Why You Should NOT Book flights with Booking.com or GoToGate.com

[Quickstatus]

Hotel owners speak out against booking websites

Accommodation booking websites might make life easier for customers, but some Australian hotel and motel owners say they are causing big problems for their businesses.

www.abc.net.au

Trivago to pay $44.7 million in penalties for misleading consumers over hotel room rates

The Federal Court has ordered Trivago to pay penalties of $44.7 million for making misleading representations about hotel room rates on its website and in television advertising, in proceedings brought by the ACCC.

www.accc.gov.au

 

[Pushka]

I don't use trivago but I've found booking.com very helpful and reliable. I usually price check with the direct site and do book direct of the terms are similar. Of course there's a commission to pay so hardly unusual. The reviews and specifics about the reviewer are relevant not just what the search function throws up. Flights are completely different. I'll keep using them. I prefer them to Airbnb but also use that platform too. I expect there are the same issues there. I don't see the business practice model issue is relevant if I'm looking at booking large scale hotels. People don't want to spend time trawling though individual small hotel websites in a google search and that of course assumes they have designed a good website with good search terms. And many small places only use FB to avoid the use of a website anyway.

I usually only post a review on Product review if it's been a poor experience. I don't have time nor the will to post all the positive experiences I've had.

 

[JohnK]

Philosophical objection to their business model especially with small providers and 3 is a crowd in a transaction like these where there is zero benefit

I think hotel resellers are pretty much all the same. My only reference point is hotels in Thailand and hotels simply cannot match the room rates of hotel resellers. As I am usually on tight budgets I'll take the discounts.

I do fairly extensive research when it comes to booking ~10 hotel nights/trip and Agoda comes up trumps most times. They are an awful company but I'll take the savings.

- Agoda via Trivago usually gives best rates
- Agoda via HotelsCombined can also be OK
- Qantas hotels only via $30 vouchers but these appear to have dried up and also note the saving most of the time is a fraction of $30/night

 

[latawiec]

Some of you have a positive experience with the Booking.com website used for reserving accommodations. I also used them for about 20 years. They build a thrust and reputation.

However, Booking.com have decided to "partner" with one of the least reliable GoToGate.com OTAs in order to offer a flight booking service.

Based on my experience with flights purchased on the Booking.com website that included the "23 kg checked bags" in the "check and pay" selection but later unexpected refusal at airport to process the luggage because their partner (GoToGate.com) botched the buying process (converted to the Lite version tickets) I would avoid them whatever others think.

I have learned from the AFF members that the best way is to use the Skyscanner to find the best price/route option for my flights and then go to the airline to book direct as I have been doing previously before 2023.

Below are main flight OTAs grouped by ownership so you know their relationships.

 

[pauly7]

In case the original was as not bad enough for some!

Booking.com scams that look 'so real' have surged, costing Australians thousands of dollars​

Travellers and accommodation providers falling victim to major Booking.com scam

Australia's consumer rights watchdog sees a sharp increase in Australians citing the popular accommodation site when reporting they've been scammed.

www.abc.net.au

 

[aikman]

I see no need to give a significant part of my transaction to a third party who provides little if any meaningful service and who are not necessarily beneficial to the providers.

I see these booking sites as no different to shopping centres, local Sunday markets, exhibitions/expos as well as eBay and Amazon. They provide a service by setting up a marketplace in which sellers and buyers can meet. It's generally accepted that sellers have to pay rent to have a spot in these markets so I have no issue with the business model. Nobody is forcing a hotel to sell on Booking/Expedia after all.

 

[Disco]

I see these booking sites as no different to shopping centres, local Sunday markets, exhibitions/expos as well as eBay and Amazon. They provide a service by setting up a marketplace in which sellers and buyers can meet. It's generally accepted that sellers have to pay rent to have a spot in these markets so I have no issue with the business model. Nobody is forcing a hotel to sell on Booking/Expedia after all.

I once asked a small service provider whether it would be better to book directly with her (same state,) and she was adamant about preferring the booking to go through a third party. It gives both parties some recourse in the event of no show/cancellation/disagreement. I book directly with hotels where possible but with other nationalities/languages it is helpful to have an interface. Last year we had a family issue which necessitated the cancellation of all bookings. Booking.com, Singapore air were a breeze, airline lufthansa a nightmare.

