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IT’S THE END of June, meaning many people will be jetting off abroad on their holidays as schools close for summer.
However with the first day of industrial action by IALPA pilots due to take place tomorrow, your holiday plans might be in disarray if you booked with Aer Lingus.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland today, Chief Executive of Irish Travel Agents Association Clare Dunne called for Aer Lingus and pilot’s union taking strike action to have “common sense” and to centre passengers in their discussions.
The strike comes at one of the busiest times in the year for flights, as tens of thousands of families and children jet off for their summer holidays.
Whether you’ve been impacted by the industrial action or not, we want to know if you use a travel agent when organising your travel abroad.
So today we’re asking: Do you use a travel agent when booking a holiday?
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You would want to be off your box to use travel agents this day and age
@Aido: you’d be off your box not to use a bonded travel agent
@Aido: not true, it really just depends on what kind of holiday you prefer. If you prefer independent travel and are happy to self cater with an element of risk in terms of what is actually delivered, then booking everything yourself is grand. It’s what I do every January, start the search for the summer vacation, usually takes a few weeks to nail everything down. Flights, a car, and a little house with access to a pool, usually 30 mins drive from the coast resorts & beaches for 2 wks. Having no kids means we can travel in the shoulder period (late June, early/mid Sept) and avoid crowds and costs. If you’re time poor (and have kids) and prefer a secure, serviced holiday by the sea, always best to use agent who knows resorts/hotels/apartments on sale, and will arrange package to suit….
I prefer to sort out flights and accommodation myself, but if you were looking to do a package such as a honeymoon, safari or family holiday with included transfers and activities then I can see why a travel agent may be useful.
I’ll occasionally use OTAs (trip.com, Expedia, gotogate, edreams etc) for flights too as these are sometimes slightly cheaper than booking direct with an airline but I suspect that most people do not consider these websites to be “travel agents” in the traditional sense.
@Kevin Collins: Agree, for big holidays they are amazing and best value I found. I priced both ways and by far travel agent was best.
@Kevin Collins: I laughed loudly years ago where neighbours were ranting and raving about a travel agency in bray. Multiple people were caught off guard where they could not get home due to volcanic ash / 9.11 , I never knew that it was Linda Jones Travel Agent in Bray, super cousin, super proud. They put your wellbeing on power with the family, always 1st.
Our next poll should be, “do you use a Credit/Debit card to book a holiday”?
@ZA “Humanitas”: we need a poll on the Ireland Hidden Camera show. Need it back on our screens Sunday evenings.
@ZA “Humanitas”: Saibh seem to be able to pull out extraordinary, thought provoking polls at the drop of a hat. Such talent!
@Stephen Brennan: absolute staged tripe
@Stephen Brennan: brilliant news. Did they announce it?
@Sean Money: End of the pier TV.
@Stephen Brennan: we should all write into RTE demanding its return. Also if the journal run a poll on it we could use that as well. So many people on the here love it
@Stephen Brennan: yourself and money should get a room and watch the series together id say ye would love that
For cruise holidays or any package it’s advisable to have a travel agent. Rescheduling flights while on your holidays for your return leg is a stress best outsourced to somebody else.
@Fiona Wyse: agree, cruises are the only holidays for which I use an agent. Over the years we’ve had name changes of the travellers, cancellations, route changes – the agency dealt with all.
@Zmeevo Libe: Certainly seems a lot more thoughtful than leaving it all to someone’s wife to sort out!
Just heard on radio that travel agents had rescheduled their passengers on alternative flights. Difficult to do if you’ve done all your own booking. Travel insurance is cheap enough for a year in Europe….would have come in handy if affected by the strike
@Shelley Keary: If you’ve done your own booking, the airline will be in contact with you with alternative arrangements
I use TUI regularly and I have always found them excellent. Have never had a bad experience with them.
I book directly and take out the middle man. They are unnecessary and serve no purpose.
Must be “end of exams party time” on Sutton beach
@P. V. Aglue: I hope not. Our end of term party was about celebrating friendships and freedoms. Not saying we were all sober, but we certainly didn’t start fights!
Travel agents are outdated…its very simple to book online yourself or get a friend to do it for you…
Next poll: Do you think air holidays pollute our world terribly?
We live in an age when you, as the consumer, can do these things on your own. The only thing is to be cautious, and do your research. At the end of the day, if it goes tits up then it is your fault, and yours alone. Own it.
I don’t use travel agents as you’d be surrounded by the types that do.
Eamon Ryan says will all be cycling….oh wait..he’s gone..thank god.
Ah lads.
On line travel agents?
Yes. I have returned to going on the once-despised package holidays. You are better looked after and it is almost always better value for money.
have your say