# Travel Agents and their value.



## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

I used to use travel agents but recently have been doing all my own arrangements online.

Some friends were with us on our last cruise (the Oceania one from Hong Kong to Athens were I got to meet many of the AskAndy Forum Members along the way)! The friends kept talking about this great travel agent they had.

So when I got ready to go to the CSE in New York City this year I contacted him. Not only did he get us great flights (and seats) and our hotel room, but he got them at the lowest price possible (I checked!!). :aportnoy:

But even more important when part of the trip included the 4th worst blizzard in NYC City history and flights were being canceled like crazy, I checked in with him to see if we were OK getting back to LA. He had been checking the flights status daily and even called us the night before our departure to say we were fine. 

Great service and you can take advantage of it no matter where you are since everything is done via e-mail. Try him and tell him thanks and hello for me!

Sandy Lubarsky [email protected]


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## Joe Frances (Sep 1, 2004)

*Travel Agents*

Andy:

Two things: What agency is he with? I would like to check the website if they have one.

Second: while I like you have cut back on travel agencies, it seems to me that specialty agencies make a lot of sense. One I contacted had great deals for golf holidays in Scotland and Ireland. Another specialist on Rome did a great hotel; Vatican library tour, and even lectures and special exhibits that I probably wouldn't have found on my own. Also, as a classical music lover, I plan to work with a specialist agent on a cultural itinerary for 2011. The entrepreneurial spirit lives on and travel agents are finding ways to deal with the "do it yourself" deals by selling inside's expertise.

Joe


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

Joe:

Sorry for the delayed response. Sandy works through e-mail. You might just contact him for questions or details!


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## C_Clarke (Nov 30, 2010)

Andy (and anyone else who might be able to chime in),

Do you tip your travel agent? I'm aware that many of them don't necessarily get commissions from airlines the way they used to and I have no idea whether hotels/restaurants, etc., provide them with any compensation for their referrals either.

If you do tip, what is a good amount for their services if they've arranged everything from your flights to your car service, place to stay, dinner reservations, etc?


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## TheGreatTwizz (Oct 27, 2010)

Hey, another guy from the Philly/SJ area.....

FWIW, I can't say I've ever had a travel agent get me either a better deal, or make things easier. I used one for a friends destination wedding (we were all referred there), and I booked my flights on my own the same day as the bride, and mine were $50 less (same exact flight, seats, etc). 

The g/f and I decided to take a New Years Eve vacation this year, so I reach out to the agent. They tell me the hotel is booked and I can't get the room. I called the hotel, had the room booked an hour later, and they told me there was plenty availability. I regard Travel Agents like car salesman (I am one), mortgage brokers, and Realtors........

Clark....yes, the agent is is still well compensated from every vendor with which they book.


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## C_Clarke (Nov 30, 2010)

Hey, Twizz.

I'm a gal, but yes I'm in the Philly/SJ area too. 

I don't think mine has really saved much on the price of the airfare, but more so the time involved with looking for the best fair, dealing with the villa, setting up reservations, doing the research, etc., basically just making it so all we have to do is show up at our departing airport and have the piece of mind that everything is already taken care of.

I would say that I don't think it's worth it to necessarily have one for domestic travel unless one is just _that_ busy, but travel agents come in handy for international trips. I was always under the impression that it wasn't necessary to tip them because they got commissions, but I've lately read that most of them no longer do so I wasn't sure if that loss of income was now made up by being tipped.


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## McKay (Jun 13, 2005)

I use a travel agent for the simple reason that I can take the elevator down a few floors from my office and talk to a living, breathing, person (who does not work for an airline). It's miles ahead of websites, phone lines that leave me on hold so long I have to shave again by the time I hang up, and the general disinterest airlines themselves seem to have regarding their passengers.


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