One more booking for my April trip too! Also Accor
Just counted. 63 separate bookings for a 41 day trip. (Flights, hotel check-ins, hire car pick-ups, tours, booked/paid activities.) Thank heavens for Travel Agents
I'll need a holiday!!
LOL. It's not a magic talisman you know. While it might seem obvious that when you put in a rain gauge it won't rain anymore, but not always!So my new rain gauge is in situ and it is still raining- 5mm yesterday and 10mm today
It is a bit embarrassing that I am close enough to walk to work, but drive. I need the car close by to be able to jump in at a moment's notice.
Ok so who washed the car!!!!!???So my new rain gauge is in situ and it is still raining
No-one in the south west of Vic. Still waiting for the rain.Ok so who washed the car!!!!!???
Surely all that anti climate change policies will change that.. Whats that? ..Ooh sorry thats been the climate there since forever...
The average rainfall in March in last 40 years has only been 28mm.
I’m curious. You seem a very worldly fellow. So why use a TA?Just counted. 63 separate bookings for a 41 day trip. (Flights, hotel check-ins, hire car pick-ups, tours, booked/paid activities.) Thank heavens for Travel Agents
I'll need a holiday!!
Ok so who washed the car!!!!!???
) ).
Many outside of health care also struggle to make ends meet.
Ok so who washed the car!!!!!???
Ok that’s interesting. I’m trying the evaluate the benefits. Perhaps I’ve been using the wrong TA. I know there are a couple of good ones here. My experience of that 24/7 service isn’t great. My niece was stranded on a QLD island and the reputable TA here didn’t answer the phone. I’m fine collecting all details onto a spreadsheet. PNR’s aren’t that important for me unless it’s one the one leg but I usually book that way. I remember calling to make an addition to one booking and the TA (a virtuoso) first words was ‘that will cost our cancellation fee of $800’. Except I didn’t want to cancel but rather than listen she jumped to the negative. I understand about the delayed payments but I like to get that underway anyway. I’ve been able to lock in seats and fares that they say they can’t match. I found that very weird.Lots of reasons
I've used the one for over 10 years (also do my business flights through them, as did my main former client). Basically I plan nearly all my flights and hotels then just get the TA to book them (only talking about overseas here); occasionally they will come up with a better solution or deal, or at least say to me "have you thought about this ...". There are still some airline flight combinations/deals that you simply can't book on-line and when you can, TAs have the ability to request 'exceptions' from certain airfare rules direct from the airline.
Costs me no more on balance and when they can't get close to what I get on-line, they are happy for me to book those bits myself. For something like a DONE4, or some other itinerary, if you book on line, you have to pay there and then. Using a TA, I only need pay when the fare is actually pay-able (ie I think a month prior for a DONE4) and if the pay-by date is still a long time before the flight, they can check the availability, then cancel the old booking and re-book it, thus kicking the pay-date down the road (although this lurk is getting harder to do these days, as the airlines have started penalising the TAs.)
When the TA does the booking, I get a single itinerary PDF with ALL the flights, hotels etc on the one form, with all booking numbers, refs, phone #s etc. They can join different booking PNRs seamlessly; when they had booked my up-coming DONE4, and the DSC came along, they cancelled and re-booked the entire thing to get me in the DSC period. That one might have cost me a bunch of flowers (I usually end up sending at least one bunch per year
Lastly, if I go into pamper mode (ie luxury hotel), I ask for 'Virtuoso' benefits, as the TA is Virtuoso accredited. For a separate rate (sometimes a bit more, but once it was less!) you get a bunch of extras such as airport transfers, spa/restaurant credits, stronger- guaranteed room upgrade ("subject to availability" of course). Nearly always very much worth it (but not in Galle
If something goes wrong, there is a 'real' 24/7 phone number I call (or e-mail) and they then scramble to get alternate flights etc - what, me worry?
And all this is done in their time, not mine.
So, for me its pretty much a no-brainer. But I need to add that I have been a really good customer of their for ages, and I'm sure not everyone gets the service I do.
