[Hurrah]

Hey everyone!

Can anyone tell me what is the best way to make airline reservations? Would you suggest going through a travel agent, or handling it online, or does calling the airline direct work for you?

This might sound like a strange question, but when you hear what happened to our airline reservations you will understand.

The first thing we did was look up the air fares online. Computers are very helpful that way. We picked the flights we wanted, but decided that since it was through American Airlines, we'd just call their 800# and speak to a live person rather than chance a computer glitch foul-up (Our computers have been acting strange lately - but that's another story). The customer service rep was great. Since hubby needed to make sure he could get the specific days off from work that we had selected, we asked them to hold the reservations until the next day. "No problem" the rep says. "Great" we think.

The next day we call back to pay for the reservations they are holding. Again, things go swimmingly. We give the credit card # and they say we will get a confirmation e-mail with the stuff we need to know. "Great! Thanks" we say. So far so good. That was the 14th.

Next day, no e-mail. Strange, huh? I check our credit card information online. It says American Airlines debited $1. (Twice!). Huh? What's that about? We look for the confirming e-mail. Nothing. We probably should have called that evening, but since hubby took Wed. off (my birthday) we decided to give them another day. After all, it looked like they were TRYING to bill our credit card so we figured the confirming e-mail would come shortly after they submitted the amount to the credit card correctly. Right?

So, yesterday, when the two pups woke us up at 5:30 in the morning (BTW it's earlier than usual for us, but we're trying to potty train them, so what can we do?) After our jaunt outside, we called American Airlines. They say our reservations were cancelled! We explain that not only DIDN'T we cancel our resercations, we were given seat assignments and paid for the airfare with our credit card. We explained that our credit card is showing two charges for $1. How can that be if we cancelled? They weren't very good about listening and just didn't seem to get it. They suggested we call our credit card company to find out why there were charges on our card. (Hah! Could it be that American Airlines was, in fact, trying to charge us for our reservations? , and perhaps, it was not some bogus charge as they suggested?)

After much aggravation from a rude customer service person, hubby requested to speak to a supervisor (who was almost just as rude). They just don't listen and talk over you. I had to laugh when my exasperated husband asked, "Do you tell your representatives to be rude to their customers?" Eventually, they agreed to set up the reservations and give them to us for the price we were originally promised.

In the end, we got a confirming e-mail and they charged our credit card correctly (plus two more $1 charges - which now adds up to $4 - but what the heck... if that what it takes to get to OK we'll buy it.) I just hope we can get there and back without something else happening. Next trip we drive the 28 hours!

So, hence my question for any suggestions for avoiding this nonsense. I'm thinking that taking the 'travel agent' route to purchase tickets is best just to walk out with a printed ticket in hand. Am I being paranoid or is this a common problem with all airlines? Perhpas we're just not airline reservation savy.

[colleeng47]

Originally Posted by Hurrah

Hey everyone!

Can anyone tell me what is the best way to make airline reservations? Would you suggest going through a travel agent, or handling it online, or does calling the airline direct work for you?

This might sound like a strange question, but when you hear what happened to our airline reservations you will understand.

The first thing we did was look up the air fares online. Computers are very helpful that way. We picked the flights we wanted, but decided that since it was through American Airlines, we'd just call their 800# and speak to a live person rather than chance a computer glitch foul-up (Our computers have been acting strange lately - but that's another story). The customer service rep was great. Since hubby needed to make sure he could get the specific days off from work that we had selected, we asked them to hold the reservations until the next day. "No problem" the rep says. "Great" we think.

The next day we call back to pay for the reservations they are holding. Again, things go swimmingly. We give the credit card # and they say we will get a confirmation e-mail with the stuff we need to know. "Great! Thanks" we say. So far so good. That was the 14th.

Next day, no e-mail. Strange, huh? I check our credit card information online. It says American Airlines debited $1. (Twice!). Huh? What's that about? We look for the confirming e-mail. Nothing. We probably should have called that evening, but since hubby took Wed. off (my birthday) we decided to give them another day. After all, it looked like they were TRYING to bill our credit card so we figured the confirming e-mail would come shortly after they submitted the amount to the credit card correctly. Right?

So, yesterday, when the two pups woke us up at 5:30 in the morning (BTW it's earlier than usual for us, but we're trying to potty train them, so what can we do?) After our jaunt outside, we called American Airlines. They say our reservations were cancelled! We explain that not only DIDN'T we cancel our resercations, we were given seat assignments and paid for the airfare with our credit card. We explained that our credit card is showing two charges for $1. How can that be if we cancelled? They weren't very good about listening and just didn't seem to get it. They suggested we call our credit card company to find out why there were charges on our card. (Hah! Could it be that American Airlines was, in fact, trying to charge us for our reservations? , and perhaps, it was not some bogus charge as they suggested?)

After much aggravation from a rude customer service person, hubby requested to speak to a supervisor (who was almost just as rude). They just don't listen and talk over you. I had to laugh when my exasperated husband asked, "Do you tell your representatives to be rude to their customers?" Eventually, they agreed to set up the reservations and give them to us for the price we were originally promised.

In the end, we got a confirming e-mail and they charged our credit card correctly (plus two more $1 charges - which now adds up to $4 - but what the heck... if that what it takes to get to OK we'll buy it.) I just hope we can get there and back without something else happening. Next trip we drive the 28 hours!

So, hence my question for any suggestions for avoiding this nonsense. I'm thinking that taking the 'travel agent' route to purchase tickets is best just to walk out with a printed ticket in hand. Am I being paranoid or is this a common problem with all airlines? Perhpas we're just not airline reservation savy.

I have always made my reservations online, printed my own tickets the day before, and never had a problem. Sometimes I go directly to the airline site, and sometimes I use one of the discount services online. But I never had a problem. I always get my confirmation e-mail right away.

[Hurrah]

How much do you want to be my new travel agent?

[Synopsis]

American Airlines is going down the tubes as far as I'm concerned. They have the worst on time performance, and this latest fiasco with the MD-80s failing inspection and the delays, they are going to lose more customers than ever before. It's a shame, they were once the best airline out there.

[Hurrah]

I hope we don't have a problem with our flights. We'll probably have to WALK there and back, huh?

[Goodpasture]

Check with Southwest from Providence to OKC or Tulsa......it's ALWAYS cheaper

[Cali_Okie_Girl]

Kathy and Michael go online and print out there tickets, never had a problem

[Hurrah]

Thanks! I guess I'll just do it online next time. Thanks for all the advice! You people are great!

[necabin]

Same here. In fact the one time I did have a problem, it was nicely handled through the computer and phone!
I first contacted a travel agent, they didn't want anything to do with it because it was just an airline ticket. THEY only did cruises and packages. ( More money!!!!!!!!!).
Shopped around and came up with the best deal online. Try them all and shop around.

[Hurrah]

Originally Posted by necabin

Same here. In fact the one time I did have a problem, it was nicely handled through the computer and phone!
I first contacted a travel agent, they didn't want anything to do with it because it was just an airline ticket. THEY only did cruises and packages. ( More money!!!!!!!!!).
Shopped around and came up with the best deal online. Try them all and shop around.

thanks for the advice. Next time I think I'll just use the online service. Too bad about that travel agent. You'd think they'd do it to establish a relationship so you'd come back for repeat business (and even a cruise in there somewhere!) But, now they've lost a good customer.