Airline Ticket Caution
A recent show of yours (one of the first I have
had occasion to enjoy but certainly not the last)
clued me in on the potential wealth of
information in your website. I wanted to gather
details on the Portuguese destinations you
mentioned in your 10/10 segment. My wife and I
hope to follow through on your advise and visit
Porto and the Pousada de Santa Marinha in
February.
While searching your site for additional
information on Portugal, I encountered a
listener's recommendation of "bucket shops" as a
source for good air fare deals. In all fairness,
the writer was referring to ticket distribution
in the U.K. but here in the U.S., a "bucket shop"
is the last place I hope your listeners will look
for a "good deal".
I am spokesperson for the Airlines Reporting
Corporation (ARC) and we were featured in a
segment of Dateline NBC that aired on 10/14. The
subject was stolen ticket stock and the related
dangers to both travel agents and the traveling
public. As the owners of the ticket stock
entrusted to more than 46,000 travel
agency points of sale, ARC is only too well aware
of the issues surrounding theft of stock and the
illicit resale thereof. Risking a sweeping
generalization, it is our experience that the
"bucket shop" is one of the best opportunities for
the bargain hunting traveler to learn that "some
deals are simply to good to be true." At best, a
bucket shop is simply an unauthorized
distribution point of an otherwise legitimate
travel agency, e.g., the local barber shop or
tobacconist. At worst, it is a reseller of
stolen tickets armed with a toll-free number and
a newspaper advertisement. Thanks in great part
to publicity such as the Dateline NBC program,
the travel industry is more aware than ever
before of the need to curb fraudulent ticket
practices. Ideally, this level of attention will
serve to dissuade from ever making an ill-advised
purchase in the first place. However, if they do
find that "really great deal," the increased
industry vigilance can easily lead to the naive
traveler's loss of their investment and an
unexpected change to their travel plans, not to
mention some tense moments being quizzed by
airport law enforcement on the nature of the
traveler's shopping practices.
I need not tell you that the traveler has a
great many choices when buying air travel and
there is no telling which one is going to be
their ideal avenue one at any given time, but
please, please, please caution your listeners to
KNOW THEIR SUPPLIER. Forming a relationship with
a professional travel agent is one very excellent
way to insure the best deal. Many travel agents
are developing niche market specialities as a
means of assuring profitability. For the
traveler who spends the time finding the right
travel agent for their market, it probably means
getting even better service than ever before.
Travel agents are better equipped than anyone to
find a "deal" and as more often than not, a small
business, their success hinges on repeat
business.
Wish us luck in Porto.
--Allan
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