Flip & Flips

Welcome to the Flips and Flops column. We are able to do what we do here because of your input and information. If you want a supplier or a res agent or DSM to get special recognition, let us know. If there is something amiss with a company’s policies or actions, share them with us, as well. Let us know which booking engines and Web pages are hits and which are misses! E-mail your suggestions to packagedeals@comcast.net.

Disney is now beginning a “Talk To Agent” feature. While watching Disney Travel on Demand on cable TV, a viewer can use their remote control — not just the phone — to request that a Disney agent call and book their travel. This is a FLOP for travel agents, but obviously Disney is spending a lot of bucks to make it a FLIP for them.
Delta Air Lines must have some new policies in place. While boarding, the announcement was repeated three times that if they didn’t take off on time, the airline would be penalized. So they asked passengers to please hurry, causing people to run down the aisles, bumping into one another. Why put the burden on the passengers, Delta? A FLOP!
And on the same flight, if you asked for a napkin to go with the snack or a drink, the flight attendant said that they only gave out napkins upon request. He went on to say that the extra cost of napkins cut into their retirement bonus. Another FLOP!
On the same day, American Airlines was handing out 3 x 1 inch baggage tags along with the boarding pass, and warned passengers not to lose them. When I asked for a ticket jacket, I was told they didn’t have any. They had been out for a few days. Guess no one paid the Fed Ex bill. I agree that there is a lot of wasted paper, but now staples are being rationed, as well. FLOP!
Sticking with airlines for a minute...didn’t anyone alert airport counter reps that Memorial Day weekend would be busy? With over 100 people standing in line for check-in, there were only two reservation people behind the airline counter. Yet, there were four people manning the kiosks. Why? Because people were having problems using the kiosks and demanded extra attention. One sold-out flight went out minus 30 people who had been waiting for two hours for check in. And most of these people were connecting to an international flight. To add fury to their rage, the airline checked their luggage knowing that they would never get to the gate in time. But their luggage went on — without them. How did that happen???
A FLIP to Louis Cruise Lines. They had the horror story of a ship sinking. But they have recovered and kudos for the way they took care of their passengers — immediately! Besides the thousands of dollars every passenger received, they also provided hotel stays, airfare, spending money, future cruise credit and even arranged for gifts and souvenirs from every port they had visited. This is not to minimize the tragedy that occurred, but Louis responded immediately to the needs of the passengers. And even though agents can book Louis only through suppliers or as part of a tour package, the line does provide educational seminars.
How many agents have ordered a gift from a cruise line for their clients and learned after they returned that they never received it? Yep, a FLOP for a major line that took the agent’s cruise photo book order for $22 and never delivered it. What was their answer? It was out of stock. Yet, the passenger said they were being sold at the photo counter.
A FLIP for NCL for their policy to offer jobs for returning military from Iraq and Afghanistan. No news yet about how many takers.
A FLIP to River Barge Excursion Lines since their single supplement is only 25%. And they also offer a discount for retired schoolteachers. Plus, they have an open refrigerator policy. Passengers who have 2 a.m. munchies can go to the galley refrigerator and grab a sandwich and some chocolate chip cookies.
Auto Europe gets a FLIP. How many times has an agent called and heard the name of the res agent? You get a quote and then when you call back, it has changed. You say, “Rita gave me the quote,” and you are asked, “Which Rita?” Well, Auto Europe makes certain that no duplicate names are used by any of their telephone staff.
A FLOP to the U.S. Customs and for all travel agents who don’t inform their clients. Passengers return home with their bottles of duty-free liquor, perfume and cosmetics. That’s fine if they don’t have any connecting flights. But I recently witnessed passengers returning from Costa Rica, arriving in Orlando. After declaring their purchases, they had to connect to another flight and guess what! No liquids allowed over three ounces. Panic everywhere while they grabbed their luggage before it was sent to their next flight, and tried to stuff the breakable bottles into already stuffed valises.
I wonder who gets those goodies that are dumped into the baskets with the bottles of water and the nail clippers? This can be a very expensive FLOP.
A FLOP to Hawaii Travel Experience Company. One agent — are there more? — has been trying to get a far overdue commission. She followed the dictates of a guy named Joseph to fax her request to the accounting person. Besides the fax, and a registered letter, and numerous unreturned phone messages, no one from the company has responded. We did find out that they consolidated two companies, using the same address, the same phone number and dealing mostly with the public. If other agents haven’t been paid, let me know.
Perhaps a major cruise line should educate their staff on the Friends of Bill. A travel agent escorting a group of over 30 people found their daily meeting was scheduled in a bar lounge. And every few minutes an employee was working the tables asking for their drink orders. This agent should be erasing this supplier from future cruises. The biggest part of the FLOP was that the agent complained about a similar instance before and was assured it would never happen again. Well, I guess that it’s just lightning that never strikes in the same spot twice.
Thanks again for all the comments about E-docs and last month’s column. More follow up from suppliers next month.
A BIG FLIP to the entire staff of Travel Trade who made the 25th CRUISE-A-THON a great success. They had big shoes to fill and did an outstanding job. A BIG FLIP to many newer agents who attended and certainly showed that they wanted to learn everything they could to become successful. And a FLIP to the cruise lines who arranged tours and lunches for hundreds of agents.
And a humorous FLIP to the way people lined up for autographs. Princess had people lined up to get Capt. Stubing, a.k.a. Gavin MacLeod, in a photo op. It was just across from where Carnival’s Bob Dickinson was autographing the second edition of his book, “$elling the $ea.” All we needed for sound effects was the “Dueling Banjos” music — the lines were equal in length.
Finally, a big FLIP to Seattle. Not a drop of rain rained on our parade. And what a great city for browsing around and dining and mingling with such a terrific group of agents and suppliers.