How and Where do you buy travel products? (Transport & Hotels)

Oh I use Agoda for hotels and an app in my iPhone called SkyScanner to check air tickets.

ipporek wrote:

Oh I use Agoda for hotels and an app in my iPhone called SkyScanner to check air tickets.

So? Do you think are immune from price fixing.

Hotels
I am barred from talking about Agoda specifically, but you are still not protected.

The hotel Rack Rate is a hotels standard list price. This price can and is routinely discounted to the Agoda's of this world by up to 75% off Rack.

Then there is the room / bed racket.

An occupied room is a blocked room. It makes little difference whether there is one or three people sleeping in it - unless breakfast, etc., is included.

Different countries have different practices.

In VietNam, Cambodia, China and North America the pricing is per room. Some countries have mixed practices.

Many hotel consolidators (web sites to you) sell by the person so they in effect score very big time where families and couples travel.

The reason I say use your LOCAL Travel Agent is that, if you are a regular customer or they are just plain smart, is that their reputation is on the line in their home town.

Expedia and company don't give a damn about anyone once they have your money.

Airlines
Remember Qantas flight interruptions, last year or the year before? What did Expedia do for it's customers? Squat.

A friend, who always a real person agent was informed over the weekend of the situation and she offered him alternates via e-mail. He made his choice and his schedule wa barely interrupted.

If you frequently travel to or in specific regions, a Travel Agent specialising in that region will keep their finger on the pulse.

Example. Passengers returning from a trip are contacted by the Agent who inquires of their experiences. They might remark that this or that happened at a hotel, or construction screws up times to/from an airport.

The smart agent will change their recommendations accordingly, helping future Travellers with advice. You don't get that from the Expedia's of the world. They don't care, nor do the Agoda's ... unless the demands for refunds come.

On-line bookers, like a few specialist Travel Agents, are given 'Consolidator Contracts' which aare, in effect, sales sheets. The IATA membership agreement bars airlines from discounting so they use 'Wholesalers' or 'Consolidators' who can buy blocks of tickets which they sell by the single seat.

I a;ways test on-line bookers by checking on multi-leg/segment flights. For example: Toronto to TP HCM. I have been offered on several occasions, by Expedia, flights that comprise Toronto >> New York (airline change) >> France (airline change) >> Bangkok (airline change) >> TP HCM.

At this point an explanation. A non-stop flight is where you put your bum in a seat and are carried all the way, non-stop to your destination. A direct flight is the same bum and the same seat but you stop over at intermediate points. Other flights might involve an equipment (aircraft) change or even an airline change.

These DO matter!

On my test flights the routing took me through TSA twice - once is enough. There was a carrier change in New York, France and Thailand.

Problem? You bet.

Where you travel on a single airline, printed on a single PNR (Passenger Name Record - E-ticket) you are protected against delays, missed flights, etc.

If you have carrier swaps (multiple PNR's) you have NO delay / cancellation protection. Each carrier change means that you are, to the subsequent carrier, a new passenger. They don't know anything about you except what's written on their PNR.

They will not give you a free hotel room if a flight leaves early, or you arrive late, or a flight is cancelled. You are, to them, a 'local' passenger.

Obviously, when travelling on a single carrier, they will offer amenities such as meals, lounge access, hotel rooms, etc.

Never accept multi-segment or carrier switch travel, from anyone. Every segment means a chance of travel interruption; likewise every carrier change means that and money out of your pocket!

The airline business is complex, be smart, use an expert whose paid to keep on top of things - your local Travel Agent.

Screen Scrapers / Scanners
Your App, no doubt free, is no better than what it scrapes. If it scrapes the Big 4 (there are others in Europe) that means you simply get regurgitated prices.

What's more, the screens they scrape are smart - they know where the inquiry is coming from and they can change prices accordingly so when the Scanner user goes to book a seat they will be told: "I'm sorry, all those seats have gone"! But they still have a fish (sucker) on their line which represents a sales opportunity.

There is no come back (recourse) for you as they did not make the seat commitment to you (or anybody).

Protection
Most Western countries require their Travel Agents to be bonded / insured. This means passenger money is protected.

In VietNam, if an 'Agency' even bothers, VNAT holds a meagre $15,000 (VND equivalent) bond.

All travel agents are supposed to be registered (and with that a bond). Similarly, you are supposed to drive in a single direction on a one-way street, or observe Road Rules. If you have ever been in VN you will know the answer.

The only protection you have in VN are Credit Cards (commission 4% which you pay) or buying from a carrier direct. You also stand a good chance of having your Credit Card details shared with many other undesirables.

You lose nothing and gain so much by using your home Travel Agent. E-tickets (which are very, very profitable for carriers) can be e-mailed, so there are no more geographic ticket issuing restrictions.

Hope this clears your questions. Fell free to post more, but I'm off for brunch.

So called Vietnamese travel agents cheat what you call travel suppliers, too. Several have not paid me for groups I took out on my boats and I had to get a heavy to go and collect for me.

I have a question. About the cookies. I though they just helped me sign in so how do they fix prices?

WorzelGummidge wrote:

So called Vietnamese travel agents cheat what you call travel suppliers, too. Several have not paid me for groups I took out on my boats and I had to get a heavy to go and collect for me.

I have a question. About the cookies. I though they just helped me sign in so how do they fix prices?

You should adapt to Vietnamese Mentality - First Pay, than Product

WG:
Most cookies are set and read by the same web site in your browser.

The cookies used by these travel web sites can be set by one and read by another. The Washington Post can set and read cookies for Slate and Bloomburg, for example.

If you check a hotel price in the Expedia group your ID will be read by any other hotel in that group. They can can query the price given through direct computer-computer links and then add or subtract a dollar or two to fool you into thinking you have the rock bottom price.

If you delete a cookie before loading a new site, you will appear as a new customer to any web site and the prices offered will vary by a wider margin.

Hi Jaitch,
I can help you for your service (Transport and Hotel)
But i want to ask you where is your service to buy? Ho Chi minh, Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Ha Noi etc
Thks

vnexperience wrote:

Hi Jaitch,But i want to ask you where is your service to buy?

There is nothing that I sell, this post was about the traps that can catch people out when they use on-line reservation web sites.

I never look for customers on web sites other than my own, it is bad web practice.

Yes, i think so.
We must to find direct partner for ours service
Thks

l3ully wrote:

You should adapt to Vietnamese Mentality - First Pay, than Product

No problems now as they know how I always collect.

These sharpies are never people involved with fishing.

If I have a decent catch I can pass it to fishing boats returning to harbour and that it will be delivered to my dealer. No rip offs, no switching.

Good for me, and others, as it means we can stay out getting the most out of petrol. Tourist fishers also like the extended hours.

Nice working boat community down here, we co-operate with fishers from Cambodia as well.