If you've traveled lately, you know that it can be a difficult ride. HOWEVER, there are a few tricks that can help. One is to fully understand who can and can't help you in case of a travel "melt-down"...i.e.; your flight is canceled and you have no hotel room, your hotel in Istanbul (that you have a confirmation number for and reconfirmed before you traveled) is over-booked, your transportation didn't show up, etc...etc.
That being said, the fact that flights are canceled, delayed and therefore connections missed, creates a difficult path for travelers going it alone. The age of Expedia and Orbitz has cultivated a situation where we are truly on our own and at the airlines' mercies. Here are some tips that may help the next time you are in the middle of air-challenges:
If your flight is canceled or you miss a connecting flight because of airline/airport delays for any reason other than weather, you can ask for help from your chosen airline. Please note: THEY WILL NOT OFFER IT. They may even tell you there's nothing they can do (every hear that???!!!). Here's what they can do: If you have to overnight in a city, the airline must provide accommodations for you. They may have to ask for it. They will also give you vouchers for meals you'll have to buy. It's not much (around $7-$10 per meal), but it's something. Also, if there's not a 24/7 shuttle to and from the hotel, the airline should compensate you for your cab ride. They will fight you on this...but for me, it's not optional. If they cause my stay, I will not be spending more of my own money to fix their problem. If there are other hurdles they create that stand in the way of your smooth travel, service reps have the power to issue you compensation in the form of miles (if you travel at all, haven't signed up for every frequent flyer number - do not pass go, do not collect $200 - DO IT NOW!). I sound like a broken record here, but no one will offer this. You have to ask (and perhaps even ask again). This may sound time-consuming and like a lot of hassle. Look at it this way; you've already been hassled. You should at least take advantage of the help the airlines have available. Ask and ye shall receive!
And at the end of the day, nothing can replace the good (good being the key word) old-fashioned (yet savvy) travel professional. For about $25-$30 service fee per ticket, you have at your disposal someone who can answer questions, set up hotels, rental cars, and most importantly - answer the phone when you are stranded. Most agencies offer an after hours service where you may pay a call-in fee, but you'll access someone 24/7 who can help you. The great thing about this is that with phones and computers, you don't even have to use a local agency - you should carefully select one that understands not just travel software and the star system of hotels, but TRAVEL - an agent hasn't always traveled themselves - find one who travels.
My company offers this service as an add-on. If you are traveling frequently and need access to someone at all times, you can pay between $30 - $100 (the higher amount is for a month of travel) for personal help at any hour of any day. Personally, I think this is well worth the money. A recent client was stuck in Istanbul - delivered to the wrong hotel by a taxi driver at 11 o'clock at night. He luckily had purchased the "Red Phone Service" and called the 800# provided. Problem solved.
I may be biased, but I don't understand why more people don't use a travel agent to help them maneuver the ever-changing world of travel. Those of us that love travel and adventures aren't going to stop traveling. However, there's never been a time that we need more help to make sure we enjoy the journey! Time and money are decreasing many times. Use them both wisely and you will have a pleasant vacation or business trip.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Travel Agents - Why We Need Them
As someone who loves travel AND loves saving money, I ask the question: where did the service go in travel? And why NOW, when the ever-changing, ever-treacherous world of travel has become more and more difficult to maneuver on your own? It seems as if every morning when I turn on CNN, another airline has canceled a couple hundred flights, gone under, or in general left their customers (that's what we are, customers) ...
Definition: cus·tom·er – [kuhs-tuh-mer]- noun.
1. a person who purchases goods or services from another; buyer; patron.
Author's note: that's right, CUSTOMER - someone who pays MONEY to get a service.
...without a human to talk to or - heaven forbid - service.
A travel professional (aka travel agent) is that HUMAN you can call to help you in a travel "situation". Have you ever tried to call Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz or any other online booking engine to help you when you need to change or cancel a flight? GOOD LUCK! AND, did you know that you can't get your money back if you change your mind? And you did that all in the name of saving a service fee? If you really pay attention to the pricing, once you find that great ticket price, "fees and taxes" are charged AFTER you've found that "cheap rate". You booked it yourself, you paid the fees, and when you need help, you can call the person that booked it. WAIT, that's YOU!
Now, don't get me wrong, I don't view the airlines as the enemy. They take us where we want and need to go, and places we've only previously dreamed of. I love flying - all of the nonsense notwithstanding. And there are wonderful people that work for airlines. I just think that the system is a difficult one to maneuver on your own. And the online booking engines are certainly convenient on those nights we can't sleep and we "need" to book a ticket, but otherwise, it can lead to pain and aloneness. I, for one think that using a great travel professional is well worth a small service fee - less than a few lattes at Starbucks...and that live person on the end of the phone when I'm stuck somewhere short of where I want to be is well worth it.
I'm an avid traveler and have been grateful many times that I've had someone "on the ground" to call when I need assistance. I guess some would call me biased - I've worked in the travel industry for many years - this is part of the reason I love what I do. A good travel agent is worth her weight in gold. I think it's time service came back into travel.
Definition: cus·tom·er – [kuhs-tuh-mer]- noun.
1. a person who purchases goods or services from another; buyer; patron.
Author's note: that's right, CUSTOMER - someone who pays MONEY to get a service.
...without a human to talk to or - heaven forbid - service.
A travel professional (aka travel agent) is that HUMAN you can call to help you in a travel "situation". Have you ever tried to call Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz or any other online booking engine to help you when you need to change or cancel a flight? GOOD LUCK! AND, did you know that you can't get your money back if you change your mind? And you did that all in the name of saving a service fee? If you really pay attention to the pricing, once you find that great ticket price, "fees and taxes" are charged AFTER you've found that "cheap rate". You booked it yourself, you paid the fees, and when you need help, you can call the person that booked it. WAIT, that's YOU!
Now, don't get me wrong, I don't view the airlines as the enemy. They take us where we want and need to go, and places we've only previously dreamed of. I love flying - all of the nonsense notwithstanding. And there are wonderful people that work for airlines. I just think that the system is a difficult one to maneuver on your own. And the online booking engines are certainly convenient on those nights we can't sleep and we "need" to book a ticket, but otherwise, it can lead to pain and aloneness. I, for one think that using a great travel professional is well worth a small service fee - less than a few lattes at Starbucks...and that live person on the end of the phone when I'm stuck somewhere short of where I want to be is well worth it.
I'm an avid traveler and have been grateful many times that I've had someone "on the ground" to call when I need assistance. I guess some would call me biased - I've worked in the travel industry for many years - this is part of the reason I love what I do. A good travel agent is worth her weight in gold. I think it's time service came back into travel.
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