Dealing with / advising family and amateurs :/

[SOPOOR]

Hi all,

just a late night thread posted in defeat.

many of us try to help others (I am talking here about family / friends - not AFF'ers) with travel matters. Because we have learnt many lessons and want to really help. But such attempts to help the ignorant almost invariably end up as a loss.

My sister has to travel to Colombia next month to attend a wedding. She has traveled overseas a couple of times, but that was a while ago so is effectively a novice. I get that, I understand that travel is not a usual beast for most people. And so I tried to help. I have what could be said to be a "solid" level of experience in this travel destination. (for those that do not know me I have done sth america a zillion times)

She needs to get from Brisbane to Medellin, Colombia. I gave her endless advice and support. I instantly halved her travel costs by suggesting such things as getting a ticket to Bogota, and a second ticket to hop from there to Medellin, rather than the extreme pricing that a single ticket all the way would get. . I told her online airfares are a complex thing, and that they often defy logic. I explained how in the modern era it was as cheap now on this route to book via the actual airline as via third parties, and that this was much safer if things went awry. I spent hours looking (as any decent AFF person does ) and handed her the best way to do this - book direct with QF to get to BOG, and get a separate ticket within Colombia for the BOG-MDE.

She was all set up to do this, but I had to disappear for a few days. When I got back online, I saw an email from her. She has decided to book through Flight Centre.

AAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGGHHHHH

I hope her flights are without drama, but on that route there are a million pitfalls. Maybe she will be lucky. I hope so. But OI swear that is the last time I try to help someone.

Flying is a complex game. We have all learnt much - through personal travel or from the great knowledge base here. But infrequent travelers just simply do not get it. Not their fault, but IMHO it is a very perilous thing to attempt to help these people.

She booked through Flight Centre!! AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

I hate flight centre with a passion, and will do anything to avoid giving them any business

 

[1963transtasman]

Hi all,

just a late night thread posted in defeat.

many of us try to help others (I am talking here about family / friends - not AFF'ers) with travel matters. Because we have learnt many lessons and want to really help. But such attempts to help the ignorant almost invariably end up as a loss.

My sister has to travel to Colombia next month to attend a wedding. She has traveled overseas a couple of times, but that was a while ago so is effectively a novice. I get that, I understand that travel is not a usual beast for most people. And so I tried to help. I have what could be said to be a "solid" level of experience in this travel destination. (for those that do not know me I have done sth america a zillion times)

She needs to get from Brisbane to Medellin, Colombia. I gave her endless advice and support. I instantly halved her travel costs by suggesting such things as getting a ticket to Bogota, and a second ticket to hop from there to Medellin, rather than the extreme pricing that a single ticket all the way would get. . I told her online airfares are a complex thing, and that they often defy logic. I explained how in the modern era it was as cheap now on this route to book via the actual airline as via third parties, and that this was much safer if things went awry. I spent hours looking (as any decent AFF person does ) and handed her the best way to do this - book direct with QF to get to BOG, and get a separate ticket within Colombia for the BOG-MDE.

She was all set up to do this, but I had to disappear for a few days. When I got back online, I saw an email from her. She has decided to book through Flight Centre.

AAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGGHHHHH

I hope her flights are without drama, but on that route there are a million pitfalls. Maybe she will be lucky. I hope so. But OI swear that is the last time I try to help someone.

Flying is a complex game. We have all learnt much - through personal travel or from the great knowledge base here. But infrequent travelers just simply do not get it. Not their fault, but IMHO it is a very perilous thing to attempt to help these people.

She booked through Flight Centre!! AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

I agree completely , we are all very keen to help friends but i have found it a complete waste of time, they either don't get or cant be bothered .I have sent emails covering positioning flight,s status matches, credit card sign ups till the Cows come home .I give examples of cheap airfares and how to get them but off they go to the local Travel Agent and pay more I no longer bother, lol

 

[nutwood]

I think this thread points up a fundamental trait of human nature.
Most people, when observing another person gaining benefit, are far more likely to say "you can't do that", rather than "how did you do that?'!

 

[burmans]

I hate flight centre with a passion, and will do anything to avoid giving them any business

While I am a fan of passion, negative passion (hate) can be a killer. Just cut them out of your life and move on. My theory of life really, and happy to give it away for free.

 

[Eija]

My one and only victory after years of trying...

 

[Himeno]

I have a cousin who, each time he has gone overseas (China one trip, Taiwan the next), has come to me and we've spent an afternoon looking up options, planning his trip and booking it all online right then.

My parents are going on a cruise in a few months, Canada to Japan, then have a couple of weeks in Japan before coming home.
Normally, for their trips to Europe and North America, Dad just makes the plans and books everything (mostly through flight center @_@), but for Japan, they've gone to a Japanese tour company to arrange it all for them (which included being picked up from Yokosuka port after the cruise, going to Narita to meet a bus of people arriving on flights, then going back to Tokyo for the hotel).
Meanwhile, I've been to Japan an average of 2 times/year since 2006. They didn't ask me anything.

A friend keeps going to a travel agent to book trips that can easily be booked online. When I've asked why she goes to a travel agent to book something that she can do herself in 20 minutes and a few mouse clicks, the reply is "it's too hard".

The only reason I go to a travel agent is if the internet will not let me book something myself, and I go to the agent with exact details of what I want, including fare class.

 

[opusman]

My mother-in-law goes to Flight Center to book Adelaide-Melbourne returns

 

[pangwen]

My mother-in-law goes to Flight Center to book Adelaide-Melbourne returns

Given the very low margins on these flights, perhaps she is trying to drive FC out of business by tying up staff time with these low value (to the company) fares?

