TRAVEL -- When Ice And Snow Cause Fear, Super Travel Agent Is Here

By Mary Stephan
Allons Travel

There are lots of myths out there about using a travel agent. One of the myths is that you can book the same trip on your own without using a travel agent. True, you can. There are a lot of online travel providers.

However, travel agents have access to exclusive pricing and package deals that often times are not available to the public. Travel agents collectively have more leverage, buying power and help with hotels claiming to be booked.

Another myth is that travel agents are a waste of time. Tell that to my client “Tom.” Tom called me from the tarmac of his home airport today. The major winter storm moving through the Midwest and Great Lakes into the northeast played havoc with flights. Due to ice, snow and flight delays he missed his connecting flight to Chicago. To say that Tom was upset was an understatement. Tom is supposed to be the keynote speaker at an event tomorrow. Did I mention he is getting paid for his address? Needless to say, for his own marketing interests -- and his checkbook -- he is highly motivated to get to his final destination.

Travel agent saves the day! I was able to re-book him on a later flight that will still get him to his destination so he can make his speaking engagement tomorrow. By the way,, I also got him upgraded to first class.

Which begs the question: I wonder what the other flyers sitting around him that booked on-line are doing. What they were thinking if they overheard his conversation with me while he sat on the tarmac? The moral of the story (but what the on-line discounters don't tell you) is that if you don’t use a travel agent -- and you run into problems -- you are on your own.

Mary Stephan is president and senior travel consultant at Allons Travel in Powell, Ohio. Call her at 614-562-3157, or email her at mbs@columbus.rr.com.

Katie St. John joins BNA

Katie St. John, design manager at An Occasional Florist, has joined Business Network Associates. Katie's business is focused on special occasion-only floral needs for special events, weddings, banquets, etc.

We welcome Katie to BNA! Hopefully, she will be contributing news about the floral industry, and tricks and tips for utilizing flowers for various events.

BNA Member Elected To Top FPA Post

A note from Brent Greer, Prudential CRES Commercial Real Estate:

She is too modest to mention it, but Pam Birkenholtz, one heck of a financial planner at Waddell & Reed, is the incoming president of the Central Ohio Chapter of the Financial Planners Association. She knows her stuff and I am proud to call her my friend and colleague. I would not hesitate to recommend her services.

She also is a past president of our Business Network Associates group. Congratulations Pam. FPA is going to have a great year under your guidance!