I got screwed over by a Travel Agent

Mr_Wang

stephb34 wrote: »

Have you been in the Post office lately - Any phone top ups for you today, who's your phone with, house insurance etc.
Wilkinsons - any stamps or phone top ups today.
Bank or building society - credit cards, insurance, mortgage, they're all at it.

Mr Wang, I take it you work, what line of job are you in, are there no cowboys or dodgy dealers in your line of work, I bet there are but it doesn't automatically make you one.

I don't know how we sleep at night at our house i'm a Travel agent and my husbands a Builder

Funny you should say that, I was in a meeting just yesterday that was to discuss "science fraud" whereby people people attempt to get work published that isn't their own, or they 'fudge' results. So absolutely yes there are dodgy people in my area of work.

The issue is that TA's work at point of sale and I question the integrity of anyone who sits opposite someone looking to pay for their holiday weekly (so obviously not well off) yet they get charged to sit together, get convinced they need more baggage, food on a 2hr flight etc etc. I know that it's all part of business and something similar happens when you buy a TV in Currys. But in regards to TA's there is a fine, yet very clear line between business and ripping someone off (i.e selling them or up-selling them something they don't need, or at a premium they really shouldn't be paying)

Read this: http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/what-travel-agents-dont-want-you-to-know/story-e6frfq80-1225826275544

Just to add on a personal level - I have known you on these forums for some time, and I have never thought of you as anything other than a kind, helpful poster. Quite obviously you are the exception and my comments are not aimed at you, or those like you

stephb34

Mr_Wang wrote: »

Funny you should say that, I was in a meeting just yesterday that was to discuss "science fraud" whereby people people attempt to get work published that isn't their own, or they 'fudge' results. So absolutely yes there are dodgy people in my area of work.

The issue is that TA's work at point of sale and I question the integrity of anyone who sits opposite someone looking to pay for their holiday weekly (so obviously not well off) yet they get charged to sit together, get convinced they need more baggage, food on a 2hr flight etc etc. I know that it's all part of business and something similar happens when you buy a TV in Currys. But in regards to TA's there is a fine, yet very clear line between business and ripping someone off (i.e selling them or up-selling them something they don't need, or at a premium they really shouldn't be paying)

Read this: http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/what-travel-agents-dont-want-you-to-know/story-e6frfq80-1225826275544

Just to add on a personal level - I have known you on these forums for some time, and I have never thought of you as anything other than a kind, helpful poster. Quite obviously you are the exception and my comments are not aimed at you, or those like you

Ooh thanks very much, you've made my day :j

chickaroonee

this is interesting to me to read as I have just booked a holiday with teletext! I have booked independently in the past and through a ta, but this one came up cheaper by booking through teletext, so I don't think it follows that they're always more expensive?

The flights are with ryanair and I contacted the hotel directly but it was about £300 extra to book directly. Surely if you do lots of research you should find which is best for your individual circumstances?

roonaldo

Mr_Wang wrote: »

The issue is that TA's work at point of sale and I question the integrity of anyone who sits opposite someone looking to pay for their holiday weekly (so obviously not well off) yet they get charged to sit together, get convinced they need more baggage, food on a 2hr flight etc etc.

But isnt that the choice of the consumer, the agent offers a service and people choose to use it, not all people are good with the internet and a lot of older people chose to still use an agent. With regard to the extra charges, isnt that the airlines fault? The agent is only trying to sell the product in front of them on their screen.

leeparsons

I would suggest that you invest in taking some pilots license course. That way you can fly over to turkey, in your b52. Your be saving even more dollar, when you take out your mercedes mini bus to travel to dalaman. lmao
Jesus man, i know i am cautious with my money (some have said tight). Thou you beat me hands down, and i am a million miles from you on the leader board.
Dont get me wrong, i agree with what your saving. Thou business do haft to make a profit, as they have running cost which they need to meet. Thou I understand your gripe with regards to excess over charges they make. The only difference is, and from my understanding. If one part of the travel goes belly up, you are covered and this has to be honored. Do it yourself, and it probably wont, and you will haft to rebook something new. Again this also depends on the method you pay with.
I would say you really need to factor in is it it really worth it. No all the costing, like flight price luggage and transfer. I have struggle being a single person for years to not be paying for other person who was not with me. Eventually i have come across the only way that seems to work for me. So just investigate all the possibilities.

lea2012

Mr_Wang wrote: »

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.

The above point that you have made, generally, relates to an online travel agent who are not selling 'package' holidays. Instances often crop up on here where people have booked flights and hotels online with an online travel agent, and have had a call the day after to say that the room has gone or the flight has gone up. Thats because they are a third party in the booking and buying flights and hotels from someone else and don't always automatically update their systems.

If you go down to Thomas Coook, Thomsons etc on the high street and actually BOOK and pay a deposit then more often than not the price does not increase due to flight surcharge etc. It may be that for some reason the hotel you booked is unavailable but this is usually because the hotel has overbooked, and then you are offered a like for like alternative. Sometimes people do not like the alternative and want something better, in which case they pay extra and rightly so.

You sound very bitter Mr Wang and it's quite hard to take this post seriously. I know that you are a well travelled man and have a lot of experience booking your travel arrangements but not everyone else does and a lot of people rely on a travel agent to help them out.

photome

roonaldo wrote: »

But isnt that the choice of the consumer, the agent offers a service and people choose to use it, not all people are good with the internet and a lot of older people chose to still use an agent. With regard to the extra charges, isnt that the airlines fault? The agent is only trying to sell the product in front of them on their screen.

Of course its the choice of the consumer.

My parents paid £30 for a visa last year to a TA that they could have done for nothing. They are elderly, were told it would be better if they let the TA do it etc etc.

Yes it was their fault but the TA could have been honest but many TAs are not

photome

lea2012 wrote: »

The above point that you have made, generally, relates to an online travel agent who are not selling 'package' holidays. Instances often crop up on here where people have booked flights and hotels online with an online travel agent, and have had a call the day after to say that the room has gone or the flight has gone up. Thats because they are a third party in the booking and buying flights and hotels from someone else and don't always automatically update their systems.

If you go down to Thomas Coook, Thomsons etc on the high street and actually BOOK and pay a deposit then more often than not the price does not increase due to flight surcharge etc. It may be that for some reason the hotel you booked is unavailable but this is usually because the hotel has overbooked, and then you are offered a like for like alternative. Sometimes people do not like the alternative and want something better, in which case they pay extra and rightly so.

You sound very bitter Mr Wang and it's quite hard to take this post seriously. I know that you are a well travelled man and have a lot of experience booking your travel arrangements but not everyone else does and a lot of people rely on a travel agent to help them out.

Why if you go in to a TA and pay your money is the hotel then overbooked? whose fault is that?

I book nearly all my hotels direct with the hotel and guess what, they have never been overbooked

Murphy_The_Cat

Mr_Wang wrote: »

Just to add on a personal level - I have known you on these forums for some time, and I have never thought of you as anything other than a kind, helpful poster. Quite obviously you are the exception and my comments are not aimed at you, or those like you

oh for goodenes sake -- get a room you two:p

Murphy_The_Cat

sjw64 wrote: »

I flew to the Far East a few yrs ago and paid 50p for the bus. For about 3hrs I was sat next to a goat. Go for the transfer option folks!

Bully_Goat_Gruff wrote:

Last year, being taken to market, I was sat next to this bloke in the trailer for about 3hrs and all he could go on about was how he had managed to get the transfer for 50p. I'm not one to complain, but he din't half ming. I wish that he'd taken the transfer option

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Two sides to every story :beer: