Advice needed when booking flight only

bspm

dickydonkin wrote: »

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.

As already stated, never had a problem so cant comment on unforseen problems, oh hang on, we did have a problem once flying back from Miami, flight was delayed just over three hours, managed to get a $400 voucher which was used to book flights to Miami from Barbados, so, like I said, no problem.

As for booking car hire with the airline...nooooooo! always use carhire3000, £100s of pounds cheaper, and yes, you guessed it, at least 31 bookings with them and no problem.

bspm

British Airways/Holidays intermediate car price

Car
Group C - Chevrolet Cruze or similar, Orlando International Airport, Avis,
06 Mar 2018 - 22 Mar 2018
7 days for the price of 5 7 days for the price of 5 Information
Executive Club benefits Executive Club benefits Information
Avios Information Executive Club members earn 398 Avios per booking
Total Price £398.00

carhire3000 intermediate car price

Car Group: Hyundai Elantra or similar
Supplier: Avis

Pick-up details:
Country: USA - Florida
City: Orlando International Airport
Location: Orlando International Airport
Date: 6 Mar 2018 16:00

Drop-off details:
Location: Orlando International Airport
Date: 22 Mar 2018 16:00

Total Cost: £315.86 plus cash back of £29 booked through top cash back
Flight number: VS75
Requested extras:
Special Requests: N/A

Bit like booking direct with the airline, costs you more, so why do it.

gingerdad

West jet have some good prices.


Also we’ve used Skyscanner and others no issues and this summer was about 150 each cheaper via bucket Shop than direct with virgin.

For real money saving on some flights look at ams or dub to start your journey. Saved nearly 2k when going arn-lhr-PHX than going lhr-phx. All depends on how much you want to save against travel time.

Also suggest if booking hire car use the us site and pay in dollars rather than the Uk. But also worth checking holiday autos etc. Save a 100 in Barbados going via holiday Autos / Euorpcar than going direct with drove-a-matic bizarrely.

dickydonkin

bspm wrote: »

British Airways/Holidays intermediate car price

Car
Group C - Chevrolet Cruze or similar, Orlando International Airport, Avis,
06 Mar 2018 - 22 Mar 2018
7 days for the price of 5 7 days for the price of 5 Information
Executive Club benefits Executive Club benefits Information
Avios Information Executive Club members earn 398 Avios per booking
Total Price £398.00

carhire3000 intermediate car price

Car Group: Hyundai Elantra or similar
Supplier: Avis

Pick-up details:
Country: USA - Florida
City: Orlando International Airport
Location: Orlando International Airport
Date: 6 Mar 2018 16:00

Drop-off details:
Location: Orlando International Airport
Date: 22 Mar 2018 16:00

Total Cost: £315.86 plus cash back of £29 booked through top cash back
Flight number: VS75
Requested extras:
Special Requests: N/A

Bit like booking direct with the airline, costs you more, so why do it.

Like all products and services, you can find differentials in prices - you have obviously selected one that is favourable in an attempt to prove a point, however, your quote does not include the flight - which was my point with respect to the OP.

You have posted your quote for stand alone car hire - you have not seen mine for First Class flights to LAX - including car - and I also factor in the whole package that earns me 100% earning on avios, cabin bonuses and other benefits - however, I will concede that I would be entitled to those benefits regardless of how I booked the trip.

Another saving is that I do not have to pay for the 'package' until July - saving me a little bit of interest and potentially reducing the risk of losing the total cost of my non-refundable flight should I have to cancel.

If you have to deal with airline irrops - then you will realise how valuable booking directly with the airline can be. The three hour delay that you alluded to is hardly catastrophic, and can likely be dealt with locally - or through the EU261 process - irrespective of how it was booked.

I can assure you that booking with BA holidays can save quite a bit - I have used them in the past for certain destinations and booking a hotel with the flight can also reap significant savings - despite your assertion to the contrary.

The following article compounds my view:
https://www.smartertravel.com/2017/06/19/clever-secret-getting-cheaper-airfare/

If you are content using a TA, and it obviously works for you, then fine - each to their own.

Some may suggest you have been lucky with respect to disruptions or other issues with airlines, however, the time may come where you have a real problem when you are stuck in some far flung airport and have difficulty contacting your travel agent back home.

I'll stick with booking directly with the airline.

dickydonkin

bspm wrote: »

I had already said the flights were cheaper in an earlier post and the post you have quoted was in reply to booking with BA Holidays for car hire only. I book cheaper through skyscanner then call up Virgin (usually the carrier) to request seats so I do not see a problem with this, all I am doing is booking a flight with Virgin but with a cheaper provider.

I guess the difference is that we have a place in Florida that we fly to four times a year so, even if we were delayed it would not be a problem whatsoever, also, I always have Trailfinders Insurance and trust me there are not many Insurance policies better.

As for flying 1st class with BA....not worth the extra money compared to their Business class (I have done both) but, like you say, each to their own.

Indeed.

BA business class is a very poor product IMO. Condensed cabins, tired aircraft, no direct aisle access from the majority of seats, having to pay a fortune to reserve seats if you don’t have status, poor food and very little consistency of service.

Ba’s saving grace for me is BAEC.

I agree BA First is not the best out there, but flying Westbound does not offer the options you have when flying East.

Most of my BA Tier points are earned on QR, however, the flights I alluded to were only slightly more expensive than J, so it was really a no brainer to select the First cabin on a route in peak season that traditionally incurs a high fare.