Buying a Flight Online.

[stephen tracy]

With Cathay Pacific it's always been roughly the same price regardless of how I do it, and I've done it often (BKK-Toronto), but when I've booked it in person at their office in Bangkok, it has always been free to change the return date, which is not the case booking it online through expedia etc

[Jaggg88]

On 3/13/2019 at 7:07 AM, trd said:

Online from an agent will be cheaper.

usually, this is true but always worth checking the airline's website before you commit

[sandyf]

On 3/13/2019 at 2:59 PM, trd said:

On 3/13/2019 at 2:52 PM, KarlS said:

Avoid agents. Check prices with Skyscanner and then book directly, online, with the airline. Doing this may cost a little more but there are hidden reasons behind 'cheap' deals which many have discovered to their cost.

As someone who has been doing for years what you are advising against, I would be interested to know what you mean exactly. All of the agents which appear on Skyscanner and Kayak are reputable vetted agents. I've used a few of them and I've never had any problems. They clearly state all of the conditions attached to the ticket you are purchasing.

A few years back I bought a BA ticket from an agent and less than 24 hours before departure BA cancelled the flight and said the next available flight would be 3 days hence. That was insufficient time to catch my onward flight from London to Canada so I immediately booked another flight with Gulf Air to London then several hours later BA did offer another flight with Malaysian Airlines which they said was entirely optional. It was shortly after MH370 and there is no way my wife would have flown with MA.

The agent refused to acknowledge a refund claiming that the flight had been rescheduled rather than cancelled and BA were not interested as I had bought the ticket through an agent. The initial email from BA was quite clear that the flight had been cancelled and I could apply for a refund via the website, but that does not apply to tickets from an agent. I took the agent and BA to court and received an out of court settlement.

Some may consider that the cost and convenience of using an agent may outweigh the risk of something going wrong, and I would agree the risk is relatively low, but if something does go wrong then you are better placed if dealing direct with the airline.

[Chivas]

First time in a long time I used Airlines own website for recently completed trip. Never again problem after problem

Only the 3rd time ever I've used own website and the last. Apart from ID90 tickets I had  50 returns in the 90's have had in addition around 120 return tickets London Bangkok via 3rd party agents

 

Only ONCE was there ever a problem with Oman overbooking 43 in economy ( big group on open tickets had rescheduled) and I was bumped at online check in. One call to Travel Trolley back in London telling them to put a rocket up Omans arse and an hour later phone call all sorted sir check in as normal

Edited March 15, 2019 by Chivas

[JamJar]

On 3/15/2019 at 8:49 AM, Chivas said:

First time in a long time I used Airlines own website for recently completed trip. Never again problem after problem

Only the 3rd time ever I've used own website and the last. Apart from ID90 tickets I had  50 returns in the 90's have had in addition around 120 return tickets London Bangkok via 3rd party agents

 

Only ONCE was there ever a problem with Oman overbooking 43 in economy ( big group on open tickets had rescheduled) and I was bumped at online check in. One call to Travel Trolley back in London telling them to put a rocket up Omans arse and an hour later phone call all sorted sir check in as normal

 

 

How can one be bumped at online check-in?? Interesting.

 

What kind of "problem after problem" did you have when booking direct with the airline? It helps to be specific in this kind of thread.

 

[JamJar]

On 3/13/2019 at 2:13 PM, trd said:

Same route Phuket To Aberdeen with KLM

KLM website: 29,860 Baht

Skyscanner, best deal Tripair: 29,621 Baht

 

Same flight doesn't mean same fare conditions. Added to that, if changes can only be made by an agent and you are trying to call someone in Greece/China/Montenegro to get it changed.....all for an apparent initial saving of 239 baht.

[trd]

 
Same flight doesn't mean same fare conditions. Added to that, if changes can only be made by an agent and you are trying to call someone in Greece/China/Montenegro to get it changed.....all for an apparent initial saving of 239 baht.

I don't book flights that can be changed but that doesn't stop me from booking a flight that can be changed through an agent. Have you heard of email? Last time I booked through an agent I received SMS updates and on one occasion a flight was seriously delayed and I received all the updates informing me of the delays and the new time from the agent by SMS and email. These agents that you book through when you use Skyscanner or Kayak are not living in the stone age. Believe it or not they use tech!

