Originally Posted by
LondonElite
I think your experience makes the point that we were making. With a little bit of work, you should be able to get flights priced reasonably close to what an OTA can get. But even places like Orbitz and Expedia can really leave you in a mess when irregular operations happen. The problem is usually that no one wants to talk you when things go wrong. The airline tells you to talk to your travel agent, but your 'travel agent' doesn't really have a number where you can speak to someone who wants to/can help you. You go around in circles. With an airline ticket, you're much better off talking to a real person at the airport.
I appreciate your point but I am not rich. I try to save a penny any way I can.
I tried to save money on business class tickets to Thailand using these mileage brokers and eventually it ended badly. I have used Orbitz for years and never had a problem with them. I have on a couple of rare occasions dealt directly with the airlines.
If I were to buy tickets through an airline there will not be a discount.
Although I have actually found the opposite on occasion! I have used Orbitz as a database and then gone to the airline and actually saved on the ticket.
It is all a jumble.
When I fly in July it will be economy.
The reason is that - it would seem - Jan 2 to Thailand is cheaper than July. By several thousand dollars!!
So I can only fly once a year business.
It might well happen that I buy tickets from a mileage broker so as to save a grand. It depends. At the moment there isn't enough of a difference to make me take a chance.
I hate using these brokers though. They are all essentially untrustworthy and even if they are as is a mileage broker you are still wide open for mr cockup to come calling.
