A former Travel Agent’s take

Now, this post will not be talking about my time as a TA, rather it will focus on if I think you, as a consumer need to use a TA to book travel.

So, here’s my answer: Maybe.

Ok so maybe that’s not what you expected to hear, and you’re probably going to want more information than that. Here is the argument for using a TA, we’ll get to against after.

For:

Using a TA gives a certain amount of Security, for lack of a better term, working under the assumption that you’re working with an accredited agent who’s been properly trained, they know everything to look for from check in and check out times, to parking costs, vaccines and health warnings like the Zika Virus among others even the distance between certain places like your hotel and a theme park, for example. They make sure that you’re travelling with trustworthy companies, not one that may be under bankruptcy protection or on the verge of collapse, or even little things you may not think of like being near a construction site. TA’s also advocate for you at the worst moments when a flight is delayed or when your name isn’t at the hotel, they don’t have the car you booked, when you need to make a last-minute change and so many other times.

Most TA’s have a pretty substantial amount of Experience under their belts that they can rely on, that you will never have because you don’t do it day in and day out. That is simply a fact. And it can be said for all kinds of professions. The stories I alone could tell you would possibly make you weep because of how ridiculous things can get, but I am not about to start spilling that tea now, but if you would like to see a video like that leave me a comment and I’ll see what I can do…

Much like people in every field, the Knowledge that TA’s have is expansive. They know the ins and outs of software you probably don’t know exists, they know how to read the terms of bookings, they know what to say and who to contact for all kinds of issues and circumstances. They know what kind of hotels and resorts are best for what travellers as well as the reviews of those hotels, among countless other things.

TA’s have SO MANY Resources. They often have contacts that can make events special, like mentioning a birthday or anniversary, marriage or even a promotion to try to get an upgrade or at least a free cake or bottle of wine or something of that nature. Even as a former TA, I have a ton of resources, but nowhere near as many as I once did. Since I’m now just an individual person not working for a company, I no longer have the contacts, and even if I did, they may now be outdated. I still have a few sites and tricks I can use, but the software TA’s have is UNSURPASSED. So not only can they do things online but they also have contacts at airlines, hotels, resorts.

Everyone has a budget, big or small, you have one. What many don’t understand is that TA’s can save you money. Most TA’s get paid only commission, but that’s on the back-end, and between the agent (possible the agency) and the company they book with. With the exception of when you’re charged to open a file or a booking fee for services like all the research that they did for you, YOU DON’T PAY EXTRA! You may, like I said before, may get a less expensive rate if the agency has an agreement with the hotel/cruise/whatever company, but you do not personally pay commissions to the agent. I was lucky enough to be paid salary and bonuses, so I didn’t have as much pressure as some agents you may encounter do.

Against:

These days everyone has Access to Information. We all have the internet (for the most part) so we can all do our own research on countless topics and issues. You don’t need to call or go in to see someone to get information and honestly, if you don’t plan to book with that person, DO NOT go in to see them, call and ask questions and get information for hours. Do the research yourself, yes that is the agent’s job, but you wouldn’t do that to anyone else, so don’t do it to a TA who likely only makes money when bookings are made.

Contrary to the beliefs of MANY, TA’s DO NOT get ‘special Prices. We don’t have “hidden rooms” we don’t have seats reserved by airlines for our clients, nothing of that nature occurred at the agency I worked at and honestly, I really doubt it happens anywhere except sites that buy blocks of seats and rooms to sell them off on their own site like Expedia apparently does. So, while we may get agency discounts because we have suppliers we buy from often or because we have an agreement with them, you’re not getting a room at that super popular and hard to get into hotel, or a flight that’s fully booked unless someone cancels and you JUST so happen to be on the phone with an agent as it becomes available, which is pretty unlikely, but stranger things have happened.

If you’re someone who goes away on a whim number 1, take me with you? Ha-ha uhm you probably already know this but those last-minute deals are often limited time or have limited numbers of tickets so by the time you reach a TA they may be sold out.

I could go on about this at length, but I think I’ll end it here for now, there are a ton of things I didn’t get into like booking for groups, booking with kids, booking with pets, which you know how I feel about that, which will be in the cards up top and the description below, among countless other things.

If you’re looking for more information on sites to use check out the post from a while back for web travel tools, that I will put in a card up top and in the top of the description box just under this video and look out for one I have coming out on travel apps in the future.

Tell me in the comments below if you use a travel agent and if this video changed your perspective on TA’s at all!