Mr Feedback

So far we have covered a range of issues, particularly in regards to booking international airfares and some strategies to save money, getting the best deal etc.

You can find these posts in my Getting the best travel deal posts here and here. In this post, I will address some hidden costs which you could be saving when travelling (international or domestic).

Suspension of policies - Health insurance is used as an example here.
Let’s face it, health insurance is only going to ever increase in premiums in the future. This is evidenced by the annual increases in our premiums (despite all that Government funding to private hospitals). I pay in excess of $200 per month, albeit totally worth it with HBA.

When you travel internationally, if you bought your tickets using your credit card (granted they provide free travel/health insurance associated with the card) then you are covered wherever you go. Check your policy carefully, and ask as many questions (particularly when entering North America). So why pay Health Insurance in Australia?

Almost all health insurance providers offer a suspension service. Just ring them and explain your situation, and you can suspend your cover and therefore those premiums.

In my case, I would save approx $200 per month. More spending money, LOL!

What happens if only your partner is travelling, and they are included in your cover?
Unfortunately if you have a family policy you cannot suspend persons individually from the cover (but check with your health insurance provider anyway - you might be lucky). For example: if your wife is travelling for 1 month, you cannot suspend only her policy because its a family policy. But here is one way around it, depending on your health insurance provider. Mr Feedback is all about ideas!!! (Note: this will work beautifully if you have served your waiting periods, including for pregnancy etc which is typically 12 months).

Split the policy into two individual policies. Then you are able to suspend them individually, and then re-enact them when your partner returns. Once they return, you can combine the policies into a family policy. There may be a time period ( usually 2-4 weeks from time of return from travel) within which the policies have to be combined. Discuss this with your health insurance provider.

Make sure you split the policy as early as possible before you travel. For example, with HBA they have a 2 month rule. If you split your policy, you still end up paying the individual premiums for 2 months before suspension is allowed. In order words, you cannot split the policies and immediately suspend them. So plan ahead.

In my case, if I did that - I would save potentially $100 per month. You guessed it, that’s extra spending money overseas!

Note: The above idea may not work so well if you have children in the policy. Things can get a bit complicated, so beware.

A similar approach can be used for other policies such as: car insurance (if you are not using it for a few months) etc. You would be advised to keep your home and contents insurance policy going.

Utilities and luxury expenses
Simple things like suspending or even disconnecting your mobile phones, home phones, internet, gas, electricity makes a big difference. If you have home alarm systems, this you might not want to disconnect or suspend electricity. I am not a great fan of roaming mobile services. They are bloody expensive, with costs up to $3 to $5 per minute. You will be paying for incoming calls too. Trust me, I found this out by experience when I got a massive bill of $600 bucks once.

You can turn off your hot water system, as this uses up to 30% of your electricity bills. That’s a significant saving if you regular pay in excess of 200-300 dollars per quarter.

If you are traveling for extended periods of time?
If you are renting, then it would make sense to vacate your property and then find another one on your return. Granted this is a bit of a pain in the a–, but considering rental expenses these days it may be worth it. Your belongings can be put in storage (from $50-200 per month), or perhaps a willing relative’s empty garage for a nominal fee.

These are some of the strategies you can employ to minimize your expenses while traveling. A lot of it is quite simple to arrange, especially if given plenty of notice. If you have some other tips, then comment or drop me a line, or better yet - write your post!

In the last post (covered here) we covered some basic principles of getting the best deal when you are traveling overseas, and to use the internet as a good starting point in sourcing out a great quote. In this post, I will cover some nitty gritty aspects of travel, which you may or may not have ever come across.

Some things to watch out for…Using my experience as an example, there are two main ways of flying to LA from Melbourne via the Pacific Ocean. Melbourne - LA, direct flight, OR Melbourne - Auckland - LA. When I received my quote from Flight Centre, the way it was set out looked like: Melbourne - LA - Central America. WRONG! It was Melbourne - Auckland - LA - Central America.

