Booking direct with airlines or 3rd party?

SaberX on 07/01/2016 - 18:33

Thoughts?

Noticed sky scanner constantly puts up cheaper flights through 3rd parties like deNA travel, best jet.com, BYOjet(via sky scanner), helloworld.com.au etc.

For a return flight on mid march to 2nd april to tokyo we're talking 1,013-1,030 range. Meanwhile sky scanner says singaporr airlines will do it for 1,061.

Which brings me to the question, short of service issues when ringing up, is there any product risk where 3rd parties flights aren't honoured once you get to the airport or you're double booked etc?

Is the paranoia just for going direct with airlines and not a third party? Its only 30 bucks but if its a no brainer difference in the same product but just different seller than i think i should just go the cheapest?

Any stories, advice, pros and cons etc?

Travel

Comments

  • DaDuke2310 on 07/01/2016 - 19:03
    +3

    Lol, I just google'd deNA travel and BYOjet.

    For deNa Travel the front page of searches includes people who claim to have paid their money and the travel agent didn't book anything.
    For BYOjet out of the 3 reviews listed 2 pretty much referenced the worst customer service ever.

    Best jet.com and helloworld.com.au didnt raise any immediate alarms in searching but I didn't exactly look hard.

    Personally, for 30 bucks I know I would take my money direct to the airlines.

    • Flying Ace on 07/01/2016 - 22:47

      Helloworld have shopfronts everywhere.

  • ectogammat on 07/01/2016 - 19:13
    +2

    Pros: ticket price may be cheaper than going directly with airlines. Also, you may get a ticket in a fare class that may no longer be available directly from airline (something I recently encountered when trying to get Singapore airlines flight)

    Cons: if anything goes wrong, if anything needs changing (eg changing return date), you may be up for two sets of fees: one to airline, one to the online agency (over and above what you'd just be paying the airline if you had gone direct). Also, according to byojet anyway, what flights you see on their site may not be available/be available at the listed price because it is during the ticketing process (after you've booked and paid) that they apparently confirm, so you may miss out. I'm not too sure about this though, maybe someone else with more experience with this can clarify, I read about on byojet's site or product review page s few months ago.

    My experience: I've booked with Expedia, byojet, travel.com.au, zuji for relatively uncomplicated flights (on full service airlines) which didn't require changes. All ok. In my case I saved on average about $70 each time.

  • barginhunter11 on 07/01/2016 - 20:50
    +1

    i use the 3rd party to search for flights

    then look at the airlines flights

    airlines i find you can get past the booking fee etc

    Expedia is good !

  • StewBalls on 08/01/2016 - 00:23

    Which brings me to the question, short of service issues when ringing up, is there any product risk where 3rd parties flights aren't honoured once you get to the airport or you're double booked etc?

    Very salient point. We recently got the airport to find our tickets booked by Helloworld had been summarily cancelled, no reason whatsoever given…surprise, surprise, the seats were magically still available though, but at ~$200 more per person. I'd steer clear of these shonky asshats at all costs! :/

  • Donaldhump on 08/01/2016 - 02:28

    get flight centre to match, but for 50 bucks just use airline

  • Donaldhump on 08/01/2016 - 02:28
    +1

    if u change ur mind etc, more fees with 3rd party

  • Donaldhump on 08/01/2016 - 02:30
    +1

    and pay extra to fly direct, less time wasted, jetstar do many good deal to tokyo direct

    also maybe fky out of osaka so can see more of japan if that ur plan

    • SaberX on 12/01/2016 - 06:34

      actually i was contemplating multi-city…. i had an option of doing march 17-april 2nd roughly, or shifting it a few days earlier to leave say march 12-march 28… both are same number of days in total. I was thinking of doing a) snowboarding in hakuba, and b) seeing more of japan , say kyoto, osaka on top of tokyo and any other incidental cities or areas along the way that are part of the must-see pilgrimage.

      Would there be a recommended flight path?? I didn't know if it was just easier landing in tokyo then staying a day or two before setting out for the japan alps (hakuba) and then touring the rest of the country, and departing from tokyo? Or actually making the effort of landing in osaka or kyoto direct, touring round etc, and departing from tokyo???

      GIven i wanted to book this week befor eflight prices rose i was curious what people recommended.

      • Donaldhump on 12/01/2016 - 09:34

        tokyo to osaka or vice versa would be a good route and save back peddling…

        even if you did snow boarding, and dont have enuf time to see everything, could land in tokyo, do ur stuff, go snow borading, goto osaka for last 2 days and leave from there..

        i went to japan for ten days 8 years ago, saw every temple in the country i swear, and by the end of the 8th day thought, this holiday was a waste it wasnt fun…felt more like a job… so thats why i think dont see so many, unless it gets your heart racing. id spend a day here or there, just doing nothing but wahtever happens… get blind with japanese business men in a bar and sing karaoke

        • SaberX on 27/01/2016 - 02:35

          sorry for the slow response.

          fair enough call. also depends what you enjoy. if you can get lost just exploring and eating common ramen noodles, sushi and other food inbetween scenic strolls and temples, the days could go by quick. Agreed that if you find it monotonous seeing temple after temples then the days could get tiresome by going from one city to another and sightseeing that. especially given how famous that is over there.

          As for japanese experiences - sure I would! But somehow I don't think I will bump into friendly enough locals who will take up singing karaoke and bar with me on the random haha… great if it could. the other problem is ill be solo travelling, so probably will have my guard on in getting blind drunk and the like as I wouldn't want to get court out.

          Still haven't worked out whether to fly out from Kansai international airport (but arrive in tokyo) using the multicity…. the positive is going back to tokyo allows finishing up there and doubling back on anything i miss out when first arriving in tokyo…. but that's about it.. tough decisions!

  • jenki on 08/01/2016 - 23:55

    (Source/disclaimer: I previously worked at an airline)

    My understanding is that when you use a third party the booking isn't placed instantly with the airline. I have seen passengers turn up at Sydney airport with copies of bookings they have purchased from helloworld.com.au and our airline has no record of their booking.

    We are unable to assist the passengers other than direct them back to Helloworld or to offer to sell them new tickets (which by now are at a premium price).

    That said, bookings via 3rd parties were only brought to my attention when there was a problem. The majority of the time there is probably no issue. Personally I don't take the risk and always book my flights direct with the airline.

    • SaberX on 12/01/2016 - 06:36

      Yeap, I guess that's my main worry - the old story (well wasn't sure if it was more myth than regular occurence - how often did you get these people?) of rocking up and having no flight booked, or perhaps being informed just before your holidays that your booking wasn't done?

      I can't understand though why if you booked online their systems wouldn't book you in? Or in these cases are these just when things go wrong and don't boook automatically as they should?

      Having worked for the airline direct did you give preferential treatment to those who booked direct?

  • fantafox on 09/01/2016 - 21:32

    Direct with airlines are the best I found. Alot have no additional charges or option to bpay or poly to save money.

  • Peck on 10/01/2016 - 13:15

    Sometimes if you book through a 3rd party you cannot select and seat, even though that airline may have free seat selection (EG Emirates)

  • SaberX on 12/01/2016 - 06:37

    Thanks for all the responses guys… i guess the main response/take away is that third parties are cheaper, but are a) more likely to have hidden fees and charges shoudl things go wrong or need changing and b) the risk of rocking up to the airport with a no booking dud, or being cancelled on?

    So go direct with the airline where possible, unless a non complicated flight route i.e. one stop only on the way to japan from aus, and the price diff is minimal?

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