Travel Agent charging the traveller?

[ktharris120]

Anyone have any experience with a travel agent charging them for using their services? I just noticed on my bank statement that a travel agent charged $125. When I called them, they said it was a new policy...since January.

 

Anyone?

[Gonzo70]

Some do, most do not. It is good to ask about any possible charges when first speaking to a travel agent, but prior to committing to their service. With cruises, they receive a commission from the cruise line, so they still make money even without passing any fees on to their client.

[isles1]

Anyone have any experience with a travel agent charging them for using their services? I just noticed on my bank statement that a travel agent charged $125. When I called them, they said it was a new policy...since January.

 

Anyone?

Some agents charge a fee; others work off comission. There are plenty who do not charge fees, so I suggest you find another agent. If you were not advised of their new policy, I suggest you open your mouth, as $125 is obscene.

[TBSCruiser]

I would dispute it unless they told you about it upfront.

[pcur]

We have a certain poster on this board, a new travel agent, who argues in favor of charging this "consultation fee" up front. It can be applied to the cost of the travel at his discretion, and he swears his clients are getting great benefit by paying him.

 

I, on the other hand, have had the same travel agent for 11 years who has never charged me a dime. She provides fabulous service and gets paid for her time through her commission from the cruise lines.

 

I would suggest that you talk to the manager of your agency, because if they did not tell you in writing of their "new" policy, then they should not have been able to charge your credit card. I would then dispute the charge with the bank and make them reverse the charge. I would then get another travel agent next time, and make sure the manager of the agency knows this if he is unwilling to cooperate with you.

 

They are double-dipping for their pay. You are paying for the agency's overhead instead of for your travel.

[maxamuus]

I would dispute it unless they told you about it upfront.

 

I second that. If you didnt agree to pay such a fee the agency CANNOT charge you fees without your permission. Call your credit card company and dispute it.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

I've never heard of a TA charging for services. Cancellation fees......yes, but not services.

 

ITA since you were not informed of such chargers, dispute them.....then run...do not walk.....run to find a new TA or book direct with RC, never a fee unless your within penalty.

 

***

[Amunet]

Just as everyone else says, TA's get a commission from cruise lines, hotels, etc. when they book your vacation for you. It sounds fishy to me that they've had the policy since January, normally good companies send out tons of emails or snailmail notifying their customer of changes (good or bad).

[cruisinfanatic]

I second that. If you didnt agree to pay such a fee the agency CANNOT charge you fees without your permission. Call your credit card company and dispute it.

Amazing!

The OP hasn't even asked for his money back and you want him to dispute it with the credit card. Is that what you really meant?

[cruisinfanatic]

Anyone have any experience with a travel agent charging them for using their services? I just noticed on my bank statement that a travel agent charged $125. When I called them, they said it was a new policy...since January.

 

Anyone?

You should have told them it's not your policy.

[DEL67]

Some TAs and online agencies charge a non-refundable booking fee, usually $15 to $25, but I have never heard of any other fees. $125 seems excessive since they will be getting a comission too.

[maxamuus]

Amazing!

The OP hasn't even asked for his money back and you want him to dispute it with the credit card. Is that what you really meant?

 

That is exactly what i meant.

 

If it is how the OP posted it that there was no mention of any fee and the only way they found out was by seeing it on their statement you darn right i would dispute it.

 

Companies are not allowed to just charge what they see fit to your credit card. The credit card company needs to be aware that this agency is making un-authorized charges to peoples accounts.

 

I would probably go one step further and file a complaint with IATA, as well as the BBB and if i was in a bad mood the State Attorney General's office.

[Garyorient]

That is exactly what i meant.

 

If it is how the OP posted it that there was no mention of any fee and the only way they found out was by seeing it on their statement you darn right i would dispute it.

 

Companies are not allowed to just charge what they see fit to your credit card. The credit card company needs to be aware that this agency is making un-authorized charges to peoples accounts.

 

I would probably go one step further and file a complaint with IATA, as well as the BBB and if i was in a bad mood the State Attorney General's office.

 

Wouldn't you suggest trying to resolve first?

I mean what happens if the OP actually did sign for it and did not realise.

 

Logically consultation before dispute must be the way to go.

 

Much as they would like to believe it, the customer is not always right, and it may be that the charge was signed for without the OP realising.

 

As I say, it may be something that I would never conceive of trying on, but if the OP agreed unwittingly he has nothing to actually dispute does he?

[cruisinfanatic]

That is exactly what i meant.

 

If it is how the OP posted it that there was no mention of any fee and the only way they found out was by seeing it on their statement you darn right i would dispute it.

 

Companies are not allowed to just charge what they see fit to your credit card. The credit card company needs to be aware that this agency is making un-authorized charges to peoples accounts.

 

I would probably go one step further and file a complaint with IATA, as well as the BBB and if i was in a bad mood the State Attorney General's office.

If you were in a bad mood??? LOL

 

The first thing you do is contact the merchant and try and resolve that way. Most of the time, that's the end of it.

