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Post by chris on Apr 14, 2012 5:21:40 GMT 7
can any one tell me if it is much cheeper booking flights online,how much do you save,and is it easy to do, do travel agents make much out of you booking with them thanks.
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Post by Banjo on Apr 14, 2012 6:27:00 GMT 7
Check out the budget airline like Air Asia and calculate your flight cost, a quick look shows Melbourne-KL-Tokyo for less than $400 one way on the Air Asia site leaving 14th May. Assume the return is about the same and you're then armed to visit the travel agents and challenge them to give it for you for the same price. This is pretty well what I do, shop around online and in the travel agents. The exception is flying domestic in Asian countries, I always book online. For example if I'm going from Bangkok to Phuket I'll check Air Asia and Thai Airways and book the cheapest fare. Sometimes I check out Nok or 12Go if they have already had their crash for the month.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2012 6:30:05 GMT 7
Check out the budget airline like Air Asia and calculate your flight cost, a quick look shows Melbourne-KL-Tokyo for less than $400 one way on the Air Asia site leaving 14th May. Assume the return is about the same and you're then armed to visit the travel agents and challenge them to give it for you for the same price. This is pretty well what I do, shop around online and in the travel agents. The exception is flying domestic in Asian countries, I always book online. For example if I'm going from Bangkok to Phuket I'll check Air Asia and Thai Airways and book the cheapest fare. Sometimes I check out Nok or 12Go if they have already had their crash for the month. Also keep looking at Malaysian Airlines. For Adelaide to Bangkok return $971, not bad. Could be for parts of Australia.
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Post by chris on Apr 14, 2012 6:38:05 GMT 7
ok banjo, thanks 4 that,yesit would be a good idea
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Post by latindancer on Apr 14, 2012 9:22:28 GMT 7
Chris, Travel agents cost a lot more. My airline of choice is Air Asia, but watch it if you've never booked with them before. When you actually make the booking each page directs you automatically to the more expensive option. Take your time. Also the checked baggage info is rather misleading. The costs are cumulative, so for instance 25kg of baggage is 15 kg + 20 kg + 25. You'll see. The page seems to be charging you TWICE. It's not a lot, just irritating. I've had good service inflight. You pay extra for everything though.....meals, water, choosing a seat, etc.
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Post by wazza on Apr 14, 2012 9:38:56 GMT 7
Most agents wont quote you using air asia because they don't pay com as they are an online service you do all the work ,make sure you do your luggage and food for each sector ,just did mine with air asia return syd phuket $750 .aprox 200 to 300 cheaper than anything I could find through an agent ,some agents will say $850 but they are fixed into a you must travel between time window and sometimes that dose not suit my time frame .travel safe.
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Post by horace on Apr 14, 2012 9:51:19 GMT 7
Check out the budget airline like Air Asia and calculate your flight cost, a quick look shows Melbourne-KL-Tokyo for less than $400 one way on the Air Asia site leaving 14th May. Assume the return is about the same and you're then armed to visit the travel agents and challenge them to give it for you for the same price. This is pretty well what I do, shop around online and in the travel agents. Flight Centre sometimes have an advertisement about a "Lowest Price Guararantee", and if you ask them, they will "price beat", by $20, the very low price you have got a quote for from the internet, such as on the websites lastminute.com.au and travel.com.au. I think with Air Asia they will only give you the same price as on the Air Asia website. You have to be polite but assertive, as they don't like being forced to "work for nothing", with the very low prices I have brought into their store. It helps to have the "$20 price beat guararantee" advertisement with you, and they will probably make you jump through hoops, such as demanding a printout of the online quote, with the correct dates. (I have had to jump through these hoops) You can take it a bit far, though. A long time ago, I had three different air ticket stores competing and trying to 'price beat' each other, like in an auction, but they sussed what was happening, spoke to each other on the telephone, and became hostile.... but I still got the ticket.
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Post by rowdy on Apr 14, 2012 10:13:14 GMT 7
Check out the budget airline like Air Asia and calculate your flight cost, a quick look shows Melbourne-KL-Tokyo for less than $400 one way on the Air Asia site leaving 14th May. Assume the return is about the same and you're then armed to visit the travel agents and challenge them to give it for you for the same price. This is pretty well what I do, shop around online and in the travel agents. Flight Centre sometimes have an advertisement about a "Lowest Price Guararantee", and if you ask them, they will "price beat", by $20, the very low price you have got a quote for from the internet, such as on the websites lastminute.com.au and travel.com.au. I think with Air Asia they will only give you the same price as on the Air Asia website. You have to be polite but assertive, as they don't like being forced to "work for nothing", with the very low prices I have brought into their store. It helps to have the "$20 price beat guararantee" advertisement with you, and they will probably make you jump through hoops, such as demanding a printout of the online quote, with the correct dates. (I have had to jump through these hoops) You can take it a bit far, though. A long time ago, I had three different air ticket stores competing and trying to 'price beat' each other, like in an auction, but they sussed what was happening, spoke to each other on the telephone, and became hostile.... but I still got the ticket. Dont waste your time with Flight Centre. This whole lowest price guarantee is just to get you in the door and up sell you. They will give you all kinds of excuses such as "fare not available your dates" blah blah blah. I have never paid more than $1000 return form SYD to BKK. I always book online. Check all the airfare price comparison sites and then cross reference with the airlines themselves. In this day and age of the internet why anyone needs to walk into a travel agency is beyond me.
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Post by chris on Apr 14, 2012 12:47:50 GMT 7
ok ,thanks every one some good points there , i no what you mean rowdy its like downloading movies on the computer its very easy but lots of people still go to the video store and pay $7 a night lol.when you can get them free.
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Post by Banjo on Apr 14, 2012 13:02:12 GMT 7
Yeah, I still find myself drawn to the travel agents. I subconsciously feel the need for a number to ring with a live person on the other end if you're standing at the check in counter and you're not on the flight. And yes, it has happened.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2012 13:45:55 GMT 7
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Post by horace on Apr 14, 2012 15:41:21 GMT 7
Yes, everything is better done on the internet these days.
Recently there was some news that some travel agencies such as Flight Centre were complaining about airlines such as Malaysian and Emirates starting to sell bargain tickets on their websites.
If you go to the Emirates website they are offering some quite cheap fares from Kuala Lumpur to African cities such as Nairobi, Capetown and Johannesburg. Africa is not as cheap as Asia, but is still much cheaper than Australia. However, Africans are as friendly as Asians, or even more so, because they see far fewer tourists and foreigners over there.
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Post by rowdy on Apr 14, 2012 16:21:47 GMT 7
+1. I use Skyscanner too.
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Post by Banjo on Apr 14, 2012 16:47:50 GMT 7
Just checked a fare using it, ADL-BKK $1037. Not bad for a 13 week trip.
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Post by howdo on Apr 15, 2012 6:38:06 GMT 7
Check out the budget airline like Air Asia and calculate your flight cost, a quick look shows Melbourne-KL-Tokyo for less than $400 one way on the Air Asia site leaving 14th May. Assume the return is about the same and you're then armed to visit the travel agents and challenge them to give it for you for the same price. I find most times the return flight with air Asia is much dearer than the advertised one way. making it almost the same price as regular airlines, but taking much longer.
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