Is it really a direct flight?

This is where it gets a bit silly. Next to Melbourne - LA, it said “1 stop”, and next to LA - Central America, it said “Non-Stop”. I had previously overlooked this in my trip to Chennai a few years back. The ticket said: Melbourne - Dubai - Chennai, but it was actually: Melbourne - Dubai (1 stop via Singapore) - Chennai.

So read the itinerary carefully. I think it can be very misleading, and in my Dubai example - I only found out on the day of travel.

Baggage check in.
Always ensure baggage is checked in directly. In the case of connecting domestic flights generally you will need to clear customs at the first port of entry. For example: Port Vila - Brisbane (clear customs) - Melbourne, which means you will need to pick up your luggage. However, in international connections, your baggage must be checked in to your final destination. Having said this, always carry a pair of clothes in your hand luggage, as my brother recently found out when they LOST his luggage on route to Mexico.

The art of bargaining.
Expanding on my earlier post about “keeping the bargaining in your terms”. Never let the agent make the calls. This strategy works especially well when you are absolutely serious in buying the ticket then and there. This means, you will need to exhibit confidence about your research and not think twice. This way, prices can be readily slashed. This principle can be used for buying anything really. I used to buy some jewelery at the end of last year, and slashed a $1000 off the retail price! I told the lady, I will walk out if she doesn’t give it to me for the price I quoted. Simple!

P.S.: The above strategy comes with its risks so ensure you have a back up plan or are prepared to negotiate further.

Be fair and honest.
I firmly believe in this concept. Sure you can be firm, harsh and straight forward in your negotiating process. But always go back to the first person you dealt with and aim to buy the tickets or product from them. Otherwise, it defeats the purpose of establishing a relationship with a retailer. For example, I know some people who buy airline tickets from the same person, and routinely obtain wholesale prices, and never pay the credit card surcharge.

The credit card surcharge!
This is part of your bargaining chip. Never pay credit card surcharge. The surcharge is what the credit card companies charge the retailer, and the retailer passes the costs to you (the consumer). I think this is unfair. The retailer should brunt this cost as we are giving them business. I frankly refuse to pay the surcharge, and when I bought my tickets recently go it surcharge free. I saved $60 bucks straight up using this method.

Remember, never pay the credit card surcharge. Always calculate this when buying tickets. When shopping online for tickets, ensures you check the prices on the last page (i.e.: upon confirmation of payment) to ensure no extra charges are being added (such as Tiger airways luxury tax highlighted earlier in my blog). Find out more about surcharges here.

Travel insurance.
This is how I played the system. I got as quote from HBA, and then decided to upgrade my credit card to one which includes Travel Insurance. That’s right, most credit cards come with built in awards, travel insurance, medical insurance, cancellation insurance, and lost baggage insurance. This can also include the family members who are travelling with the card holder.

The best thing is: 1) get a credit card which has awards and all types of insurance, 2) get additional card for your partner. Both you and your partner can go to different destinations, and still be covered. Ensure you check with the insurance provider for your credit card (which is usually NOT the bank itself, but someone like Zurich in the case of Commonwealth Bank), and ask them what the claim process is. For me, this worked out to be cheaper than getting travel insurance through HBA (about 300 bucks cheaper in fact).

In fact, did you also know if you buy a product using your credit card - sometimes your warranty is automatically extended without added cost! Do research people!

Frequent flyer program.
Always join up to a frequent flyer program. Why, because: 1) usually they are free, 2) accumulate points and then transfer amongst family members (Krisflyer allows this), 3) transfer your credit card awards to frequent flyer miles, 4) Did I mention it was free!.

Want to save more?
There is one other method of getting the best deal. If you are flying to a destination which involves a stop over, then you can buy two separate tickets. In my example: Melbourne - LA, one ticket. LA - Central America, second ticket. I could have saved about 200 bucks using this, but beware - this means you will have to pick up luggage, and re-checkin and if your plane is delayed you may find the 2nd airline will not refund all of your money. If you have huge amounts of transit time, then it might work out in your favour.

