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Why Should I Use a Travel Agent
by Howard Lewis on January 12, 2011 |
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Through the years I have been asked " what are the benefits of using a travel agent? ". My response includes the quality of service we provide, building unique and complex itineraries and always acting as your virtual valet and advocate. Although most clients can translate that information, for some, it isn't tangible without an example.
I recently had a situation develop around all this crazy weather occurring here in the states and abroad. A client was over in Hungary and scheduled to fly home to Portland via Amsterdam. She had one ticket round trip to Amsterdam and another from Amsterdam to Hungary. The Azumano agent had saved her hundreds of dollars by doing it that way. The evening before she was to return to Portland, the local airline in Hungary advised her the flight back to Amsterdam was canceled due to fog. She called and I was able to change her ticket to leave the next morning and spend the night in Amsterdam. I also changed her Delta ticket back to Portland to match her new date. A few hours later she called again and advised the airline had canceled that flight too. So, I re booked her on the afternoon flight and issued a new ticket. Everything would fall into place as long as the airline didn't cancel again.
I tracked her flight and it took off on time from Hungary. The joy was short lived. I was following the weather reports on the blizzard headed for the northeast. She was booked on a Delta flight routed through New York's JFK airport. The Amsterdam flight was set to fly, but Delta canceled the JFK to Portland flight. The phone lines to Delta were extremely busy but eventually I was able to get the ticket changed to the non stop from Amsterdam to Seattle continuing down to Portland. This way we averted her getting stuck and stranded at JFK.
She and I were both pleased on how it turned out. Would she have been able to do any of this without a travel agent advocating on her behalf? Chances are it's unlikely. I hope this story translates into something " tangible " if you are trying to decide whether to use a travel agent or not.
P.S. She also purchased travel insurance so she will be reimbursed for her hotel/meal expense in Amsterdam as well as the Delta change fee.
Comments:
| by Dot Smay on January 28, 2011 |
| Good for you Howard. That's exactly what we are here for!!!! |
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