GERMANY - what OTA do you recommend?
Oct 27, 2016, 9:03 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,405
Expedia.de does a good job.
Everything else I know has considerably higher risk. I frequently book dirt cheap tickets with opodo.de/edreams.de, but I wouldn't count on them if there's a problem with the booking.
Regarding Flight search engines, the usual suspects used in Europe are quite good.
Everything else I know has considerably higher risk. I frequently book dirt cheap tickets with opodo.de/edreams.de, but I wouldn't count on them if there's a problem with the booking.
Regarding Flight search engines, the usual suspects used in Europe are quite good.
Oct 27, 2016, 3:27 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 776
I assume you are considering OTAs not for additional service but for cheaper tickets.
I just use google flights and look at the prices. Unless OTAs have significant savings over the airline, I don't use them. OTAs and airlines just love playing the blame game whenever something goes wrong.
Most of them are trying to upsell stuff like travel insurance (some harder than others), or are charging a lot for trivial features that are free or much cheaper when booked with the airline directly (meal choice, seat selection, name correction, cancellation, ...).
Expedia.de is definitely among the better ones, they actually step up and try to help you if something happens, many others have spotty support at best. Avoid fluege.de and their associates. They are borderline scammers and had several run-ins with consumer law.
I just use google flights and look at the prices. Unless OTAs have significant savings over the airline, I don't use them. OTAs and airlines just love playing the blame game whenever something goes wrong.
Most of them are trying to upsell stuff like travel insurance (some harder than others), or are charging a lot for trivial features that are free or much cheaper when booked with the airline directly (meal choice, seat selection, name correction, cancellation, ...).
Expedia.de is definitely among the better ones, they actually step up and try to help you if something happens, many others have spotty support at best. Avoid fluege.de and their associates. They are borderline scammers and had several run-ins with consumer law.
Oct 27, 2016, 4:20 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Flying between BER, ZRH, EZE, COR
Programs: LH SEN, UA 1K, A3*G, AR Platino, BA Gold
Posts: 113
Both Unister (Flueche.de, Airlinedirect.de etc) and Odigeo Group (edreams/opodo) do offer some really cheap flights and awesome discounts.
But if you actually need help Expedia.de offers the best service. Their agents are well trained and know their job. Expedia doesn't offer any real discounts but they don't cheat (no aggressive sales of useless insurances, no hidden fees) which makes them great to book certain fares which are not bookable through the airline as well as Error Fares.
But if you actually need help Expedia.de offers the best service. Their agents are well trained and know their job. Expedia doesn't offer any real discounts but they don't cheat (no aggressive sales of useless insurances, no hidden fees) which makes them great to book certain fares which are not bookable through the airline as well as Error Fares.
Nov 24, 2016, 11:21 am
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
Nov 25, 2016, 2:30 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,405
Edit: The payment was accepted after all.
Last edited by WorldLux; Nov 25, 2016 at 2:38 am
Nov 25, 2016, 1:00 pm
#10
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
Confirmed again. I just wanted to book a flight on Opodo (I know the risk of doing so very well) and they put my booking on "hold". So I can't book somewhere else, but they won't yet go thru with it, claiming that a (IMHO invented) problem with the payment method has been detected.
Edit: The payment was accepted after all.
Edit: The payment was accepted after all.
Nov 25, 2016, 2:21 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,405
I'm well aware of that*. I hate Opodo, but their discounts (when paying with an Entropay) are just too attractive to pass on. On all the tickets I have booked so far with them, they had to pay the airline more. That's basically the only reason I book with them.
E.g. The flight I booked today was 140€ with them. I pay ~147€ (after the Entropay charging fee has bee included). Opodo paid the airline 200€.
*I book non-rebookable tickets where I know that the chances of getting flight cancelations are slim to none.
E.g. The flight I booked today was 140€ with them. I pay ~147€ (after the Entropay charging fee has bee included). Opodo paid the airline 200€.
*I book non-rebookable tickets where I know that the chances of getting flight cancelations are slim to none.
Nov 25, 2016, 4:14 pm
#12
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
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I'm well aware of that*. I hate Opodo, but their discounts (when paying with an Entropay) are just too attractive to pass on. On all the tickets I have booked so far with them, they had to pay the airline more. That's basically the only reason I book with them.
E.g. The flight I booked today was 140€ with them. I pay ~147€ (after the Entropay charging fee has bee included). Opodo paid the airline 200€.
*I book non-rebookable tickets where I know that the chances of getting flight cancelations are slim to none.
E.g. The flight I booked today was 140€ with them. I pay ~147€ (after the Entropay charging fee has bee included). Opodo paid the airline 200€.
*I book non-rebookable tickets where I know that the chances of getting flight cancelations are slim to none.
Nov 25, 2016, 4:56 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,405
No. The only credit card "fee" results from charging the Entropay Visa. They take 4.95%. Opodo limits the use to 1 booking per 3 month (a big no no in the eyes of customer rights). Initially their system could be bypassed by using an iPad (or by having your browser simulate an iPad - which most internet browser offer to developers to test their mobile websites).
Now their system is much more vigorously and blocks not only my Entropay card, but also the Entropay card of my SO (Another big no no in the eyes of consumer rights).
Now their system is much more vigorously and blocks not only my Entropay card, but also the Entropay card of my SO (Another big no no in the eyes of consumer rights).
Nov 25, 2016, 5:51 pm
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
No. The only credit card "fee" results from charging the Entropay Visa. They take 4.95%. Opodo limits the use to 1 booking per 3 month (a big no no in the eyes of customer rights). Initially their system could be bypassed by using an iPad (or by having your browser simulate an iPad - which most internet browser offer to developers to test their mobile websites).
Now their system is much more vigorously and blocks not only my Entropay card, but also the Entropay card of my SO (Another big no no in the eyes of consumer rights).
Now their system is much more vigorously and blocks not only my Entropay card, but also the Entropay card of my SO (Another big no no in the eyes of consumer rights).