Advice needed when booking flight only

Mrsjobba2

Hi,

Thank you for all of your replies. I know understand about ensuring you book direct with the airlines other than a. 3rd p arty website and it got me thinking- if you are using a cash back website eg quidco is that seen as booking direct with the airline or is it classed as a 3 Rd party? I’ve never used any of these sites and would welcome any additional information or advice - thank you

jpsartre

Quidco doesn't sell tickets, they're not a 3rd party. If you go through them to book from an airline, you're still booking from the airline and not a 3rd party.

bspm

richardw wrote: »

Skyscanner isn’t a travel agent, so who are you booking with?

Whichever company that comes up the cheapest through skyscanner of course...I never said I booked with skyscanner I said I booked through skyscanner.

The last three flights have been with TravelTrolley, October last year January and March this year.

bspm

jpsartre wrote: »

Because there are thousands of complaints on forums like Tripadvisor from people that have been burned by (certain) 3rd party sites. As above, you're not booking from Skyscanner and there are 3rd party sites I'd have little hesitation using (although there are always certain downsides of doing so).

And I should imagine there are thousands of people that have no need to complain.

As far as I am concerned 32 flights booked through skyscanner over the last 8 years and nothing ever having gone wrong is ok in my book.

For example, the March flight this year has cost us £345 each return from Manchester on a Virgin flight, the price to book with Virgin directly is £449 per flight, no brainer as far as I am concerned. Same flight, same seats, £104 per person saving, and that £208 saved goes a long way towards our June flight.

jpsartre

bspm wrote: »

And I should imagine there are thousands of people that have no need to complain.

Of course. I would strongly suspect the majority, if not the great majority, have no issues. The problem is that many people aren't aware of the risk or downsides of going through a 3rd party, especially the poorer ones.

bspm

jpsartre wrote: »

Of course. I would strongly suspect the majority, if not the great majority, have no issues. The problem is that many people aren't aware of the risk or downsides of going through a 3rd party, especially the poorer ones.

made me laugh, not sure if you meant poor sites or poor people

:rotfl:

jpsartre

Haha, the former

Doshwaster

bspm wrote: »

Whichever company that comes up the cheapest through skyscanner of course...I never said I booked with skyscanner I said I booked through skyscanner.

The last three flights have been with TravelTrolley, October last year January and March this year.

Wherever possible I always book direct with the airline. Well known sites such as Expedia or Ebookers are fine but I wouldn't book with bucket shop that I've never heard of.

dickydonkin

bspm wrote: »

We fly to America four times a year and always book our flights through skyscanner, cheaper than booking direct with the airline.

Only time I book with airline is if I am using my avios or virgin points.

Been doing it this way for over 8 years, never had a single problem so not sure why posters are saying there are....

It is when a problem does occur that you then value dealing directly with the airline as opposed to a TA.

You always determine how good a service provider is when things do go belly up.

Just a thought for the OP, if you are going to the states and considering hiring a car, then booking through BA Holidays might be worth thinking about.

Booking the flight and car with BA will likely save you a little bit, but you would then have ATOL protection and only need to pay a deposit with the balance paid a few weeks before departure.

bspm

Doshwaster wrote: »

Wherever possible I always book direct with the airline. Well known sites such as Expedia or Ebookers are fine but I wouldn't book with bucket shop that I've never heard of.

Each to their own, just pointing out to the original poster that I have never had a problem booking through skyscanner, 31 flights out of 32 now, no problem.