Senator - 30/07/2010 15:42 GMT
Dear all,
We’ve had some discussions about value of travel agencies in this forum. Recently, I called AMEX in Sweden to help with a booking I rather wanted to do myself. However, no web site can provide the service I wanted.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say that I want to take advantage of a cheaper fare from a different market for a long-haul flight. For example, I want to buy a LHR-JFK ticket with the summer sale on BA in First, with a separate ARN-LHR ticket. So I end up with two tickets, but I really want one PNR. Two weeks back I bought ARN-LHR via HAM on LH and LHR-PMI via ZRH on LX on two separate tickets but on the same PNR. The fares on the phone with AMEX was significantly higher.
Why is having the same PNR important? Well bags is one reason, and if something goes wrong on the first segment this is also important.
Anyone have a suggestion of a good “do-it-yourself” site where I can amend my own bookings by adding separate flights etc to the same booking?
watersz - 30/07/2010 18:07 GMT
hmmmm not quite what your asking but
fly .com by a large country mile for searching
all those side bars help you tailor you itinary to a fine degree
why use anything else!
Dear Senator
I am not sure if this helps, but did you try booking via the BA Sweden site. Also, for the ARN-LHR sector, were you looking at a through fare, or were you intending to stop over in London for a period of time. Any through fare, usually allows for a 24 hour stop over, any period of time longer will affect the ticket price due to airport (arrival/departure) tax.
I too have tried using Amex for ticket, one long haul and one shorthaul, with semi complicated routings (i.e. 4 sectors). On both occasions, the Amex quote came in over £1000 more expensive.
I have been berated by some, but my answer is to find a ticket agent that understands the system, which for me is quite easy as I have Heathrow within 30 minutes of my home and office.
The other issues, as confirmed by BA, is that not all fares options are loaded onto the airport computers. As an example, and this was during the BA fare sale, I spent over an hour and half at Heathrow (not a First class agent though) trying to book Milan-Heathrow (with a night stop, considered as a transit stop) - Miami - Heathrow - Milan. The problem was that the fare had not been loaded in the class of travel I wanted, I Class. Eventually with a little help with some fare search codes I happened to know, it was found.
As a side issue, when I spoke to Amex to say the tickets had now been booked, they asked me the type of ticket I had bought and when I gave them the code, they confirmed that they could have got the same fare, however, they didnt realise I was willing to buy a restricted ticket (they never asked).
So to answer your question, web sites are a great source for tickets, but anything specific or anything out of the box, you are better off speaking to a ticket agent that knows the codes and fare rules and has access to ALL fare codes.
The best advice I can give you is to list everything you want in a ticket (i know this is obvious), routing, restrictions, class of travel, length of stops and then find someone who knows the airfare system and get them to quote. I eventually paid £1500 for the above ticket in CW, which was quoted in Euros and converted to Sterling.
Whilst we would like to think that all airline ticket agents are equally knowlegable, it is not the case and generally those working in First Class areas are the best source.
Senator - 01/08/2010 16:12 GMT
Thanks both for the insights. I may ring a few agents and see what I can come up with and try fly.com as suggested
VintageKrug - 02/08/2010 07:12 GMT
If you are looking purely for fare research, then the ITA tool is unbeatable:
http://matrix.itasoftware.com/cvg/dispatch
It has recently been sold to google, so may not be long for free public access, alas.
You can get fare codes on this site, and then quote that to any agent and they should be able to locate the fare for you.
Senator - 02/08/2010 09:11 GMT
Thanks VK,
I am really looking for a tool where I can be my own agent. Seems like this is hard to do :-) The Internet is great for point-to-point, but when you have a complex booking on one PNR the old agent is good to have. I just found the phone fares from AMEX excessive. I rather see net pricing and a service charge.
One idea that spring to mind is to use airlines own teams but perhaps in a place like the US where the phone fees are normally $25 per PNR. The question is if they will quote me the exARN fares in SEK or if I get hit by massive currency issues instead. I will investigate more and share my findings.
Binman62 - 02/08/2010 15:28 GMT
I use AA.com and have found it invaluable in getting really good deals. You cannot always book with them especailly if there is no AA sector but if you take down the details of the fare and fare basis and then call the main carrier they will book it for you.
Just remeber to check the box for all carriers.
nothing will beat a professionally trained ticket agent sitting behind a counter at an airport and willing to put time into the research. I would gladly pay the airline if I was assured that reasearch for the tickets was being done in line with MY SPECIFIC trip and travel details as appose to being sold what the airlines wants to sell me.
As mentioned above, internet is great for simple point to point tickets, but when through this forum we learn about cross border ticketing and how best to get 'Z' fares 'I' fares etc, it is impossible to buy these in a timely and efficient manner via the internet. You have to have human contact in order to get these style of tickets.
MarcusUK - 02/08/2010 19:09 GMT
The Plan & Book engine on BT is excellent.
Not the global travel US based first option but the older 2nd option.
I tried the VK's link just, very interesting & useful, but using the BT engine, i found fares £400 cheaper on the same flights for LHR - Sydney one way Business, & saving more on a return.
Never-the-less, individual Airlines have better sales direct, even though these are periodical & you have to act quickly. Emirates are undercutting many routes by 20% less than others on Business fares just now, as are Etihad, & LH have some excellent fares as do Thai & Finair.
Expedia.co.uk is also an excellent marker for the same seats at the best price.
But the BT engine sweeps well all the major agents in the UK, & great as a base guide.
