I got screwed over by a Travel Agent

[Deleted User]

Mr_Wang wrote: »

Well done you can read.

Now what exactly is your point?

Oh dear, you are being deliberately provocative.
And ill-mannered.
You'd never make it as a travel agent.;)

Mr_Wang

roonaldo wrote: »

:rotfl:waoooooh:rotfl:

I'm not trying to make a point, you're the one who's trying to make a point. I just commented you are talking rubbish.

What part is rubbish? That TA's rip off customers? The part about charter flights? Sitting together etc? The fact that if you know something then obviously everyone must?

What exactly is rubbish??

Heliflyguy

Mr_Wang wrote: »

Increased price - TA's can increase the price at any point after the sale. This is woven into the Terms and you can't do anything about it. Before the sale they can raise it as much, or for whatever reason they like as before a contract there is simply an invitation to treat.

Although your OP is well intentioned I'm sure, to be honest that's a bit rubbish, if they raise it before the sale then you just go elsewhere and there are rules as to what increases they can charge for and what you can do about it for package holidays and they cant raise it within 30 days of travel so not at any point at all.

http://www.yourtravelrights.co.uk/what-look-out-for-with-package-holidays.html

if you have purchased flights only your covered by consumer law and I dont think there is much a TA can do once the ticket is issued.

roonaldo

Mr_Wang wrote: »

What part is rubbish?

All of it

That TA's rip off customers?

Many like myself would disagree. I know many that use them and havent been ripped off.

The part about charter flights?

You said to book charter flights through TA's, but contradicting it by saying they rip off customers. Talk

Sitting together etc?

Take that up with the airline. Nothing to do with the travel agent.

The fact that if you know something then obviously everyone must?

I never said that.

What exactly is rubbish??

All of it!

Mr_Wang

roonaldo wrote: »

All of it

Many like myself would disagree. I know many that use them and havent been ripped off.

You said to book charter flights through TA's, but contradicting it by saying they rip off customers. Talk

Take that up with the airline. Nothing to do with the travel agent.

I never said that.

All of it!

A desperate response just like I expected.

Next time you disagree with you something you clearly know nothing about you'd do well to stay out of it.
Now run along and book a week in Benidorm.

Mr_Wang

Heliflyguy wrote: »

Although your OP is well intentioned I'm sure, to be honest that's a bit rubbish, if they raise it before the sale then you just go elsewhere and there are rules as to what increases they can charge for and what you can do about it for package holidays and they cant raise it within 30 days of travel so not at any point at all.

http://www.yourtravelrights.co.uk/what-look-out-for-with-package-holidays.html

if you have purchased flights only your covered by consumer law and I dont think there is much a TA can do once the ticket is issued.

What seems to happen is that these agents claim it's a fuel surcharge or an increase by the hotel.
It is a legally sketchy area, but as with most things there are circumventions and these are used. To you or I we might argue the point of law, to someone that is naive or perhaps new to travel they will likely cough up.

I mean, how many times on this forum do we see people complaining the TA told them last minute the hotel is unavailable and so must pay to upgrade. The alternative is to cancel and be unable to find another holiday at such short notice.

geoff1057

Mr_Wang wrote: »

Travel agents are dishonest and I can almost guarantee you, that if you have booked a holiday through one; You have been more than likely been ripped off.

It is NEVER cheaper to book a flight through a TA UNLESS it is a charter airline. That rules out every major EU airline, every US airline every Middle Eastern Airline, and every major Asian airline and every budget airline on earth.

Look on flythomascook before committing to anything with Thomas Cook.

Transfers - Some offer free transfers, for those that don't you should check the price of public transport or taxis. For example, fly into Dalaman in Turkey and pay up to £25 each for transfers. The public bus is about 50 pence.

Visa Scams - Most TA's will offer a visa service where you will be ripped off. Other than places where you need an invitation (Russia, Vietnam for VOA) they can't get the visa any cheaper or quicker than you can.

Sitting together - Airlines are obliged to sit small children with adults. If you aren't, simply ask a stewardess to move you. If your teens aren't sat with you - Bonus.

READ just how many people get ripped off by travel agents on here, going bust, changing accommodation, it not being what expected etc etc etc etc the list is endless.

Increased price - TA's can increase the price at any point after the sale. This is woven into the Terms and you can't do anything about it. Before the sale they can raise it as much, or for whatever reason they like as before a contract there is simply an invitation to treat. Kings of this are Teletext Holidays who I am told has never once sold a holiday at the price it was at.

So what are the alternatives?

Search Skyscanner, kayak and ITA Matrix for flights.

Book accommodation through Booking.com or Agoda in Asia.

ALWAYS check the price direct with the airline.

Now, if people that have been ripped off would post the link to their issue in this thread we might get a bit of momentum and the TA's that continue to pray on the naive might actually get called out.

*Note* There are rare occasions where TA's offer the best price, usually the holidays are long haul last minute. i.e Cancun, Florida etc.

And when you book yourself with these alternative companies ,expedia, booking .com etc who is there to help you if anything goes wrong ???????

jtr2803

I'll try getting a local fishing boat to my island in the Maldives next time rather than using the seaplane. Might take me a few days but hey, I might save myself a few hundred quid......

Mr Wang, you are clearly well travelled but I'm sorry, I can't agree with a number of your statements. You cannot get cheaper than an agent for certain trips, believe me, I've tried and so have many others from a well known travel site.

I also am a +1 for not all travel agents are rip off merchants, there are good and bad ones just like there are for most professions.

Mr_Wang

jtr2803 wrote: »

I'll try getting a local fishing boat to my island in the Maldives next time rather than using the seaplane. Might take me a few days but hey, I might save myself a few hundred quid......

Mr Wang, you are clearly well travelled but I'm sorry, I can't agree with a number of your statements. You cannot get cheaper than an agent for certain trips, believe me, I've tried and so have many others from a well known travel site.

I also am a +1 for not all travel agents are rip off merchants, there are good and bad ones just like there are for most professions.

Post a trip priced by a travel agent, and let's have a look and see if it can be done cheaper.

That will probably quell me, or the intent support TAs obviously have.

zagfles

geoff1057 wrote: »

And when you book yourself with these alternative companies ,expedia, booking .com etc who is there to help you if anything goes wrong ???????

Err, the hotel, the airline, the local police... If things go wrong having a middleman will more likely complicate things and create a p**sing contest...