 

[VPS]

I stayed at a lovely B&B in the Loire Valley. He said that Bookingdotcom charged them 30% on top of their charges so they just added the 30% to their fees and people still paid it.

I always google the place and see if I can book direct

 

[JohnK]

"Rentalcars.com is a trading name of Booking.com Transport Limited"

I know it's been mentioned here but I missed it. Looking at booking car in Chiang Mai for 8 days and Rentalcars is cheap

Toyota Veloz $271
Honda CR-V $327

And they are both with Hertz which is on my "never to be used again" list as they stole 3 free days car hire from me.

Bite tongue, swallow pride and book? What could possibly go wrong?

 

[burmans]

"Rentalcars.com is a trading name of Booking.com Transport Limited"

I know it's been mentioned here but I missed it. Looking at booking car in Chiang Mai for 8 days and Rentalcars is cheap

Toyota Veloz $271
Honda CR-V $327

And they are both with Hertz which is on my "never to be used again" list as they stole 3 free days car hire from me.

Bite tongue, swallow pride and book? What could possibly go wrong?

Never had a problem with Rentalcars.com. As for Hertz, well I've seen complaints on all major car companies, so will still use though I too have had issues.

 

[Al Walker]

Has anyone tried to get any sense out of Booking.com when stranded overseas at an airport because of an airline mistake. The airline said talk to travel agent - booking.com said talk to the airline and then booking.com cut off my communication with them for a week. #$#&&)(_)

 

[CaptJCool]

Why not to book ?

Cause in addition to the above they might send you to eDreams with their free 15 day trial period before charging you an annual Prime subscription of around £89-90

 

[Al Walker]

I tried to get any sense out of Booking.com when i was stranded overseas at an airport, because of an airline mistake. The airline said talk to travel agent - booking.com said talk to the airline and then booking.com cut off my communication with them for a week. #$*#&&)(_)

Twice I have used Go to Gate and twice I said - NEVER AGAIN.
The first time I made a mistake when booking and 1 hour after booking, Go to Gate would not change the mistake - when the airline had a 24hr window - change policy.
The 2nd time I used Go to Gate, not realising that my travel booking used them and I was totally frustrated with all my dealings with them. NEVER AGAIN.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Has anyone tried to get any sense out of Booking.com when stranded overseas at an airport because of an airline mistake. The airline said talk to travel agent - booking.com said talk to the airline and then booking.com cut off my communication with them for a week. #$#&&)(_)

You might need to provide a bit more detail on this one. Like the type of mistake, how close in to travel was it?

 

[Cynicor]

Why do you use those companies in the first place rather than booking airline direct, out of interest?

 

[muppet]

Why do you use those companies in the first place rather than booking airline direct, out of interest?

I’ve had to use gotogate before when the GOL Airways website refused to finalise the booking process without a Brazilian ID number. Similar issues in the past with Aerolineas Argentina. Unfortunately OTAs are sometimes unavoidable.

I had no issues with gotogate because nothing changed, but online reports seem to consistently be negative for anyone that has any need to deal with the ticket.

 

[FlyingFiona]

I’ve had to use gotogate before when the GOL Airways website refused to finalise the booking process without a Brazilian ID number.

You could have opted to use a travel agent.

 

[Cynicor]

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve used OTAs too when prices can’t be beaten, esp in J when talking 1-3k saving on a single pax.
I’m just curious if the OP needed to or not.

 

[Eastwick20]

Never use those online tools
All their "assistance" are off shore centres who have no idea
Thats is if you can even make contact.

Your much better to use a good local agent , will you pay a booking fee? Sure
Would they have been able to fix those problems for you straight away? Yes

 

[latawiec]

Has anyone tried to get any sense out of Booking.com when stranded overseas at an airport because of an airline mistake. The airline said talk to travel agent - booking.com said talk to the airline and then booking.com cut off my communication with them for a week. #$#&&)(_)

Problem is that airline would direct you to your travel agent who booked your flight.

If you booked the flight using Booking.com than there is problem because the booking was processed by GoToGate.com

However, the GoToGate.com has awful reputation with their call processing centers located in India and not taking responsibility for their mistakes.
In my opinion it is a trap as I learned last year