7 tips for secure online travel booking

Today was that time again.

I received a call for help from someone I know who had booked a trip online: his expensive Caribbean vacation had been a disaster, he said. "They" had simply left him standing at the airport on arrival, and he had had to buy another ticket to fly to his hotel island. The new ticket—round trip (!)—cost them another €1,300, and they couldn't fly on until the next day. So, on top of all the hassle and expense, they arrived at their destination a day late. To make matters worse, his flight back to Germany was delayed by six hours.

For three weeks now, he has been trying to call his – let's call it his "booking office" – a well-known internet portal, to find out what he can do. Either he gives up after an hour on hold, or he gets kicked off the hold and has to start all over again.

My inquiries finally revealed that he had not booked the connecting flight to his island himself because he thought it was already included in his €15,000 trip. The "internet" did not point out the error to him.

He is also entitled to substantial compensation for the delay on the return flight.

Unfortunately, because he booked online, I cannot help him. He is not my customer and can only contact the internet portal where he booked his trip and which received a commission for his booked trip for advice.

In my daily practice, I repeatedly hear about cases that have gone terribly wrong online. The one mentioned above is still manageable.

After all, a travel booking portal is purely a machine that simply presents data according to an algorithm specified by its operators. The travel booking portal is therefore unable to recognize your personal needs. It merely provides you with what the data generated from cookies tells it to.

Is booking trips online quick and easy?

Yes, but you have to know what you're doing. Where to book. How to book.

And are all portals actually the same? Are there any differences? What do some do that others don't? What are the dangers? And the risks?

What can you do to minimize the risk when booking your vacation?

Tip #1: Only book on reputable operator portals

This is the most important tip of all and already half the battle!

An internet portal that offers travel services is NOT just a search engine that kindly provides you with a service at no cost. Behind an internet portal are providers, real people who operate the portals commercially. Portal operators have the same status as your local travel agency. They are sales representatives or travel agents.

This means that a travel portal also sells the same trips from tour operators (TUI, Neckermann, to name just the best known) as a travel agency.

Internet portals sell the same products (= trips) as travel agencies, and at the same price. There are virtually no price differences, because it is the tour operators who plan the trips and then offer them to the portals and travel agencies at a standard price.

A trip can therefore only be sold at a single price, regardless of whether it is sold in a travel agency or on the Internet.

Internet travel portals operate commercially anddo not always act in the best interests of the customer.

1. A reputable internet portal will offer you a personal and free telephone contact for any questions you may have. This should guarantee good availability, i.e., your call should be answered within a very short time. Unfortunately, this is not the case with many portals. There are portals where you can get through relatively quickly—as long as you haven't booked yet. However, once the portal operator has booked your trip (and your revenue is "in the bag"), it becomes more difficult to reach the call center, or even impossible. This is because there is no more revenue to be made from you. Questions about existing bookings are just an expense that doesn't bring in any money. The switch is made in the telephone system when the recording asks you, "Would you like to book a new trip or do you have questions about an existing booking?"
2. A reputable portal operator would never lure you in with discounts and crossed-out prices (so-calledinflated prices). Discounts are actually prohibited, and reductions are also available everywhere at the same time for the reasons mentioned above.
3. A reputable internet portal will show you the final price right at the start. Never book with an internet portal that increases the price of your trip during the booking process without adding any additional services.
4. A reputable internet portal can answer all your questions about the services, content, and legal scope of your travel contract before you book. Keep in mind that there is no 14-day right of withdrawal for trips booked online. Your trusted travel agency, on the other hand, can block your trip without obligation ("opt it in," under certain conditions) until it has answered all your questions in detail and competently.

Conclusion:

Take a look behind the scenes and don't let dubious portals ruin your vacation!

Tip #2: Don't be tempted by flashy TV commercials, famous soccer stars, and big discounts.

Well? Do you know who we are talking about? Try googling "Unister" and "prosecutor" as an example. But there are many other combinations you can search for in connection with this group of companies.

The Unister Group operates the portals "ab-in-den-urlaub.de," "fluege.de," and "Travel24.com," among others. I could fill volumes with stories about the machinations of this rip-off empire.

They give away travel vouchers that they do not redeem, or only redeem after a lawyer has been involved, are known for being unavailable by phone, falsify reviews, advertise with a purchased consumer protection seal, and much more.

Attention! If you have read point 1 carefully, you will know that this cannot be true. Just because a provider offers low prices does not mean that they are actually cheaper. In addition, there are many cases where people who book online end up paying a very high price. A much higher price than if they had booked with a reputable provider in the first place. Every week, I receive calls from people who have had a nasty surprise after booking online and now need professional help, which they cannot get from their internet portal.

However, I can only offer assistance to customers who have booked with me.

If you have booked through an internet portal or travel agency other than mine, your data is subject to data protection and I have no access to your booking. In addition, the other internet portal or travel agency has received the commission for your travel booking and is therefore responsible for your questions.

Conclusion:

Much more important than discounts and bargains are the services included in the trip and reliable, high-quality advice, which a machine definitely cannot offer you.

Only spirit is awesome! 😉

Tip #3: Only book through internet portals with a professional background/staff.

When you book a vacation online, you want to think about your destination: the beautiful weather, the extraordinary hotel, the wonderful nature, the snow-white sandy beach, the friendly people.

No one wants to think about unpleasant surprises, natural disasters, strikes, or bankruptcies in connection with their vacation.

But what if such a case arises?

• Who can advise me on what to do?
• Are there any irregularities during the trip? Who should I contact?
• Who is responsible if your flight is delayed? Where can I claim compensation?
• My airline or tour operator is insolvent. What now?
• I need to cancel. What should I do?
• What should I do in the event of illness or, worse still, death? Who will actively support me in an emergency before and during my trip?

