Comments on: Airlines want you to pay for the privilege of buying tickets (don’t we do this already?)

By: Flyaway Cafe’s Travel Favorites 9-6-09 | Traveling with MJ

Flyaway Cafe’s Travel Favorites 9-6-09 | Traveling with MJ — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:50:52 +0000

[...] Consumer Traveler enters the debate about travel agents being charged fees to book tickets on United. No matter which side wins this battle, it’s us travelers who will wind up paying. [...]

By: vesey

vesey — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:17:44 +0000

there is a real easy way to avoid this problem, do what i do……….don’t fly..

By: Preston

Preston — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:52:18 +0000

These days per the post, every person is a travel expert until they get burned. I encourage every traveler to book their own air since we have to charge a service fee to cover our cost. Many so-called travel experts such as Kweed may find that the professional travel agent can find lower rates on tour packages to top resorts plus have the contacts with the tour company and resorts to resolve problems if they should occur.

By: Kweed

Kweed — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:46:09 +0000

Do people still use travel agents??? I agree with Bob B. if you cant use the Internet and don’t know how to do your own research (thanks for the info, Bodega!) , you SHOULD have to pay a travel agent. Sounds like a dying profession, though. With and all these fees and fines you are subjected to, I have to wonder what makes the job worth it.

By: Bodega

Bodega — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:28:29 +0000

Frank, a lot of those unused tickets never get used. Some tickets have a $200 change and cancel fee. When we do the exchange, we collect that fee and keep NOTHING. The airline gets that for doing what? In the winter, on an international fare to Europe, the fees can be more that the original fare. Did you know the taxes are refundable on a canceled nonrefundable ticket? Do they tell you that online?

By: Bodega

Bodega — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:23:42 +0000

Bob’s comment is not a surprising one, but it is one that is typical of today’s consumer. The airlines would love for you to just go to them for a ticket. On their website, you have to book what they show you. How do you know there aren’t other flight available? You currently don’t pay a fee, but do you think that will stay that way? What a great revenue source for them if they could cut out the travel agencies. Wanna bet a credit card fee would be added, too. Want to use an AX card or Discover card or that credit card that gets you mileage? That will cost you double in fees!

BTW, online agencies also get fined so many don’t allow you to hold a reservation. We also all get fined if we don’t clean up a PNR when a schedule change come through. We have become a revenue source for the airlnes over and above the sale of a ticket.

By: Frank

Frank — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:44:54 +0000

Of course they do. Those seats that the airline HOLDS until the last minute may end up going out empty. A great risk to the airline, not to mention LOST revenue. You dont think the airlines couldnt sell all thier seats, say, two months out? Sure, they could. Business travelers are paying for the right to walk onto the aircraft at the last minute. Those business travelers are also frequent flyers who get preboarding, upgrades to first class and business seats, how about access to an airport lounge, priority in waitlisting, priority in checked luggage, increased mileage accumulation, so in other words, you get BENEFITS by being a frequent flyer in an airline’s program.
Worthless miles? Really? Then, why are there MILLIONS who collect them?

By: DONNA REYHER

DONNA REYHER — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:59:04 +0000

To Carrie who says that travel agents should just not sell UA. What happens when all the airlines “follow suit?” Then travel agents have no airline tickets to sell! Then the airlines get their wish which is what they have been aiming at since they first started eliminating commissions for travel agents – all the travel agencies go out of business. Then the airlines have complete control which is what they want. This is scary!

On another note: The airline industry is the only industry which charges its BEST customers the MOST money. The best customers for the airlines are the business travelers. John.M already mentioned that airlines do not allow business travelers to take advantage of roundtrip tickets which include weekend stays. The airlines also charge their highest prices for tickets bought within 7 days of travel. Many business travelers find that they need to travel to a meeting next week on the Thursday before (for instance). Hence the highest price ticket must be purchased. I can’t think of any other industry which penalizes its best customers. You may say that the airlines reward their frequent flyers, but those who are business travelers have paid a premium for those almost worthless frequent flyer miles.

By: Bob B

Bob B — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:38:03 +0000

Really, airlines can do fine without travel agents. So why should they pay travel agents? If the customer thinks they need a travel agent, let them pay for it.

By: Frank

Frank — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 13:50:12 +0000

Bodega September 5, 2009 at 11:43 pm
Frank that fee does exist for agents.
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The key word here is AGENTS. How many people book flights themselves online through travel sites or the airline’s own website?
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Bodega said: If you don’t use the fare at all, the airline has the money, so what have they lost? Therefore, that seat will often be sold twice.
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That seat sold twice can also have the opposite effect. The person holds a seat on the first plane, changes plans, and the seat may go out empty. Sure, you pay a change fee, but now that person requires a SECOND SEAT.