Now more than ever you need to find a good travel agent. Airline cancellations, hotel and resort closures, travel restrictions, and destination entry requirements vary.
There are numerous consumer complaints about online travel sites and their spotty record of customer service recently, and those that just closed up shop never to be heard from again. Past & current issues ranging from unspecified post-trip charges to credit cards, airline tickets being rebooked to the wrong destination after a schedule change, being bounced from one supplier to another to resolve a problem, and hotel reservations not on record when guests show up. Add to that long hold times and dropped calls when needing to talk to a human and a lack of response to questions and complaints.
There are numerous stories about how agents saved the day for their clients. Getting them where they needed to go, and then working to get their customers refunds and credits. This is the best reason to work with a good travel agent, advocacy. Travel advisors have relationships with those who make decisions. If something goes wrong you have someone to step in to help you.
People are getting fed up with their online travel experience. Google’s research shows it takes 32 visits to 10 websites just to book a single airline ticket. Don’t waste your time or money; find a travel advisor to work with.
For a complete rundown on consumer complaints and their experiences when booking with an online travel site, read Doug Gollan’s article ” As OTAs Expand Their Reach, A Trail Of Complaints Suggests Online Booking May Not Be The Best Choice For Consumers.”