[Chivas]

1 hour ago, JamJar said:

 

 

How can one be bumped at online check-in?? Interesting.

 

What kind of "problem after problem" did you have when booking direct with the airline? It helps to be specific in this kind of thread.

 

Went to check in 1 minute after the 24 hours period opened ( 48 now) to see for the first time error "please call local station" complete with phone number....Phoned Bangkok who told me I had been bumped because of reasons already stated and they started talking about alternate flight starting with Sri Lanka and Egypt Air.....at that point I said no not a chance in hell (politely) and inform them I'd contact Travel Trolley back in London who operate 24 hours a day.

Made it clear asking them to sort it out politely and an hour later they rang me back all sorted just check in online now or wait for airport check in. Naturally I went for immediate online and no problem

 

Clearly I had been bumped almost certainly before the 24 hour period but that was the first point I was aware of it

I suspect I was reinstated because I was and am Silver Sindbad

Edited March 16, 2019 by Chivas

[JamJar]

On 3/16/2019 at 3:11 PM, trd said:

 

 

I don't book flights that can be changed but that doesn't stop me from booking a flight that can be changed through an agent. Have you heard of email? Last time I booked through an agent I received SMS updates and on one occasion a flight was seriously delayed and I received all the updates informing me of the delays and the new time from the agent by SMS and email. These agents that you book through when you use Skyscanner or Kayak are not living in the stone age. Believe it or not they use tech!

 

 

Seems you are confused. How will email help you if you are standing at an airport counter trying to re-book your flight and the airline's representative cannot take charge of the booking in order to make the changes and the OTA has closed for the day?

 

The fact that you "don't book flights that can be changed" tells us all that we need to know.

 

Stone Age is using consolidators with totally inflexible tickets, when the airlines often offer more flexibility at a small premium.

Stone Age is booking with an OTA that charges £83 to make any changes, on top of the airline fees.

 

If you imagine that all OTA on SkyScanner are equal, you need to wake up. Choose the cheapest indeed....poor advice.

Good for you who buys totally inflexible tickets in the first instance, but not good for all. 

[JamJar]

On 3/16/2019 at 3:36 PM, Chivas said:

Went to check in 1 minute after the 24 hours period opened ( 48 now) to see for the first time error "please call local station" complete with phone number....Phoned Bangkok who told me I had been bumped because of reasons already stated and they started talking about alternate flight starting with Sri Lanka and Egypt Air.....at that point I said no not a chance in hell (politely) and inform them I'd contact Travel Trolley back in London who operate 24 hours a day.

Made it clear asking them to sort it out politely and an hour later they rang me back all sorted just check in online now or wait for airport check in. Naturally I went for immediate online and no problem

 

Clearly I had been bumped almost certainly before the 24 hour period but that was the first point I was aware of it

I suspect I was reinstated because I was and am Silver Sindbad

 

Perhaps if you booked directly with the airline it would never have occurred in the first instance.

Either way, nothing wrong with booking with an OTA with whom you have a good relationship, if it suits.

[trd]

 
Seems you are confused. How will email help you if you are standing at an airport counter trying to re-book your flight and the airline's representative cannot take charge of the booking in order to make the changes and the OTA has closed for the day?
 
The fact that you "don't book flights that can be changed" tells us all that we need to know.
 
Stone Age is using consolidators with totally inflexible tickets, when the airlines often offer more flexibility at a small premium.
Stone Age is booking with an OTA that charges £83 to make any changes, on top of the airline fees.
 
If you imagine that all OTA on SkyScanner are equal, you need to wake up. Choose the cheapest indeed....poor advice.
Good for you who buys totally inflexible tickets in the first instance, but not good for all. 

Good God are you still here man? Stone age sat down a while ago with calculator in hand and did a rough calculation of the hundreds and hundreds of airline tickets he has purchased that would were not changeable and calculated roughly how much extra each one would have cost if they had been changeable. I could probably have bought a house with the money I saved. So if in the next 5 or 10 years I find that I really do have to change a flight and it's going to cost me a few pounds extra I won't go into a state of shock. That's the trouble with you Bronze Age people, you don't have any common sense. But please feel happy and comfortable purchasing whatever airline tickets you wish from whoever you wish. I'm going to go and have a beer. Don't bother me anymore. I unsubscribed from this thread a week ago when I lost interest. I advise you to get a life.

