If you’ve noticed more solicitations from hotel loyalty programs lately, there’s a good reason for that. Hotels would rather give you free rooms now and then than keep losing the commissions that they pay when you book through aggregators like Expedia or Trivago. [More]
travel agents
Travel Agents Accuse United, American & Delta Airlines Of Price Conspiracy
By 4.21.16
Last summer, the Department of Justice announced that it had opened an investigation into alleged collusion between major airlines to keep ticket prices high. Now, a group of travel agents are accusing three major airlines of also conspiring to raise prices for trips with multiple stops. [More]
Uber Is Thinking Of Getting Into The Travel Business
By 12.31.15
While yes, you certainly travel some distance when you’re riding in a car you had pick you up, Uber is apparently considering expanding its travel business beyond ride-hailing. [More]
Actual Hotels Are Also Listing Rooms For Rent On AirBNB
By 12.14.15
Most people think of AirBNB as a listing service for individuals who want to rent out a space, ranging from a spare room to an entire vacation homes. It’s an important “sharing economy” site, but people searching the site might notice some alternative offerings from… hotels. [More]
Upcoming Online Airfare Comparison Changes Raise Privacy, Discrimination Concerns
By 4.28.15
A group of senators raised concerns Tuesday that a new airfare comparison shopping system currently being developed could lead to unfair discrimination practices based on information the airlines receive from customers. [More]
Fake Travel Agent Allegedly Scammed Customers Out Of $130,000
By 10.16.14
People instinctively trust others more if we have something in common with them, and that instinct led some people of Fijian origin who live near Modesto, California to a scammer. A man who was originally from Fiji set himself up as a travel agent and accepted money to book flights, then gave customers phony paperwork without making reservations, or canceling return tickets while travelers were out of the country. [More]
Part Of Being A Good Travel Agent Is Actually Booking The Tickets For Your Customers
By 8.8.12
If you don’t book tickets for your clients to travel to their intended destination, does that make you a travel agent or just someone with an office plastered with posters of exotic locations? It makes you a thief, claim multiple customers of a travel agency in Oregon, who say the owner took their money but often didn’t follow through on booking tickets. [More]
Annoyed Travel Agents To Obama: We're Not Obsolete
By 8.22.11
There are two reasons we probably don’t write very many stories about travel agencies: many of them do a better job of problem-resolution than the airlines, hotels and cruise lines they deal with; and common sense would tell you it’s likely that fewer people are using agents because it’s just as easy to book travel on your own. President Obama recently expressed a similar sentiment, and the travel agents of America want him to know they haven’t exactly gone the way of the dot matrix printer. [More]
Expedia's Mistakes Nearly Doubled The Cost Of MyHoneymoon
By 8.5.10 — Updated: 9.8.16
Shawn and his new wife booked their honeymoon to Grand Cayman with the understanding that they’d paid $3,000 for an all-inclusive stay at a resort. A week into the 10-day trip, the online travel agency told the couple they’d be on the hook for more than $2,000 because the fee they paid wouldn’t cover an all-inclusive stay after all. [More]
Watch Out For These Travel Scams
By 5.17.10
Kiplinger has posted six travel scams you should be aware of, including “Be your own travel agent!” and “Join our travel club!” The key thing to remember is to stay away from unfamiliar travel agencies or websites, or at least do some research and try to find evidence that they’re legit before handing over your money. You should also make sure that any travel insurance you buy comes from a licensed insurer. [More]
Is It Time For Travel Agents To Make A Comeback?
By 8.6.09
Now that booking your own flight, car, and hotel reservations online is such a giant pain in the neck, travel agents don’t seem so bad. In a new report, Forrester Research says that “Consumers see other Web sites becoming easier to use – retail Web sites, banking Web sites, media Web sites. […] There are very few travel companies that are really looking to improve the planning and booking process.“
4 Ways To Cope With Frustrating Airline Cutbacks
By 8.25.08
What should you do when your airline calls to let you know that they’ve decided to randomly cancel your flight? Travel guru Christopher Elliott gives us the following nightmare scenario:
Travel Agency Charges For Airline Tickets, Cancel Tickets, Can't Be Reached For Refund
By 7.14.08
Dhanushka is having some trouble getting money back from his travel agent. He writes,
6 Worst Travel Agents Of 2007
By 2.5.08
According to the Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report the top 6 most complained about travel agents for 2007 are:
