Question about Travel Agents and flight bookings...?
I need to book a flight for some time in December. This is the first time ever I will be flying alone and I am SUPER DUPER SCARED. I don't want to book online because of all the messing with e-tickets etc. I want to have the actual boarding pass in my hands so that I don't get stressed, therefore I have decided to go to a Travel Agents and book that way. BUT - Do Travel Agents charge more for using their service? I am not going on some holiday break, just need to fly from London UK to Pittsburgh USA and back for business reasons. - How does the Travel Agent find the best flight/arline for me or do they have certain ones they can only 'look' for? - Do you have any advice or info I need to know because I am getting VERY worried. Thank you.
Air Travel - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Alright mate i just got back from England i left from Seattle Wa. (Sea-Bhx) I am only 15 Years old and i was So scared of planes because all the crashes and all the other stuff But when i got on the plane I started to think that Thousands of planes fly Everyday So whats the point of Getting nervous So it was a 10 Hour flight i slept for 6 hours or so and i didnt even notice anything man it was Great i took air France Pretty good Service there's no point being worried mate i was scared back then too even when i left SEA I came back a week ago I had a blast man just Enjoy your trip Mate and have a Good one. If your like Scared of heights then dont be By the Window Seat But i like The window seat haha :) but bro dont need to worry if you want to sleep just take Sleeping pills and have a good trip no need but worried alright man ! Be SAFE ! AND HAVE FUN NO NEED TO WORRY :) http://www.expedia.com (best site i ever used) and its not a random site almost everyone uses this site its cheap and here are some airlines continental,delta,united airlines,air canada ,american air lines etc.... *******************************************************I would go a Agent that you trust and that is good ask your friends.. and stuff but read all of this it will help************ ( HAVE FUNNNNNNNNNN)) When you taxi, you barely feel the plane move at all. At this point the cabin crew will tell you all you need to know about what to do in case of emergencies and such. They will do a demonstration or show a video of where the exits are, how to fasten your seatbelt, when portable electronics can and can't be used, etc. The captain will come on and give a little speech about the flight and what to expect - something about how long it will take until you take-off, what to expect weather wise in your destination city, and how long the flight should take. When the plane prepares for liftoff, it starts to go really fast down the runway, and then within 45 seconds you are up in the air. Things may seem a little wobbly at first, but that's just because of moving through the different altitudes. Your ears will pop as you climb through the altitudes also. The best ways are to alleviate the pressure are to: *chew gum *drink something *suck on a hard candy or mints *yawn *pinch the nostrils shut, take a deep breath in through the mouth, then force the air into the back of the nose as if trying to blow your nose *Another trick that used mainly on babies and small children, but can be used on anyone, is to gently but with some pressure, rub your neck repeatedly from the chin to the base of the neck. This will cause a swallowing motion that will relieve pressure build-up in the ears. Once you are in the air, things will feel smooth. You will hear the humm of the engines, but that's normal, nothing to worry about. I actually find it relaxing. If there is turbulence, you might feel the plane wobble a little bit (usually up and down) but remember, planes are designed to withstand this, so take a deep breath and try not to think about it. It might give you a few butterflies in your stomach though. After a few minutes, you will hear a ding. This is the captain letting the flight attendants know that the plane has reached 10,000 feet. At this point, the rate of ascent will decrease. You will also get an announcement that it's OK to use portable electronic devices at this time. When you are approaching landing, your ears will pop as you descend through the altitudes (remember: chewing gum, drinking something, swallowing, yawning, etc will alleviate the pressure). You will feel the plane slow down and the cabin crew will prepare you for landing. As you get close to your destination, the captain will come back on and tell you how much longer until you land, and what the weather is like. When the plane touches down it kind of feels like a short jolt, and then you hear them cut the engines off and the plane slows down pretty fast. From there, the plane will taxi to either the gate or the designation where a bus will pick you up. You wait for the plane to decompressurize a few moments before they start letting the passengers out. That was your flight. To entertain yourself: - Bring along a few book, magazines, puzzles (such as crosswords or Sodoku if you like those). - Bring along an iPod, MP3 player, or CD player to listen to music. - A laptop is good to have as you can play games on it, connect to the internet, and get any work done that you may have. (You have to have a WIFI card in your laptop and the airline will charge you to connect to the internet) or watch DVDs. - Try talking to the people next to you. Sometime you will meet some really interesting people, and forge friendships.
2 :
Travel agents charge more generally. you don't get the boarding pass from the travel agent you get it from the ticket agent at the airport and they only need your confirmation number that you get from buying your ticket online. Don't be a fool and buy online if you want to save money. Travel agents should only be used for complex travel arrangements and retards.
3 :
Online booking sites like travelocity and expedia are travel agents too. They just operate online, that's all. If you want to be absolutely sure, it's best to buy directly from the airline website. However, if you are flying for business, your company may have a designated travel agent. If you want a paper ticket, the airline will have to mail it to you. Most travel agents no longer issue paper tickets because they make so little money in the transaction, they don't want the hassle.
4 :
Booking the flight on line will save you money and give you control over who you fly with. Travel agents work on commission and through other agents called consolidators who also take commission. As to the ticket and boarding pass, these are not the same thing. Over 90% of flights now operate on e-tickets (electronic). These are far more secure than the old style paper tickets as you cannot lose them and the airline has all the information on the flight electronically tagged to your name. You can print a copy for your peace of mind. The boarding pass is different again. Most airlines now allow you to print these yourself between 14 days and four hours prior to the flight. Many airlines will charge extra for checking in at a desk at the airport. E-tickets are safe and secure. Travel agents are best for complex itineraries involving more than one airline or trips with ground services like tours, hotels and car or boat hire. Airline websites have the cheapest airline tickets from A to B.
5 :
Hey lovely, it comes down to this - if you want the comfort and security of knowing someone is there to help you, to call if you are stuck at the airport at a godly hour - then pay a little more for the service. Get a travel agent. They have access to almost all the fares you see online, unless the airline is so dodgy they dont do business with them. Its simple - buy the ticket online yourself or go through a travel agent and know they have done everything for you.