Summary
I hope this helps you make a better choice when booking holidays, or buying airline tickets. These are simple strategies which I use when booking tickets on the web, or through an agent. There are plenty of options out there, and they are not that hard to snitch out. If you have any further questions, I would be happy to help! Just drop me a line.

This is an extended post on some of the tips I think are useful when you are looking for the best holiday or airline ticket deals. So far this year, I have traveled to: Vanuatu, Sydney, Adelaide, India, Singapore and recently booked a 2.5 month trip to Central America. You’d think I would know a thing or two about booking holidays. This is Part 1: Getting the best deal!.

The Options.
When looking for travel deals, there is no better place than the internet. There are literally thousands of sites out there who offer some great deals, but there are also some real shoddy ones too so you have to be careful. Here is my motto: be prepared to shop around, check regularly because airline prices change on a daily basis, and ensure you trust the person whom you are buying from.

Unlike me, many people are still uncomfortable making large purchases on the internet. This is understandable, however it does not mean the internet is out of the options.

Tip 1 - Do your research?
I used several sites to compare travel prices to Central America. These include (but not limited to):

1. Expedia.com.au
2. Flight Centre
3. Escape Travel
4. Travel.com.au
5. Singapore Airlines
6. American Airlines
7. Thai Airways
8. United
   

What I found that depending on the dates you put, prices can vary by up to 200-300 dollars. That’s a massive saving! This is stemmed from varying taxes, fuel prices and surcharges. Furthermore, always be prepared to check individual airlines as well, because sometimes they are way cheaper than booking through an agent.

Tip 2 - Shop around physically!
Once I assimilated my quotes from the above sites, I chose the best ones. I was quite flexible with the dates of travel, therefore I could really afford to get the best price. Traveling during weekdays is generally cheaper than weekends. Know your peak and off peak seasons. For example: Traveling in mid November to North / Central America is considered off peak, but once you hit late November prices jump rapidly (i.e.: Christmas). From my research, I found traveling on Tuesday and Wednesday (so called mid week fares) to be the cheapest.

My next target with these quotes were travel agents. I tried Flight Centre, Escape Travel, and Harvey World Travel. You would be surprised how much each agent varies, even when its their own company. I received three very different quotes from Flight Centres within 3 blocks from each other in downtown Melbourne. The difference between the cheapest and most expensive was 700 bucks!!!

Tip 3 - Set your limits, and preferences
From day one, I had my preferences set. This means selecting the best route for me, number of stop overs, and also the airlines I am willing to fly. These were: 1) Non stop to LA, 2) Via Pacific (or maybe SE Asia, but definitely not China), 3) Qantas / United /  Thai / Singapore or American Airlines.

Tip 4 - Be firm.
I find the art of negotiating quite simple. It’s my territory, I negotiate and no one else does. That means, I set the price limits, I set the rules, and I am prepared to walk away. So I went to the cheapest Flight Centre quote, and literally said: “I have this quote from this website, can you price beat it. If you can, I will buy the ticket right now!”. This usually works. The agent wants to make a quick sale, and immediately knows you are not to be messed with. Of course, I had evidence to back up my quotes. You can’t simply make up unreasonable quotes, because you will find they have access to all the quotes you have managed to source.

Summary
Okay, so far you have managed to get the best quote, and are now sitting right in front of the agent. Once you are happy with the deal and the price match / beat has been achieved, then what do you do? I will follow this up in my next post….which will definitely be interesting. Stay tuned!

I had a day off today (rarity these days), so I ventured into downtown. I may make a trip to Central America later in the year so I am checking out ticket prices. It seems to cost around $3000 mark for a return economy fare, and up to $11000 for a first class fare (for those filty rich despicable people - lol!). Unfortunately, I will be traveling in the former class.

