Don’t use a travel agent?
Think you get better deals on Expedia, Orbitz, whatever?
Think a travel agent costs you money and is an antiquated idea?
Think again.
I started using a travel agent a few years ago. Delta cancelled our flight on a trip to Beaver Creek, by the time I reached a Delta agent we couldn’t get re- booked for another THREE DAYS. The condo was rented, we had shipped our gear ahead, and the lift tickets were pre-paid. We decided to bite the bullet and book a private jet. Most expensive vacation we’ve ever taken. Having a travel agent would have literally saved us tens of thousands of dollars.
Delta cancelled my boys’ flight to St. Louis today. If you’ve ever flown Delta you know that they cancel due to high winds, hiccups, and their horoscope. I have no idea why they cancel so often, I just know that it’s always happening to me. We got the robo-call this morning.You’ve been cancelled. Sorry. No protection, no re-booking, no human.
So we called our travel agent, Tim Burke of TMB Travel Concierge.
Here he comes to save the daaaayyyy
Tim was out of the office. No problem, we called his cell. Within 15 minutes he had re-booked my boys in to Kansas City for the same price they were paying to go to St. Louis. They were actually going to drive from St. Louis to KC because Delta’s flights in to KC are so ungodly expensive. Now they are on a flight to the city they really intended to get to, for the cheaper fare, and the whole debacle was completely painless. When asked how he got the switch done, Tim answered “You just need to know how to talk to them.”
I’ve written about “How to Get Treated Like a VIP” and even been a guest on CBS in New York discussing the same subject. It’s true that when I’m on a press trip for Luxury Travel Mom I get spoiled because they want me to write nice things about them. What most people don’t realize is that I pay for about 50% of my travel, yet still get treated like a VIP, because I use Tim to book me every time. Working with a Virtuoso agent for hotels gets you the upgrades and amenities that make you feel like Paris Hilton. Working with a good agent who always answers his phone means your boys don’t miss rooting for their KU Jayhawks!
