I’m often asked, “What do I think about booking travel arrangements online?”
My answer is usually that the Internet has revolutionised the way people book their travel and has made the ability to book flights, hotels, and cruises much simpler.
However, there is a downside.
Mistakes that are made in the booking, such as misspelling of names, incorrect passport, details and even dates of travel can be extremely costly to fix.
It may be that there are some cost savings associated with booking online and that is hard to ignore. However, if your travel arrangements are complicated at all, it would be wise to use a travel agent.
Let me tell you why
When you use a trusted travel agent, they have access to a lot of information and resources that you may not have access to. Therefore, you may not be able to get the best deals doing it by yourself.
Booking travel online between two cities is simple enough.
However, people do make mistakes, and sometimes these mistakes are expensive. I have heard of people who have made their own travel arrangements via the Internet and made simple mistakes, that have cost them thousands of dollars.
You may have heard the same stories.
However, flying to multiple cities and booking online can be more complex and confusing, I would suggest that a professional travel agent should be used for this type of trip.
Also, a travel agent doesn’t necessarily cost any more money, and travel agents will, in fact, save you money on your travel plans in the long run.
Smart travellers use a good travel agent for a variety of reasons.
A good travel agent can save you time and stress and can be your best friend in travel.
They can do the research for you and find the best options for your trip.
They can advise you on the best places to stay and the best route to take.
They are experts in the field, they give you good advice, that you may not be able to find online.
Travel agents can also help when something goes wrong during your trip.
If your flight is cancelled or your hotel is overbooked, they can help you find alternative arrangements or organise a refund.
In addition, they can also help if you get lost or have other problems during your trip.
Finally, a good travel agent can save you money.
They also have access to a wide range of discounts and deals.
Booking online can be a convenient way to book travel, but is it cheaper?
Let me give you my experience when I tried to make a booking online, and I am a travel agent!
I was planning a trip for myself to Europe and the Middle East in May.
I had already booked a trip with Emirates Airways, and I looked at the online prices, checking to see if I could find a cheaper fare.
However, what I found was a price difference of almost $2000 between the highest and lowest fares.
Unbelievably, some flights didn't include luggage. It was an additional cost of $100.00 or more, for a suitcase to be added to the price of the air ticket.
I noticed some indirect flights required flying via another country, adding time and distance to the trip, they seemed cheaper, until you added the additional costs.
If you were flying to one city, such as from Melbourne to Amsterdam, booking online would be fine and easy.
However, flying to multiple cities and booking these tickets online can be more complex and confusing.
The result was that one had to be very careful booking online, there were too many variables, and it was very easy to make a mistake.
Finally, if you need to make changes and contact the online booking company after the travel arrangements have been finalised, be prepared to be on hold on the phone for several hours, and try not to panic!
