Sure, I've used travel agents, and when they are good, they are worth the fees.

Unfortunately, of the four good travel agents I have used, one died, two retired, and one at AMEX Platinum Travel Service was gone so quickly I got whiplash.

Most of the others are in a hurry and do not want to spend any time looking up your tricky fares, learn about your destinations, or much of anything else except selling you the easiest flights that come up for them without regard for terms and conditions or even price often enough, the cruises or packages they are getting spiffed on this week and get you off the phone as quickly as possible so they can rinse and repeat for the next caller and build their fees.

Harsh? Yes, but that's my experience.