Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - Ridiculous wait time to change tickets on Expedia

I made the decision tonight to never again use Expedia to book my travel for the 70-80K miles I fly per year. I had to make a simple change to a flight. All they had to do was cancel one booking and apply that credit to a new flight on some US travel. This process took 90 minutes to complete. Absolutely ridiculous in my opinion. I normally fly Air Canada and changes like this take less than 15 min, so how it takes Expedia, who I'm sure does 100 times the volume, is beyond me. This same process on a flight last year took 80 minutes. I assumed it was just a one time occurrence, but I guess not. After all was booked I asked to speak to a manager. When I asked why it was necessary to charge me $165 cancellation fee to waste 90 minutes of my time, her reply was they were "not obligated to do anything for me". Service at its best. :td:

Just thought I would pass this experience along to any others who may make changes to their flights. Expedia is not where you want to book.

Thanks for the heads up. I book either directly with the airline or with a travel agent. Gave up with other booking sites long ago. But even airline hold times can be horrendous in times of major weather or other incidents.

Thanks for the heads up. I book either directly with the airline or with a travel agent. Gave up with other booking sites long ago. But even airline hold times can be horrendous in times of major weather or other incidents.

This was not a wait time before I spoke to an agent. They anwered within a minute or so. The 90 minutes was the time I spent on the phone while he actually made the change to the ticket. I think I was put on hold 10 times.

Sadly,I've had wait times like this with many companies lately. Travel and others.

This was not a wait time before I spoke to an agent. They anwered within a minute or so. The 90 minutes was the time I spent on the phone while he actually made the change to the ticket. I think I was put on hold 10 times.

There is a price to my time and I am glad I don't use Expedia!

I made the decision tonight to never again use Expedia to book my travel for the 70-80K miles I fly per year. I had to make a simple change to a flight. All they had to do was cancel one booking and apply that credit to a new flight on some US travel. This process took 90 minutes to complete. Absolutely ridiculous in my opinion. I normally fly Air Canada and changes like this take less than 15 min, so how it takes Expedia, who I'm sure does 100 times the volume, is beyond me. This same process on a flight last year took 80 minutes. I assumed it was just a one time occurrence, but I guess not. After all was booked I asked to speak to a manager. When I asked why it was necessary to charge me $165 cancellation fee to waste 90 minutes of my time, her reply was they were "not obligated to do anything for me". Service at its best. :td:

Just thought I would pass this experience along to any others who may make changes to their flights. Expedia is not where you want to book.

I am curious why people use travelocity, expedia et al. for airfare only booking versus directly thru the airline. Credits, vouchers redemptions make sense, but was wondering if there are other incentives? Maybe company requires it? Just curious.

I am curious why people use travelocity, expedia et al. for airfare only booking versus directly thru the airline. Credits, vouchers redemptions make sense, but was wondering if there are other incentives? Maybe company requires it? Just curious.

For me it is for booking complex itineraries.

You are using an online TA and you expected service???? They are on line... the very nature means very few phone operators and basically no trained agents!

I only use them if I have to do interline booking and I expect nothing from them. Therefore I am not disappointed!

well, its true, but my experience is more worse.I was on the phone with an agent for chnaging date of my ticket (Im calling from Asia to thier US phone number, so Im technically spending money), I was hold for 45 minutes, due to some reason which is normal on phone conversation, the line was cut off.I dialed again, with a new agent and we started from square 1, another 40 minutes I was on hold, then I run out of my phone card, I need to hang up, then got a new card then call again, a new agent again this time, square 1 again.The story continues..It was a torture I must admit.

Two reasons to use Expedia.

First: 1% cash back rebates on ebates.com (only as long as the ticket price offsets the booking fee).

Second: On occasion their pricing on interline fares are much cheaper than booking direct. I've seen a lot of mixed NW/DL fares in the last few months that don't seem to show up anywhere else.

Their CS does suck. I constantly hope that I don't have to make a modification to an itin.

I used Expedia several times. Only once did I have to call them and that was back in 2001 or so (I spoke to a USA based agent at the time & problem was resolved quickly on the spot).

I booked a couple tickets that were approx $160 each. United wanted >$800 each. :mad: I also got the mistake fare Denver-Frankfurt in 2001 for $137 all in. ;) Got miles on UA for that trip. :)

More recently, I booked a couple hotels using the $50 discount link posted on FT. Cost almost nothing. ^

I don't know if I would use Expedia unless there is a compellling reason I can get it for alot less than booking direct. Like other FTers, I value my time & do not want to spend alot of time with them to take care of a simple problem.

More recently, I booked a couple hotels using the $50 discount link posted on FT. Cost almost nothing.

I'm new to FT. Out of curiosity, where would I find any available discount links on this website?

I had a similar situation. i was on the phone with frontier airlines for over an hour to change the time of 2 tickets i had bought. They charged me $150 change fee PER ticket, AND $25 for having to book a different flight over the phone. The $25 was complete bull, since you can only change a flight over the phone, and not online. I swear they find any possible way to suck money out of you!