 

[sinophile888]

I am very lucky that my sister and my children are very aware of the benefits of using FF points to fly J whenever possible. My husband doesn’t have a clue and encourages me to do all our bookings. One son flies mostly Virgin and the other mostly Qantas. So they sometimes swap points.
My favoured method is booking a Y ticket and doing an instant upgrade using points. This isn’t as good a deal as it used to be when QF were charging between $23xx and $33xx for one-way PER to MEL. Using my method, a J flight comes out around $1000 assuming one has bought the FF points. An even better deal if the points have come from churning credit cards.
My daughter also likes the Virgin upgrade scheme, but I have never flown Virgin. However, she prefers when she can book a cheap QF flight and can “borrow” points from me to upgrade.
As for friends, I have finally given up on them. Too hard, too complicated, too lazy, don’t fly enough.

 

[VPS]

My mother-in-law goes to Flight Center to book Adelaide-Melbourne returns

I just don't know whether to laugh or cry at that comment.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

In some cases, my experience tells me I'm the WORST person to speak to when booking flights. I know all the options, tricks, loopholes and possibilities.
Heck, it took me DAYS to book a flight to Miami a few months ago. Monitoring....searching......waiting for availability... eventually I gave up and booked the most direct and overpriced option.

Friends and family don't take out advice because we provide too many options. Flight Centre keep things simple and that's how they get away with overcharging customers.

 

[harvyk]

<snip>
Friends and family don't take out advice because we provide too many options. Flight Centre keep things simple and that's how they get away with overcharging customers.

Very true, for all their faults, you can walk into an FC office, and walk out half an hour later with everything sorted. It won't be the best options, it will likely be far more expensive than had you put the research in yourself, but they will get from A to B to C to the hotel, and everything in-between if you let them.

I haven't used them in something like 9 years, but when I did it really was my one stop shop for everything to do with my travels, so there is certainly an advantage in using them if you don't know what you're doing.

 

[p--and--t]

Should there be a thread on FC?

Flight Centre fined $12.5 million over international flight price fixing

The ACCC finally wins its long-running battle with Flight Centre over price-fixing practices with three international airlines dating back more than a decade.

www.abc.net.au

Flight Centre accused of 'ripping off' customers, underpaying staff in 'cult' workplace

Current and former workers at Flight Centre accuse the travel giant of "ripping off" customers, underpaying staff and promoting an alcohol-fuelled "cult-like" workplace.

www.abc.net.au

Bullying, drug use, harassment allegations flood in from former Flight Centre staff

Hundreds of former and current Flight Centre employees have come forward with fresh complaints following a report that unearthed staff claims of customer rip-offs and a toxic culture at the travel giant.

www.abc.net.au

NAB dumps Flight Centre corporate over booking 'abnormalities'

NAB dropped Flight Centre's corporate unit as its major travel provider after discovering the travel agent had been overcharging it to process bookings.

www.smh.com.au

Workers take the fight to Flight Centre over alleged underpayment

Flight Centre is facing Federal Court action after five employees accused the travel agency of “systemic underpayment” over several years.

thenewdaily.com.au

Flight Centre reviews

Flight Centre (Travel Insurance): 1.5 out of 5 stars from 3,413 genuine reviews on Australia's largest opinion site ProductReview.com.au.

www.productreview.com.au

 

[get me outta here]

On the odd occasion that I am able to influence people's bookings in F for almost no cost which they never could have done, and chosen beaut hotels for them, I want them to come back and express extreme gratitude to me otherwise I feel very miffed and greatly under appreciated.

 

[franjelley]

We really are just describing human nature here. Just ask the engineers whose advice got ignored with the NBN or scientists who seem to be still fighting the fight over climate change. When people ask for advice, if its . I only ever book flights with airlines directly.

I concur entirely. Booking direct with airlines is far and away the best option and even more so, when you have status....particularly if you get badly delayed and need to do some fancy footwork to get your next connection or some satisfactory alternative. It is much easier for the csr to make some concessional adjustment. Ive explained this so many times to people. Also if the ticket has been bought thru an agent there is a tedious process of the airline have to email the agent before they can make any changes and this gets really tricky on weekends several timezones away.

 

[Beano]

For business I have to use an agent who can take 3 days to book a trans Tasman flight, and charge for the privelege, but the far does not need to be paid for a month or so, and I can be home again. Usually bookibg directly means paying starir away. that sid I have a trip to Europe booke with 6 setores and three airlines. All done directly, except needed family in Spain to book Iberia flights because it would not take my credit cards (tried 3). On the other had a collegue who is travel savey, books longhaul with an agent for family travel. So each to their own.

 

[harvyk]

For business I have to use an agent who can take 3 days to book a trans Tasman flight, and charge for the privelege, but the far does not need to be paid for a month or so, and I can be home again. <snip>

Wouldn't it be better to put that sort of thing onto a credit card? Because whilst you're "paying for it now" on a CC, in reality you're not actually paying for the flight until you CC bill arrives, and given may CC's offer a certain number of days interest free it's entirely possible to pay nothing on a CC for the privilege of paying later.

Unless of course the TA offers something more than buy now pay later.

 

[Berlin]

For business I have to use an agent who can take 3 days to book a trans Tasman flight, and charge for the privelege, but the far does not need to be paid for a month or so, and I can be home again. Usually bookibg directly means paying starir away. that sid I have a trip to Europe booke with 6 setores and three airlines. All done directly, except needed family in Spain to book Iberia flights because it would not take my credit cards (tried 3). On the other had a collegue who is travel savey, books longhaul with an agent for family travel. So each to their own.

Mate- something’s majorly wrong with your keyboard! (Or you had a few too many and should better head to bed )

 

[mrsterryn]

Have to say we did use Flight Centre up to a few years ago.
Missed out on many points and status credits.
The pricing was horrendous we realised eventually