Bought three Thai Airways tickets via a travel agent which we are not happy with at all. It was a PITA. Now we need to change the flights.
Called Thai Airways Melbourne office and they said we have to go through the same travel agent. Is there a way we could change the travel agent or go through Thai Airways directly? We don’t really want to deal with the same travel agent again.
Thanks in advance.
Called Thai Airways Melbourne office and they said we have to go through the same travel agent.
I don't know why you'd expect us to know more than the airline themselves (given you didn't talk to a random sales staff but their head office), but to my knowledge also: No. It's usually a completely different system and they just don't have an end-consumer facing portal - they save on not having that, allowing them to give better rates to travel agents, allow agents to (hopefully) get you cheaper prices. (Sometimes).
It's not the system that is different it's the agreements they have with the various travel agents. Thai can easily change bookings on their end but are limited in what they can do by the agreements. We flew Thai 3 years ago, booked through a travel agent with all seats selected but I was still able to call Thai directly and request different seats because we were travelling with a baby. They were very helpful over the phone but anything further such as changing flight dates would have to be done through the travel agent because of the agreements.
That being said, in certain circumstances such as if you booked the tickets with an overseas travel agent and you are now back in Australia (i e. difficult to contact travel agent), they will try and help you with all booking change requests.
Go to Thailand and speak with head office directly
Looks like everyone is having a bad day at work! The reason for my post was to find out if anyone had a different experience than what I have been told by thai airways.
Most people here don't use travel agents…
So direct with airline?
I thought a lot of people would us the cheapest OTA or even price match.
Most people here use online travel agents or book direct.
Yes you should be able to get the tickets changed thru Thai airways directly, if the tickets are booked directly on Thai airways. sometimes they are booked thru different airline as they can be code sharing.
Curious, did you read the post at all?
We don’t really want to deal with the same travel agent again
I think this needs elaborating. Why you wouldn't see if the company can do the date swap is interesting. Seems a simple solution to your problem, given Thai can't help
I agree, we deserve a back story.
I would imagine it is because the travel agent will charge fees on top of Thai Airways fees.
But OP booked through a travel agent, and they hold the booking, so you have to go through them.
I'd say the travel agent is going to ream them a new one on change fees.
Not sure how travel agent commissions work, but presumably the original travel agent that bought the tickets has already pocketed any commission that is payable on the fare?
What incentive does a new travel agent have to take up your cause? All pain, no gain for them surely?
What happens when you go to the thai website, go to manage my flight and log in? Can you adjust anything in there?
I did that with China airlines. It worked.
There's a few more questions that need to be asked here.
If you don't like the agent, is it the agent themselves or the agency? As in Helloworld or Flightcentre or just the person that works at that company.
If it is just the person, you can request a manager to deal with your case from another store no problems.
If it is the actual agency itself as in the whole brand, then no you are stuck with them.
I work in the travel industry so am happy for you to contact me further.
The question is what did the agent do that makes you not want to deal with them? Have you given them a chance to redeem themselves? Can they fix the problem for you?
Agreed @OP, can you elaborate on what went wrong with them?
deal with a different employee
Hey all,
I sold three Thai Airways tickets via my work (travel agent) which I was not happy with at all. Customer was a PITA. Now they "need" to change the flights (sigh).
Called Thai Airways Melbourne office and they said they have to go through the same travel agent, me. Is there a way I could send them to another travel agent or make them go through Thai Airways directly? I don’t really want to deal with the same customer again.
Thanks in advance.
After you take the first flight, Thai Airways will take over the booking and you can deal directly with them. Works if all you need to change is the return leg.
I bought the tickets from an agent who just works by himself. I was not happy with him because he took two weeks to issue the tickets from the time I have confirmed the dates with him. Also, he overcharged me. He told me a price over the phone but charged more a different amount later. I just couldn't go to consumer affairs because I didn't ask for a written price guarantee before giving him the credit card details. Also, it would have been lot of hassle for $45. I just took the lesson for future. When I questioned him about the charges he said airlines charged credit card fees and lots of other BS. The reason I went with at the first place because he quoted me cheaper price and was recommended by a friend.
So when he gave you the final price as you were ready to pay, and it was higher than originally verbally stated, instead of saying “no thanks” and walking away (you were under no obligation to pay) you paid it anyway but you were unhappy with the price you and you’re still annoyed with him for that?
Unfortunately you do have to go back to this agency. And please understand before you go back that there are likely to be additional fees associated with you changing the flight. This would typically include a change fee AND the cost difference between the flight you paid for and the night flight. If you are changing airports, there may be new taxes to pay. Oh and the credit card fees again.
No, he charged me more than what he quoted at time of taking my credit card details. The charges came two days after.
I am aware that I have to pay change fees and any difference between ticket prices.
Did you confront him about the different amount charged to what was agreed upon? You could always do a credit card chargeback as it wasn’t the price you were told he was putting through.
The airline can only change the ticket if the travel agent notates the ticket allowing the airline to change it. Or in circumstances when the airline is allowed to take over the ticket (e.g. weather, cancellation, etc).
Source: I am a travel agent.
Can I demand that he let the airlines take over?
No.
You had a fit over $45.
Where did you get that from? I said I let it go because it was only $45. It's the overall experience that I am unhappy about.
no.