Good agents are like gold - here's proof
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Philippines
Programs: CebGo 5J, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Alaska 100K
Posts: 4,696
Good agents are like gold - here's proof
G'day all,
Yesterday I found our my Father passed away in Australia and I work in China.
Within two hours and thirty minutes a wonderful travel agent by the name of Vicky [email protected] had all my tickets arranged to Australia and my Hotel in HKG ($499 HKD) booked and ticketed, guaranteed only on the basis of my honour that I will turn up in HKG and pay for the tickets. I just had to get to HKG from Xiamen which in itself is not always easy.
Point being - this cements the whole argument in my mind out agents vs web sites. Stick with an agent and a good one will stick with you.
P.S. HKG-Adelaide-HKG on Malaysian airlines $3649 HKD (excellent deal)
For HKG pax, check out www.tiglion.com and ask for Vicky. If there was a Freddie award for agents - She gets my nomination.
Yes - this is a recommendation and I am proud of it.
Now the funeral (it was expected - not a surprise)
Yesterday I found our my Father passed away in Australia and I work in China.
Within two hours and thirty minutes a wonderful travel agent by the name of Vicky [email protected] had all my tickets arranged to Australia and my Hotel in HKG ($499 HKD) booked and ticketed, guaranteed only on the basis of my honour that I will turn up in HKG and pay for the tickets. I just had to get to HKG from Xiamen which in itself is not always easy.
Point being - this cements the whole argument in my mind out agents vs web sites. Stick with an agent and a good one will stick with you.
P.S. HKG-Adelaide-HKG on Malaysian airlines $3649 HKD (excellent deal)
For HKG pax, check out www.tiglion.com and ask for Vicky. If there was a Freddie award for agents - She gets my nomination.
Yes - this is a recommendation and I am proud of it.
Now the funeral (it was expected - not a surprise)
#4
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 717
In the past I had to travel twice to attend funerals. The first time I checked airline funeral fares it was twice the price of a discounted ticket and therefore no use to me. The second time the price was four times the price of a discounted ticket. It seems that when someone is griefstricken by the death of a love one, it becomes the airline industry's opportunity to rip you off.
#6
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: BOS
Programs: JetBlue Mosaic, WN A List Preferred, Hyatt Globalest, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Spire
Posts: 3,966
Davistev,
I am sorry to learn of your loss, and wish you all the best in this difficult time. I hope that your trip continues to go as well as a trip like this could.
When I worked as a travel agent...I remember coming across a pnr where an ATO basically gave the pax the lowest published fare in the market for a situation like this (rather than the airlines higher special fare). They just documented the record they were issuing fare basis xxx due to family emergency per ... at the ato.
I am sorry to learn of your loss, and wish you all the best in this difficult time. I hope that your trip continues to go as well as a trip like this could.
When I worked as a travel agent...I remember coming across a pnr where an ATO basically gave the pax the lowest published fare in the market for a situation like this (rather than the airlines higher special fare). They just documented the record they were issuing fare basis xxx due to family emergency per ... at the ato.
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Philippines
Programs: CebGo 5J, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Alaska 100K
Posts: 4,696
Thank you for your thoughts people.
Yes, bereavement fares are a touchy issue and one that could be discussed on this forum.
1) Some agents have no idea bereavement fares and are ill-informed.(although Industry discount fares tend to be cheap if you can waive the restrictions in a case like this)
2) PNR are a good way to make a trip a little easier IF IT IS USED SPARINGLY. The more requests an airline gets, the greater the likelihood something like this could slip through. (My wife and I were not upgraded but we were given the exit row seats with a space between us - 747-400B on what was a full flight.)Frankly, we were just happy to get a seat with no notice.
Cheers all.
Dave Stevenson
Yes, bereavement fares are a touchy issue and one that could be discussed on this forum.
1) Some agents have no idea bereavement fares and are ill-informed.(although Industry discount fares tend to be cheap if you can waive the restrictions in a case like this)
2) PNR are a good way to make a trip a little easier IF IT IS USED SPARINGLY. The more requests an airline gets, the greater the likelihood something like this could slip through. (My wife and I were not upgraded but we were given the exit row seats with a space between us - 747-400B on what was a full flight.)Frankly, we were just happy to get a seat with no notice.
Cheers all.
Dave Stevenson
#8
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Monkeyville
Programs: Island DOs, very sticky toffee pud w vanilla ice cream n multi-coloured velvet pillows enthusiast
Posts: 4,647
my condolences to u and ur family, davistev..
i too, had a similiar experience last year while in paris... my father passed away suddenly, and i had to find 4 tkts back to SFO at 6a.m. paris time...
was not as fortunate as u, i called delta in the states, she sold me 4 restricted bereavement tkts, (code share with AF) 50% off regular fare....
at the airport i found out that air france had the regular unrestricted Y fare the same as what i had paid!
not only i didnt actually get 50% off, i couldnt upgrade our tkts! (using mileage)
and the agents at CDG delta counter werent of much help either....
anyway, sorry i brought this up, but just to let everyone know bereavement fares r not actually the best deal....
wishing u: --all through the way with smooth winds-- as the chinese saying goes...
i too, had a similiar experience last year while in paris... my father passed away suddenly, and i had to find 4 tkts back to SFO at 6a.m. paris time...
was not as fortunate as u, i called delta in the states, she sold me 4 restricted bereavement tkts, (code share with AF) 50% off regular fare....
at the airport i found out that air france had the regular unrestricted Y fare the same as what i had paid!
not only i didnt actually get 50% off, i couldnt upgrade our tkts! (using mileage)
and the agents at CDG delta counter werent of much help either....
anyway, sorry i brought this up, but just to let everyone know bereavement fares r not actually the best deal....
wishing u: --all through the way with smooth winds-- as the chinese saying goes...
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: source of weird and eccentric ideas
Posts: 38,678
USAirways went out of their way to get my wife a bereavement fare recently and I too was very appreciative. We didn't use a travel agent (although I quite understand your argument and can agree wholeheartedly) but they were great in a tough time.