I guess my good friend is coming soon. I can feel it by the irritation and tiredness from my back, especially the muscle on my right back. But thank God, the flu didn’t come near me ever since I have made the declaration to the darkworld! heh heh….
I’m very happy with my current job, there is always so much to learn as day pass. There is always ample of things which we need to equip with when working in a travel industry. And travel industry is divided to many sectors, both major and minor areas from accomodation, flight, visa requirement, attractions and land arrangement.
1. Accomodation - What type of hotels at which location at what rate? Resorts? Apartment? Chalet? What type of room? Run of house, balcony, ocean view or courtyard view?
2. Flight - Which carriage? Has transit at certain countries or not? i.e. Flying to Switzerland via MAS, transit at Dubai. Which country’s passport holder would need a visa to enter Dubai for transit? Flying at which class - Y class? K class? F class or C class? Each class on different rate.
Is there any in-house fare given by airlines or have to use published fares on reservation system? After confirming available seats, then? Enter PNR (passenger name record), print itinerary, request for deposit fees and payment for ticket issuance.
3. Land Arrangement - Does customer need any meet and greet service, especially for business visitors? Or do they need any airport transfer to hotel? FOC or upon certain amount of charges? Need how many seaters transport? How big is the group? If a 8 pax group must provide a minimum 12 seaters van, otherwise how to carry their baggages? If a VIP customer, do they need a limousine instead? What type of limousine then? Toyota Camry? Mercedes Benz?
Some people may think it is always fun to work in a travel agency. Yeah, thrills and excitements are absolutely there!
Hmmm…. How would you react if the passenger is calling you from the airport and telling you he cannot check in with his airticket due to cancellation by travel agent because of duplicate booking?
1. Why is there a duplicate booking when ticket has already been issued? This is extremely strange. But it is not the time to discuss or pin point which travel agent’s fault. We need to settle passenger’s problem as priority.
2. Call up respective airline and reinstate the booking.
3. Confirm with airline to allow passenger go on board with passenger’s airticket.
Hmmm, what if it is a full board plane that day? Can agent reinstate booking? Yes and No.
Yes - when there are still available seats matching with original class booked.
No - when the original class is fully booked, but passenger can fly with different class. Of course either one party has to bear the difference, Passenger or Travel Agent. TA is responsible for the difference at this time. So what is next after reservation has been confirmed? Issue ticket loh.
Guess who issues the ticket? The counter at airport? No, they can’t issue ticket even they would love to. Then? Is it the airline? Nope also. Then it must be travel agent! Yea, absolutely right!
You’d be guessing how is the travel agent going to deliver air ticket to the passenger if you’re brilliant enough. How ar? Hmmmmmmm deliver through the messenger or despatch loh! He/she must speed to airport and hand deliver air tix to passenger!
Above mentioned is a positive outcome.
Now let us consider about the negative one.
If so happen the airline has automatically upgrade the customer from waiting list to confirm list - hopeless to your poor pathetic passenger. There is no way the passenger can fly as planned at economy class, not even to mention upgrading to higher classes at economy class. Once full, it’s full. But……. there is always availability in first class - F class. heh heh, get the T.A to compensate you by upgrading it to First class. No choice mah. Customer does no wrong, the other party who cancelled his confirmed ticket would need to bear the consequences.
If the first class also full - then… God bless you.
Your passenger will bear with you if he is kind to you.
But if you make him a big loss, errr…your company waits to be sued loh. You can da-bao and leave, hopefully your boss wouldn’ t be harsh on you. *sigh*
See this is what I mean by Be Very CAREFUL and ALERT all the times. Get all confirmation from the top til bottom, must be assured with black and white to secure you. Once bitten twice shy - that’s my experience working at a travel agency.
Will share more with you in next blog.
