Expedia or Emirates.com
 

I would like to make a booking however am leaning to do this on expedia.com as opposed to the emirates.com website.

This is because I want to fly from Devonport, Australia and Expedia will give me a ticket which includes the Qantas connecting flight from DPO to MEL whilst if I book via emirates.com I will need to ticket these flights separately.

What issues do I need to be aware of when booking with expedia as opposed to emirates direct?

Terms and Conditions will be Expedia's rather than the airlines. ie no refund if cancelled is the main one that springs to mind.

You also lose the CC purchase protection, not that either of the airlines is likely to go bust, but there may be other advantages in it.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the other big thing is any changes in ticketing mean you have to contact expedia. Say you're at the airport and the flight gets cancelled - you can not speak to the Emirates representative at the airport to rebook you - you have to phone expedia and get them to sort it out. Who wants that hassle?

Personally, I would book the DPO-MEL via QF.com and then do the rest on EK.com. As some of the others have said, I would just rather deal direct, and both airlines websites, while not perfect, should have you in and out within minutes.

EK will deal with EK-issued tickets even if purchased by Expedia. So you can buy it on Expedia and EK will change it before / after departure. The QF segment might complicate things a bit but IMHO expedia is better because you will be protected in case EK is delayed and you miss the QF flight or vice versa. If you buy tickets separately you would be out of luck.

I would have said go Expedia, that's based on experience. We got the same issue from CBR. Ended up booking through Expedia which pulled the correct fares.

That being said, I looked up EK fares on EF ex-DPO but could not find any. So if cost is the main factor it may not make much difference, except the guaranteed connection/weight allowance.

In both cases incorrect.

The ticket is issued by Emirates even when you book it through Expedia. When you combine more than one fare, the more restrictive fare rules apply.

CC purchase protection? You don't lose it.

You don't. If there are changes to itinerary before the travel has begun, the airline may require you to go through the travel agent who issued the ticket.

I would not. If the Qantas flight is delayed and you miss your EK flight, that is on separate ticket, good luck.

Absolutely.

It just makes me wonder why there is so much misinformation on FT nowadays?

Emirates could not refund an individual on an Expedia purchased ticket. They would have to make any refund due to Expedia themselves. As Expedia has a no cancellations policy this would come into force and the individual would receive nothing.

CC coverage for non provision of service would not be applicable if, for example, Emirates went bust and did not fly. The purchaser's contract is with Expedia who have provided the service asked of them, ie purchased a ticket on your behalf.
There are many examples where using a middle man (travel agent, Paypal etc) has caused this.
Granted the protection is not lost, as it still protects against any Expedia failure, but that's not what you'd be looking for here.

It does me a bit too. :rolleyes:

Thanks for all the replies.

Taking the above into consideration I am planning to purchase my tickets from the airlines direct. I'll have two PNR's for the journey... but then I'll try to find an insurance policy that will protect me for this - are there any good recommendations for Australian based travellers?

Also if I can buy the fare via Expedia perhaps EK is able to sell me the fare also... although their booking engine doesn't list DPO as a port of departure... a call to EK might help?

You can read the fare rules when you are purchasing ticket from Expedia. If the ticket is refundable, the refund can be processed less possible service fees.

Expedia is not purchasing the ticket. If it is a published fare, it will be ticketed and charged by Emirates. Any possible service fees will be charged by Expedia separately.

This is correct and corresponds to my experience. Whenever I book through Expedia I am billed in two portions. The airline bills the ticket and Expedia bills the service fees (usually 7 USD per person/ticket when booking in Europe).

If the ticket is refundable and you cancel, then Expedia will of course refund the ticket less their service fees (which they clearly declare as non-refundable when you book). Saying that Expedia keeps the money is like saying that if you use a TA, he/she will keep the money instead of giving it back to you when you cancel the ticket you issued via him/her.

In the OP's case I would definitely book via Expedia. If you book separately, QF runs late and you miss the connection, neither EK nor QF is under any obligation to offer you a new flight and EK may treat you as a no-show (i.e. your ticket may be lost depending on fare rules). If you are on one ticket, instead, you will be entitled to an alternative routing respectively another flight to your final destination.

If I book via Expedia can I then still manage my booking via the Emirates website - things like seat selection etc?

yes.

Not on Expedia UK. Their rules are no refund and that is made clear. There is no link to the EK Fare Rules as there is on the .com site.
They appear to have what they call "Expedia Special Fares" which changes the rules.

Really?

Review the rules and restrictions

Ticket must be purchased by 5-Apr-12.
Ticket changes may incur penalties and/or increased fares.
Courier delivery charge may apply.
Carriers reserve the right to change the flight schedule at any time prior to departure.
Tickets are non transferable and name changes are not allowed.
This price includes a non-refundable £10.00 administration fee.
Please read important information regarding airline liability limitations.
Prices may not include baggage fees or other fees charged directly by the airline.
Read an overview of all the rules and restrictions applicable to this fare.
Read the complete penalty rules for changes and cancellations applicable to this fare.

Fare rules and restrictions
We have not received information regarding the rules or restrictions for this flight. When you purchase your ticket, you agree to the following rules and restrictions.
Please assume that the fare is non-refundable and any change or cancellation will result in full forfeiture of the value of the ticket with no refund or credit available.
Rules and restrictions as imposed by the airline(s) will be applicable to your fare should you need to change or cancel your flight(s).
Airline tickets are non-transferable.
Some flights do not qualify for frequent flyer mileage accrua