You can assume that most of the employees at the call centers that work with internet portals are not familiar with the industry. There are few or no travel agents working there who can answer your questions competently. There are even call centers that sell lottery tickets, electricity or cell phone contracts during the next call. Of course, the employees do not have the professional background of a travel agency.

What's more, since the internet portal is only acting as an agent for the trip, it has no contractual relationship with you. The internet portal only has a contract with the tour operator whose trip it has arranged for you. Did you know that?

And that's exactly why it's so easy for dubious portals to hide behind endless telephone queues. Legally, there is hardly any risk for the operators.

Your travel agency is always happy to answer any questions you may have.

Conclusion:

Only book through internet portals with a reputable professional background that will continue to provide you with competent and service-oriented support even after you have completed your booking.

Tip #4: Find out as much as you can about your contractual partner

Well, we now know that internet portals only arrange travel. In most cases, the traveler, i.e. you, enters into a contract with the tour operator.

Now, it's easy if you've booked a classic package tour (flight, transfer, hotel) with TUI.

But the online world has created opportunities that you can hardly imagine.

Did you know that

• An incredible number of "online tour operators" are no longer traditional tour operators, but simply package individual travel services online, with which they have nothing to do in terms of organization and processing?
• that in the last six months alone, five of these online travel agencies have gone bankrupt, agencies that always ranked at the top of search results because they were the cheapest and ultimately cheated their customers out of their vacation experience?
• that there are internet portals that sound like reputable travel agencies but are not actually operated by them?

You are probably wondering how you can be sure that you have chosen a reputable contract partner/tour operator. That's a good question. You can't know for sure. But that's why there are professionals in professional travel agencies who will thoroughly check the trip you have selected on the Internet and book it for you.

Travel agency employees are in daily contact with tour operators, they follow the trade press, and, in the best case scenario, they are very well connected, allowing them to benefit from the experiences of thousands of other travel agency colleagues. Good service spreads just as quickly as mistakes.

As travel agency employees, they are familiar with the focus and philosophy of tour operators and are happy to pass on their knowledge to their customers.

Please also read the tour operator's terms and conditions. It is surprising how many tour operators do not comply with legal requirements, for example, regarding the amount of the deposit for your trip.

Conclusion:

Before booking online, make sure you thoroughly research the credibility of your tour operator.

Tip #5: Pay attention to your travel services and the price at every step of the booking process.

So, you've chosen your trip, the flight times are right, and the hotel room has a sea view. OK, now it's time to book. With each additional entry, each individual booking step, make sure that your services remain unchanged and that the price is exactly what you had in mind.

Some portals like to play around with prices, especially for flights.

• There are websites where the flight price increases by a few hundred euros before you book. If this happens to you, cancel the booking process and look for a reputable website.
• Airfares are variable, but this should not happen within the booking period.
• The portal wants to charge a service fee? Sorry, they should have indicated that at the beginning with the flight price.
• Is travel insurance suddenly included? Portals are prohibited from automatically booking this. If you want travel insurance, you must explicitly check the corresponding box. Travel insurance requires a lot of specialist knowledge. Only seek advice from a professional.

Before you click on the booking button, you should also be aware of the following points:

• Who is your contractual partner?
• Are the general terms and conditions legal?
• How much is the deposit?
• To whom do I transfer the deposit, or from whom will it be debited?

Be suspicious if you notice that the travel portal is debiting your money or asking you to transfer money to the travel portal. Only proceed if your money is going to your contractual partner, i.e., the tour operator.

If the price has remained the same, you can now enter your payment details. Really? Or would you rather send a screenshot of your travel request to your trusted travel agency?

Please note that you cannot cancel a travel contract. Oh well, maybe someone can take another look at it. Go ahead and do it. Delegate the task to someone who knows what they are doing and can protect you from unpleasant surprises. And don't forget:

Your trip costs the same at your trusted travel agency, but has a much higher value due to the quality of advice included.

Conclusion:

To book online or offline, that is the question.

And if you really want to book online, look for a modern travel agency with a booking portal. There you can book everything online, but you also have a personal and competent contact person in case of an emergency.

Tip #6: Check your travel confirmation and account

You should receive your travel confirmation by email immediately after booking.

Read them carefully. Are all services confirmed as you requested?

When booking a package holiday, the following points are important, for example:

• Are the flight times as desired? For package tours, they may still change.
• Does the hotel room have the right amenities?
• Has the price not changed?
• Has the transfer been confirmed?
• Is the security certificate included, which is supposed to protect me from financial loss in the event of my tour operator's insolvency?
• Is the deposit amount correct?
• When is the final payment due?
• Who is debiting my account / to whom am I transferring money? Your money should only go to the contractual partner, i.e. the tour operator (NOT the travel portal).

Tip #7: Don't book high-end trips online

If you want to book a high-quality trip, don't book online. Long-distance trips and individual trips in particular require a high level of specialist knowledge and advanced booking options that a travel agency can access and request. Connecting flights, transfers, multiple hotels, and domestic flights—don't compromise and book safely and securely with a travel agency you trust.

As explained at the beginning: The prices are the same, but your safety comes first!

Don't compromise when it comes to your trip!

Go in search of a travel agency you can trust. Keep searching until you find a modern travel agency that suits you and your needs.

Although I am not referring exclusively to myself here, I would like to take this opportunity to draw your attention to my travel booking portal. Here you can make good, secure, and reliable bookings.

You can find it on my website under the menu item "Online Travel Booking."

Yours, Stephanie Gräf

Shall we stay in touch?