$40 Travel Agent surcharge on airline tickets?!?!

[riggins]

Hi Guys-
My mom got a $500 gift certificate to a local travel agency as a sales reward. She decided to use it to buy our airline tickets for our February WDW trip. We are DVC members, so we're covering the room and my mom is going to the cover the flight with her gift certificate. The travel agent charged a $40/ticket surcharge since we weren't booking anything besides the flight.

In addition, she said she couldn't get the tickets for the $208 fare that my mom found on Usairways.com . . . her lowest price was $251. So, in total, she paid the travel agent $373 ($251+$40=$291/ticket * 3 tickets -$500 gift certificate). So, it was still cheaper than just paying cash ($624 for 3 tickets). But, nonetheless, I really think she got ripped off. Am I missing something?

Thanks
-Leslie

 

[travelgoddess]

I am a travel agent. We charge 20.00 per ticket, with a max. of
40.00 for a family. We do this because we make absolutely
nothing in airline tickets, we would lose money on the price of
the ticket stock if we didn't charge. We have in clearly posted in
our office our fees on tickets. We do not charge fees for disney
packages or even hotels only, we only charge on airline tickets.
I hope this helps some.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by riggins
Hi Guys-
My mom got a $500 gift certificate to a local travel agency as a sales reward. She decided to use it to buy our airline tickets for our February WDW trip. We are DVC members, so we're covering the room and my mom is going to the cover the flight with her gift certificate. The travel agent charged a $40/ticket surcharge since we weren't booking anything besides the flight.

In addition, she said she couldn't get the tickets for the $208 fare that my mom found on Usairways.com . . . her lowest price was $251. So, in total, she paid the travel agent $373 ($251+$40=$291/ticket * 3 tickets -$500 gift certificate). So, it was still cheaper than just paying cash ($624 for 3 tickets). But, nonetheless, I really think she got ripped off. Am I missing something?

Thanks
-Leslie

Since the airlines no longer pay a commission on airfares, it is only proper to have to pay for the service. TA's don't work for free. My TA agency does not charge me for the service because I am a repeat customer.

 

[DebbieB]

One thing about usairways.com and probably other airline websites - you have to put the total # of passengers in when you check rates. If you just put 1 person in, you may get a lower fare per person than if you put 3 in. This happens because they may only have 1 or 2 seats left in the lower price category, if you have 3 they charge all 3 the higher price category.

 

[travelgoddess]

On a daily basis we get reports about internet booking sites
that accidently go unsecure, and they are all the larger sites
we have all heard of. Try to find a real live agent in your area
you feel comfortable with. I try to only goods from people I can
reach out and touch.

 

[CarolA]

This is common and a reason I won't use a TA for most trips anymore. Yes, I realize that they can provide a service, but I pretty much know what I am doing when going to Disney so it is not like I need thier help.

I book almost ALL my travel on line and have never had a problem. The fare your mom saw was probably a "web fare" and was not available to the TA. The airlines do still pay them a small fee for booking and are trying to convince us not to use TAs just to avoid that fee.

I am going on a vacation trip to Turkey and we did use a TA for that.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by CarolA
This is common and a reason I won't use a TA for most trips anymore. Yes, I realize that they can provide a service, but I pretty much know what I am doing when going to Disney so it is not like I need thier help.

I book almost ALL my travel on line and have never had a problem. The fare your mom saw was probably a "web fare" and was not available to the TA. The airlines do still pay them a small fee for booking and are trying to convince us not to use TAs just to avoid that fee.

I am going on a vacation trip to Turkey and we did use a TA for that.

I agree Carol.
When I leave the country I book via a TA, but, when I travel in the US I do it myself. anyone can have a security breach so, my cc cards and other personal information is at as much risk on the net or in a TA's computer or office.

 

[FoodLover]

Originally posted by CarolA
The airlines do still pay them a small fee for booking and are trying to convince us not to use TAs just to avoid that fee.

Just FYI, the airlines do NOT pay ANY commission to travel agents anymore. That's why agents are now charging their clients a booking fee.

The only exception is a few corporate TAs who have direct contracts with the airlines, and most of those have been discontinued as well.

I book all of my own airfare online. The majority of the TAs I know either book online for their clients and then charge the client for the service, or suggest that the clients go online and book their own air.

Mary
MouseSavers.com