The last resort is to dispute with the credit card.

 

Not the first

[maxamuus]

Logically consultation before dispute must be the way to go.

 

If someone steals something from you, you just politely ask for it back?

 

Not me. I call the police. I have no desire to negotiate with thieves.

 

But yes I am working off the assumption the OP read what he/she was agreeing too and then signed it. If they hid the this fee in the small print i think they can still make the case to the credit card company that the agency is acting in a deceptive manner.

[maxamuus]

The first thing you do is contact the merchant and try and resolve that way.

 

I am glad your willing to negotiate with thieves. I am not.

 

If you make a unauthorized charge to my credit card I'm not going to call and ask you politely to give me back my money. I am going to depute the charge and report you for being a thief.

[aloha43]

The travel agent I used to go to always charged a fee. If it was just airline tickets, she still charged a fee.

 

I thought it was normal. I always thought it didn't matter since I had the peace of mind knowing I had her for back up if something were to go wrong.

 

I wised up when I found out that others didn't charge the fees. Now I do my own bookings.

[cruisinfanatic]

The travel agent I used to go to always charged a fee. If it was just airline tickets, she still charged a fee.

 

I thought it was normal. I always thought it didn't matter since I had the peace of mind knowing I had her for back up if something were to go wrong.

 

I wised up when I found out that others didn't charge the fees. Now I do my own bookings.

It's pretty common for TA's to charge a fee to book air because there is no paid commission. Not so with cruise bookings.

[SharonLynn]

The travel agent we used for our first couple of cruises started charging $50.00 We have tried 2 different agents since then. Based on their services, I am begining to think she was worth the 50 and then some.

[cruisinfanatic]

The travel agent we used for our first couple of cruises started charging $50.00 We have tried 2 different agents since then. Based on their services, I am begining to think she was worth the 50 and then some.

Maybe you can make a deal with your old TA to apply the $50 to your booking.

[temple1]

That would pretty well snap my garters also. Did you ask the TA if they applied it to your reservation?

[Rancher Dave]

It's pretty common for TA's to charge a fee to book air because there is no paid commission. Not so with cruise bookings.

 

 

100% right on.

 

What OP didn't say and everyone is assuming is what services were provided by the TA. If they booked 5 airline tickets along with a cruise for 5, that could just be a high price per air ticket and totally legit.

 

It is funny to see how folks assume the only service provided was just booking the cruise and nothing else.

 

OP lay out all the facts...folks wait for all the facts before deciding what was fair or not. If the agent booked a 3 night cruise at $150 total fare per person on a bargain fare and air tickets and provided all kinds of other services, would the fee sound fair then? The cruise fare you pay is not fully commissionable and the smaller the fare the lower the commission, and on some specials for 3 night cruises for instance, there is little to no commission. How many of you would spend time serving someone for next to no compensation? What if it were your best client who just needed this getaway and normally generates lots of commission? What about a new call-in client you have never helped do you want to spend a ton of time on them for next to no money?

 

Cruisinfanatic is right in that even the Credit Card company will tell you that you must first try to resolve the dispute directly with the vendor before they will handle a dispute.

[G'ma]

Anyone have any experience with a travel agent charging them for using their services? I just noticed on my bank statement that a travel agent charged $125. When I called them, they said it was a new policy...since January.

 

Anyone?

 

Many travel agents charge for their services. And, they usually charge for every change or request they handle for you on the reservation.

 

It's always a good idea to find that out upfront before you give them money....

If you booked PRIOR to January when their policy went into effect, you don't have to pay it......

 

If you booked after, they should have written information on that policy and must give you a copy of that information before you gave them a deposit.

[ccletzgo]

Many travel agents charge for their services. And' date=' they usually charge for every change or request they handle for you on the reservation.

 

It's always a good idea to find that out upfront before you give them money....

If you booked PRIOR to January when their policy went into effect, you don't have to pay it......

 

If you booked after, they should have written information on that policy and must give you a copy of that information before you gave them a deposit.[/quote']

 

 

I agree the amount is high, but we don't know if it was for airline tickets.

 

OR.....did the OP actually book with the TA after the TA did research?

 

$40.00 to do research for a vacation that will be subtracted from the deposit if the client books is becoming more and more common.

 

Nothing like spending 3 days researching cruises for a client, tell them what you found and for what price and then the next day they go on line with the Cruise line and book.:eek:

[TBSCruiser]

Many travel agents charge for their services. And' date=' they usually charge for every change or request they handle for you on the reservation.

 

It's always a good idea to find that out upfront before you give them money....

If you booked PRIOR to January when their policy went into effect, you don't have to pay it......

 

If you booked after, they should have written information on that policy and must give you a copy of that information before you gave them a deposit.[/quote']

 

 

No MOST do not charge for anything including changes. Mine charges for nothing except if you book air only then there is a service fee. Everything else, none AND she checks for price drops and notifies me when they are done. I am a lucky girl.