[JamJar]

5 hours ago, trd said:

 

 

Good God are you still here man? Stone age sat down a while ago with calculator in hand and did a rough calculation of the hundreds and hundreds of airline tickets he has purchased that would were not changeable and calculated roughly how much extra each one would have cost if they had been changeable. I could probably have bought a house with the money I saved. So if in the next 5 or 10 years I find that I really do have to change a flight and it's going to cost me a few pounds extra I won't go into a state of shock. That's the trouble with you Bronze Age people, you don't have any common sense. But please feel happy and comfortable purchasing whatever airline tickets you wish from whoever you wish. I'm going to go and have a beer. Don't bother me anymore. I unsubscribed from this thread a week ago when I lost interest. I advise you to get a life.

 

 

You lost interest a week ago, but you are still posting?

 

Stone Age's savings in buying inflexible tickets were wiped out when he had to buy a completely new ticket, instead of paying a reasonable change fee.

 

The difference in price of a flexible and inflexible ticket is minimal.

I recently bought a ticket directly with the airline. The difference in price between OTA and airline direct was £35. With airline, the dates can be changed and/or ticket can be refunded. OTA ticket; no changes and no refunds.

 

So regardless of OTA or direct, everyone should take notice of the fare/ticketing conditions. You suggesting otherwise is just very poor advice.

 

So rather than posting nonsense about the cheapest, try posting intelligently, subsequently allowing others to make an informed choice.

 

I don't understand how you can make quite so many posts on a thread in which you have no interest.

I have an interest in imparting the facts, rather than making unintelligent comment.

[Chivas]

On 3/18/2019 at 8:16 AM, JamJar said:

 

Perhaps if you booked directly with the airline it would never have occurred in the first instance.

Either way, nothing wrong with booking with an OTA with whom you have a good relationship, if it suits.

I rarely book with the airline direct albeit very last flight I did and had huge checking in problems over their new 48 hour process. I cant be arsed to go through it here although Oman are aware of the issue (for several months ongoing) and currently I have a complaint in process of being dealt with. I will update that here when its sorted

Interesting bit about inflexible non changeable tickets. Twice in the past I've had to change outbounds and was happy to write them off completely knowing the rules but TT twice changed the "unchangeable" tickets albeit for an average fee of £240.

So taking into account the £480 and I have had I think 168 return trip tickets which makes just a premium of £2.85 on average for picking the lowest priced tickets

 

Food for thought indeed

Edited March 19, 2019 by Chivas

[JamJar]

2 hours ago, Chivas said:

I rarely book with the airline direct albeit very last flight I did and had huge checking in problems over their new 48 hour process. I cant be arsed to go through it here although Oman are aware of the issue (for several months ongoing) and currently I have a complaint in process of being dealt with. I will update that here when its sorted

Interesting bit about inflexible non changeable tickets. Twice in the past I've had to change outbounds and was happy to write them off completely knowing the rules but TT twice changed the "unchangeable" tickets albeit for an average fee of £240.

So taking into account the £480 and I have had I think 168 return trip tickets which makes just a premium of £2.85 on average for picking the lowest priced tickets

 

Food for thought indeed

 

 

Not all tickets bought from OTAs are inflexible, which is why it is stated to check the T&C rather than to just choose the cheapest OTA. Southall Travel/Travel Trolley perhaps being better than, say, Trip.com in that respect.

Travel Trolley used to indicate a £60 admin charge, but they removed that from their T&C for one reason or another.

Some may be changeable for an airline fee plus the OTA fee. Some totally inflexible. I also don't always purchase directly via the airline, but I often do, as it suits me. Especially on complicated itineraries.

[briley]

You do have to read the terms and conditions - all xx pages of them

 

Just looked at one agent who's fare was £200 or so cheaper than with the airline.

 

But seat booking was over £200, free with the airline.

All alterations was the airline fee plus £75

Plus you had to re-confirm 72 hours prior to every flight - not needed with the airline.

 

[Chivas]

4 hours ago, briley said:

You do have to read the terms and conditions - all xx pages of them

 

Just looked at one agent who's fare was £200 or so cheaper than with the airline.

