the travel agents (or Comet, Dixons, etc for that matter). The consumer is now aware of the true cost of many items.

Grumpy_Old_Duffer

Go Marty Go .... Stuff it up 'em!!!!

You'll see I'm feed-up with Travel Agents by looking at :

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=25859

Marigold123

ComedyMartin wrote:

Can someone tell me why Travel Agents charge a 2% surcharge if you pay by credit card?

No other industry seems to charge customers for what is essentially an operating overhead. Can you imagine going to Tesco's and the checkout operator adding 2% to the household shopping bill because you had the audacity (sock horror!) to pay by dredit card !!!!

Don't want to be argumentative for the sake of it, but I have been faced with credit card surcharges when wanting to book cinema tickets over the phone or Internet, as well as tickets for for coach travel, (which I suppose is still the travel industry.) I have also been asked to pay an additional 50p surcharge when ordering pizza for delivery over the phone. Admittedly a flat rate surcharge is not the same as a straight 2%, particularly if you are paying a couple of grand for a holiday.

Credit card companies do charge retailers/suppliers for every transaction, that's why many smaller local shops have a minimum purchase of £10 if you want to pay by credit card. We are just used to the retailer absorbing the cost on our behalf. Safeway puts a little note on your receipt:

"2.5% is included in the above total (excluding cashback) which is paid by me to SSCS as a handling fee. The total price paid by me is the same regardless of the method of payment."

But again, when you're buying a holiday a responsible agent will quote you a fully inclusive price to start with, rather than keep adding things on.

Just my two-penn'orth.