Booking Directly through Airline vs Flight Centre

Sam Sharik on 03/01/2022 - 08:48
Last edited 04/01/2022 - 10:01 by 1 other user

Hi Experts,

Just wanting to know if in this climate (Covid 19) is better/safer to book an overseas flight directly through Emirates/Qatar?

What are the PROS and CONS of booking through Flight Centre?

UPDATE :

Thank you all… FC was expensive.

Called Emirates and Qatar (Emirates price was cheaper than QATAR)

So we booked directly through Emirates online (emirates website)

Funny over the phone booking we were charging us an extra $100 service fee for each person.

Thank you again all.. love this community

PS : if you book through Emirates before 31st may 2021 (there is no cancellation or date change fee)

Travel Airfare Asia Emirates Flight Centre Qatar

Comments

  • Hybroid on 03/01/2022 - 08:50
    +2

    Read the T&Cs of both (as you always should) and you'll quickly find out.

    • Sam Sharik on 03/01/2022 - 08:59
      -1

      thank you, good idea. i have always used Emirates for overseas travel- they are pretty fair with their policies

  • MrBr0 on 03/01/2022 - 08:51
    +6

    Booking through an agent adds another layer of complexity. If you have a trusted travel agent then it can be good to call them and get changes and new routes sorted on the fly. I doubt you would get that service from FC so booking airline direct would be a better option

    • Sam Sharik on 03/01/2022 - 08:58

      thank you. i have also heard getting a refund through the airline is much more cordial process than an agent

  • holdenmg on 03/01/2022 - 09:20
    +4

    Trick question,

    There just aren't any PRO's booking through FC.

    • Sam Sharik on 03/01/2022 - 09:21
      -2

      customer service?

      • bobbified on 03/01/2022 - 11:49

        What.. the free 'music service' while on hold?

  • capslock on 03/01/2022 - 09:29
    +2

    Booking with FC you might get a cheaper fare because they might share their commission with you, they are supposed to advise you of changes to travel restrictions and changes to your flights, and if anything goes wrong they are supposed to give you advice of your options.

    The downsides of booking with FC is that they might charge you fees for their services and you give up control of your bookings in that any changes that you or the airline make will have to go through FC so if you don't get along with them then you have nowhere else to go.

  • Stewardo on 03/01/2022 - 12:31
    +1

    I haven’t used a travel agent for well over a decade, unless it was a corporate arrangement or your first trip to Bali, it’s almost always best to book directly with airline, don’t forget discount codes and cashback.

  • payless69 on 03/01/2022 - 13:23
    +1

    Have they improved their service or are they still the "Gerry of the travel industry" ?

  • Benoffie on 03/01/2022 - 13:43
    +1

    Would never go through FC. We have our own Travel Manager. He managed to get us full refunds on our trip and the obligatory flight credits with Qantas. Much less hassle.

  • hasselbladsnapper on 03/01/2022 - 14:07
    +1

    I used to be a frequent os traveller before Covid!. Our FAMILY style small agent have been great in the past with sorting different issues out in & out of country!.

    They sorted bookings, tours, and flights out as required when problems occured, try that with the local ferry operators on departure from port, our agent had the tickets sorted from Australia for an overnight trip from Italy in the late afternoon. We had no luck ourselves with the port agents, no valid tickets - no voyage!. Our agent made this happen with the AU agents that contacted their office in Italy, and then sorted out the ferry operators. Other refunds were gained for stuff ups from other travel operators in Europe, through no fault of our HELLO Agents in Australia.

    Motto, find a small agent with little turnover of staff, they often give the best service, ……avoid big chain operators with frequent change overs of staff, the older agents are better - more knowledge, not often on family or travel leave, most of that they have done!.

  • Sam Sharik on 04/01/2022 - 09:57

    wow thats crazy

  • Miii on 09/01/2022 - 00:33

    Ex FC employee here. Book direct with the airline. FC puts on additional change fees to the airlines change fees so you will pay twice to change etc.

    • sydneybargainer on 02/02/2022 - 12:07

      What is the difference between booking through FC website & FC store?

      I have booked flight through FC website, had to cancel the flight - received credit.
      Now want to rebook using credit - impossible to get through online team over the phone and store is saying we cant help as it was online booking. I find this hard to believe.

  • sydneybargainer on 02/02/2022 - 11:57

    i am regretting booking with FC. so horrible.
    online booking line is impossible to reach & store is refusing to help as it was an online booking.

  • Miii on 02/02/2022 - 19:54

    in store you would have had 1 person who is the booking agent, in theory responsible for the booking. Online it would have been auotticketed so nobody is responsible as such. I would contact through customer relations department via email. https://www.flightcentre.com.au/feedback. [email protected]

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