 

But seat booking was over £200, free with the airline.

All alterations was the airline fee plus £75

Plus you had to re-confirm 72 hours prior to every flight - not needed with the airline.

 

Seat booking £200 ??  You mean you cant check in online in the 24-48 hour period without paying that amount

Reconfirming flights went out in the 90's

Edited March 20, 2019 by Chivas

[briley]

Chivas, bit of a mistake on my part, mixed up one and two passengers.

 

Seat booking £23 per leg per passenger, this is Man-DBX-BKK on emirates business class. Free on Emirates web site.

 

But whilst checking note that they say only one piece of baggage up to 40Kg - that is over the airports maximum of 32Kg

 

Checking all the details this company is 2% cheaper than the airline, but with more risk of extra charges - not worth the savings.

 

The travel company? Opodo.

 

[Chivas]

Opodo are not a travel company simply another flight comparison site. In fact that 32kgs is actually wrong now as well baggage handlers are not now "obliged" to lift anything over 23kg but frequently do on behalf of the airlines

Have never heard of any biz class ticket that specifies one piece only

[sanemax]

On 3/21/2019 at 12:58 AM, Chivas said:

Seat booking £200 ??  You mean you cant check in online in the 24-48 hour period without paying that amount

Reconfirming flights went out in the 90's

What is the current situation with seat confirmation ?

Do you still have to do it and what happens if you dont ?

[Rc2702]

Gotogate 

Momondo

Farecompare

Cheapflights 

 

If your looking for a deal you gotta check all sites rigorously.

 

 

[Chivas]

5 hours ago, sanemax said:

What is the current situation with seat confirmation ?

Do you still have to do it and what happens if you dont ?

Lol seat reconfirmation went out in the 1990s when airlines originally didnt hugely overbook in economy and they needed to ensure they didnt fly with empty seats. Since they routinely started overbooking by 10% flight reconfirmation was ended. I'd imagine if you rang an airline office in Bangkok these days they wouldnt havent a clue what you're on about

[sanemax]

2 minutes ago, Chivas said:

Lol seat reconfirmation went out in the 1990s when airlines originally didnt hugely overbook in economy and they needed to ensure they didnt fly with empty seats. Since they routinely started overbooking by 10% flight reconfirmation was ended. I'd imagine if you rang an airline office in Bangkok these days they wouldnt havent a clue what you're on about

I booked a flight a few days ago online and theres an option to "reconfirm" the flight bfew days before the take-off , 

[KneeDeep]

11 hours ago, Chivas said:

Opodo are not a travel company simply another flight comparison site. In fact that 32kgs is actually wrong now as well baggage handlers are not now "obliged" to lift anything over 23kg but frequently do on behalf of the airlines

Have never heard of any biz class ticket that specifies one piece only

 

Opodo is an OTA. Originally started by some airlines, it was eventually purchased by a Spanish company.

 

Quote

Opodo is an online travel agency which offers deals in regular and charter flights, low-cost airlines, hotels, cruises, car rental, dynamic packages, holiday packages and travel insurance. It is a pan-European enterprise, founded by a consortium of European airlines, including British Airways, Air France, Alitalia, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Aer Lingus, Austrian Airlines and Finnair. The travel technology provider Amadeus owned 99.4% of the company until 2011.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opodo

[Chivas]

14 hours ago, sanemax said:

I booked a flight a few days ago online and theres an option to "reconfirm" the flight bfew days before the take-off , 

Right you do it your way. The other 99.99% of us know there is no reconfirmation required for at least 20 years

[KC 71]

The more you search online, the more expensive the ticket becomes


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[NoshowJones]

On 3/13/2019 at 3:02 PM, KarlS said:

As always the devil is found in the small print which many cannot be bothered to read. 

That's the reason the print is small, the flight companies, restaurants, hotels etc, don't want you to read it.

[NoshowJones]

On 3/14/2019 at 3:18 PM, possum1931 said:

 

I'm referring to from Bangkok to Glasgow, Emirates has always been more expensive. If it was cheaper than BA, I would be using it on my annual trips to Glasgow. Could it be that you are referring to from Glasgow to Bangkok? 

The changeover at Dubai is an absolute nightmare, and their desk at Glasgow airport won't let you carry your laptop separately from your cabin bag. I am not joking.