Is It Any Easier To Book Online??

[BYALPHAINDIA]

If some of you remember, I tried unsucesfully for 2 weeks to book a holiday online @ Thomas Cook.

And due to it having 'Technical Errors' it was as much use as a 'Chocolate Fireguard'.:ugh:

I decided today, To 'Bin' that idea, After all the 'wasted' time on the Internet, And went into a Thomas Cook branch in person.

It actually turned out:

A = Easier
B = Better
C = Cheaper

And the staff were friendly & efficient too.:D

In future I will go in person, And speak to a 'human Being' instead of trying to speak to a computer.

Stick to the 'basics' in life it's easier and less confusing in the long run.

And may save you money.

So is it any easier booking online, Or is it just an 'Overated' way of trying to save time.:confused:

[Globaliser]

I think it depends on the airline concerned and its website. And it also depends on your familiarity with the way that the website works. As with many things, practice makes perfect.

A bad website can make you want to bang your head against the wall. It might then be quicker to book offline, although many airlines will now charge you for the privilege. But a good website will offer you much more information, much more quickly, from which to make a good and informed decision. And that is as valuable as speed in the actual booking process once you've made the decision about what you're going to buy.

[newswatcher]

I agree with Globaliser. It can also be a different experience depending on whether you are booking a "package" or flights & accommodation separately. Nowadays, I often find it cheaper to book directly with the airline concerned, than through a consolidator, and you usually escape the added booking fee! :)

I have not used a Travel Agent in over 10 years, and my wife and I go away at least once every year. During this time we have been on several "package" holidays, all booked online without any problems. :cool:

The recent double merger of the four biggest players in the UK package market threw in some interesting anomalies! Shortly, after the merger of Thomson and First Choice, it proved cheaper to book a long-haul package to a Jamaica destination through the Thomson site, using a First Choice flight, than it was chosing the exact same holiday directly through the First Choice site! :confused:

Your problems with Thomas Cook may be the result of the merger with Airtours, since their respective systems were not necessarily compatible and easy to migrate!

I do hope you try online again, and that your experience is more rewarding. :ok:

[Hartington]

I am quite happy booking A-B-A flights on the net. I would be happy booking a simple package to somewhere like Spain or Turkey on the net. I regularly book hotel rooms and cars on the net.

BUT

In 2001 I went to Argentina. I had about a month to get everything arranged. I found Last Frontiers (an agency near Ayelsbury who specialise in South and Central America). I took a morning off work and drove to see them. They asked me questions about my interests and expectations, made suggestions and we worked together to put together an intinerary. This year we went to Japan and this time I used Inside Japan (Bristol). In both cases I was well served.

Next year we're off to New Zealand. I went on the Air NZ website to try and make the booking but the routing I wanted (LHR/HKG/AKL/SFO surface LAX/LHR couldn't be booked on their site so I had to phone them. Quite apart from the routing because I made the booking in February 2008 for travel in January/February/March/April 2009 they could book the LHR/HKG/AKL but had to "register" me for the onward sectors. The onward flights have since been confirmed but I paid the fare in February and it won't change; no new fuel surcharges. Interestingly, the Telegraph carried an article about a month after I had completed the booking (and before the onward flights had been confirmed) that said it was impossible to do what I have done/was doing.

Agencies do have a place. They can do things that the web sites haven't been programmed for (I mean how many people book a year and more in advance?!). If you choose your agency they can provide expertise, knowledge and information that you don't have. But too many of them are still little more than order takers and I can understand why people shun them.

[Two-Tone-Blue]

As noted above, simple bookings on the interweb thingie are painless. I regularly do flights and cars on the Web ... and I've got used to how the sites function. It also helps that Mrs TTB sits alongside to double-check data inputs while I concentrate on clicking and typing.

When it gets a bit more complicated [multiple sectors being the prime example] it can get difficult. For example, as a BA Club member, I can "book and upgrade with miles" without any difficulty for a straightforward return flight. The system even anticipates Mrs TTB travelling with me. However, add a third sector and it doesn't work: I can do it from the normal home page, but not as a Club member using my miles :rolleyes:.
I've tried enquiring from BA Club by telephone and email ... both approaches were met with "not very helpful". There's a letter in the post to them at the moment ... ;)