Travel Sites ... sort of boaty

[paulineb]

I've been looking at Expedia and the like to get flights etc when travelling to Europe. Is there a reason (which I can understand) why they only accept credit cards and not debit cards ?

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[jfm]

Learenr is the expert on this. Are they foreign? I cant remember, but some continental countries dont take Maestro payments, or whatever is the name for the payment system that debit cards run on

Actually I hate these "intermediary" websties. They often suggest ridiculous routings. You'd be better off easyjetting from LGW wouldn't you, then you can book direct with no Expedia type faffing?

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[paulineb]

We've booked several holidays on Expedia with great routings. All BA schedule and timings to suit us. The hotels were first class too. I just wondered what their problem was with Maestro.

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[mikewilkes]

If you book a sqeezy jet flight from europe to uk they take only credit cards. Do it the other way and they take debit. Trouble is they charge you for using a credit card.
I get this every month with my wife's flights to Barcelona. UK to Barc is debit and Barc to UK is credit.
Crazy really!!



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Ceum ur

 

[jfm]

ah that rings a bell Mike, I have found the same. I think that's something to do with not accepting Maestro in continental europe or summink

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[sailorman]

proberbly so thay can rob your a/c ( later ) if u dont comply with thier rules

<hr width=100% size=1>Nil iligitmo carborundum

 

[paulineb]

I've used Maestro in all the shoe shops, supermarkets, garages, chandleries etc. in France, Holland and Belgium.

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[boatone]

somehow.......I believe you..../forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.boatsontheweb.com/> Website, Photo Gallery, Chat Room, Burgees</A>

 

[BrendanS]

Some of these sites can be very good. Don't forget that Sabre was probably the first system that allowed travel agents to check and book real time seat availability, back in the 60's. As I travelled a great deal, I had access online to the Sabre system in the 80's/90's. This evolved into the consumer system Travelocity, which is still powered by Sabre.

Same system as used by Travel Agents, and can provide a great deal of information and intelligent routing if used carefully. Maybe not great for Easyjet type stuff, but invaluable when trying to put a business triptogether around 6 or so countries in Asia over a several week period, and checking seat availabilities etc

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[paulineb]

Smokey engines tho /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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[EME]

Try and answer these points as well (and simplistically) as I can.

a) Which credit / debit cards taken by sites varies by company and market. Fraud is the biggect operational issue that online travel sites face, this , associated security, back-end processing and the commercial arrangements around merchant fees drives which cards are available for use - you all correctly note that it can appear illogical. It does look like that but honestly is not !

b) Merchant fees ( the charges credit/debit card companies make) wre until the advent of the internet borne mainly by the airline. This has now changed in the UK (but not all countries) and the charges are borne by the agent (online operator)

c) Expedia are part of IAC, a very large US internet travel conglomerate.

d) JFM is absolutley right. For flights bought in the UK you can invariably get the same price from the airlines themselves, particularly on short-haul flights. You will note that the low-cost airlines are not available through these intermediaries ( 'cos they do pay no (or little) commission.

e) The GDS' are the database for all the major intermediaries and airlines .. e.g. Expedia ( Worldspan), Opodo ( Amadaeus), Travelocity ( Sabre) , BA ( Amadeus) etc. These databases although complex are much of a muchness with the 'inventory ' elements run by the airlines systems. Loads of regulations in place to ensure all show same data. The low cost guys don't participate because the GDS earn about $10 per booking - paid by the airline. The travel agent (internet player) gets a volume-based kickback from the GDS. Easy isn't it !

f) Multi-sector ( 4+ sectors) sites are the 'holy grail' of on-line pricing. Opodo possibly best at the moment BUT I would put an average human in a good travel agency to beat the price / routeing/timing at least 50% of the time.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>

 

[EME]

Hotels

Sorry .. I didn't complete the answers.

a) The 'Big' airlines do not charge service or credit card fees on their own sites (in the UK). Thereby making themselves cheaper than the intermediaries.

b) Hotels is a different game.. and I would reccomend Expedia and Opodo as the best at the moment - but that is a generalisation - there are a lot of 'properties out there!!. HOWEVER do look at the US - sites and also at the foreign sites of major chains ( PARTICULARLY in the US as they have 'Never Beaten rates' on their own sites ).

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>

 

[deborahann]

well done Learner, did wonder about replying to Pauline, however you have done a very fine job.

One thing I would add is that is ok using the individual airline web site, but of course you can only see their price, & thats their major flaw (hence Opodo) and realising this, the airlines try to ensure that their own web site pricing is cheaper than any other multi airline web site.

Agree tavel agents (I am not one !) are still a good option for obtaining flights.


<hr width=100% size=1>deborah on delft.
Nothing to do with Mucky Farter or hlb in drag

 

[tome]

I noticed this with car rental and hotels in the States - they no longer take debit cards, you now have to use a credit card. The explanation was that with a credit card, they can 'reserve' enough against the card to guarantee to cover the eventual cost, whereas this isn't possible with a debit card.

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[Nick_H]

Europcar would also not accept a debit card as security for a hire car in Malaga. Fortunately I had my work credit card so could use that.

<hr width=100% size=1>He who dies with the most toys, wins

 

[EME]

D-A

Geting a little bit 'nerdy' for others but think you'll find that EC price differntials have disappeared. I know that 3yrs ago one Company managed price difference but not now....

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[MapisM]

Travelling to "Europe"

I didn't watch the TV lately.
Was UK assigned to another continent? /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif

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