All of the flights are ex-LA, so I walked into Flight Centre on Elizabeth Street to ask them if they had any idea about V-Australia’s prices. According to V-Australia’s site, direct flights to LA start mid December, although they seem to change the date from time to time. When I checked the site - which was a couple of weeks ago, they had no indication of the price. I checked after going to Flight Centre and it seems during low season it will cost around $2009 (conditions apply of course).

The funny thing was, the Flight Centre lady had no idea what V Australia was. I told them it was Virgin’s initiative to fly to LA from Australia. Still not ringing any bells. I was thinking if she has driven in any major freeway in Melbourne, or watched TV, or heard the radio in the last few months. Only 1 of the staff members had heard of V-Australia. I almost burst out laughing when I exited the store.

Have you heard of V-Australia? Is it fair for me to expect them to know what it is? I thought it was.

Ok, Australia has a “new kid on the block” when it comes to discount airlines. So what’s all the fuss about? I wanted to find out, so I booked my trip to Adelaide recently on Tiger Airways!

Is it any different to JetStar or Virgin? 
Yep, it’s bloody dam cheap. I had 2 weeks notice to go to Adelaide so I looked at all the fares from all the airlines (excluding Qantas because I know they’re expensive). I used Tiger Airways to Adelaide, and Virgin on my way back because those were the cheapest tickets I could get.

I avoided Jetstar, because you have to add in the cost to going to Avalon Airport  (Melbourne) as opposed to Tullamarine for the other airlines. Travelling to Avalon is a real pain in the a–, so Jetstar was not an option. Besides, their fares were more expensive anyway.

I bought my Tiger ticket for a mere $39.95. They have silly taxes though: what the hell is a luxury tax? It cost me more to get to the airport by taxi than it did to fly from Melbourne - Adelaide. That is just plain WRONG! LOL!

Furthermore, you have to pay “extra” if you want checked in baggage (which I did not have):
* 0-15kg: $5.00
* 15 + 5kg: $15.00
* 15 + 10kg: $25.00
*15 + 15kg: $40.00
** Sports equipment is extra ($30.00)

Doing the sums…
So things can add up, if you manage to get a $39.95 fare + GST ($3.95) + 30kg checked in baggage, then you would be spending: 83.90 + whatever they charge extra for using your credit card + luxury tax. You really need to do your sums before booking.

Charging customers for checked in baggage seems appropriate, because from an airline perspective they would save $$ on fuel costs (which are soaring!). So when the plane reaches Adelaide, and there’s more fuel remaining, it means less fuel is required to fill up (to come back) therefore cost savings for the airline.

So is it worth it?
For me, it was worth it because I only had hand luggage. Tiger Airways is ideal for the day traveller with hand luggage only. Remember, a laptop is not counted, so you can take an additional baggage. I took my laptop, and my suit. No hassles!

The process and planes…
You get a crappy terminal, and you need to walk onto the plane but when you are paying less than your taxi fare to the airport to travel 700km - who cares! There weren’t many people on my plane so I had two empty seats next to me, so I put my feet up.

What’s “not worth it” and has the colour red? 
Those silly Premium Economy seats that Virgin have introduced. Totally ridiculous. They simply added a cup holder to the “middle seat” and added a few inches of leg room. Yeah yeah, you get priority this and priority that, and free entry into “The Lounge” who really cares if you’re only travelling 1-2 hours. It’s suitable for business travellers who cancel a lot, so why not just call it Business Class.

I can’t believe on their website they mention: “exclusive red leather seats”! That is just plain pathetic.

Overall my experience with Tiger Airways was positive, and I felt it was worth the money I paid. Too bad I had to fork out $119 on my return with Virgin, which was the cheapest I could get. The biggest advantage for Tiger is that they have their terminal at Tullamarine.

Note: This is a Commentary, hence the “C” in the title. Find out more.

I was walking home one day and noticed a Volkswagen people mover with a sign - Jetbus.com.au. I had never heard of this airport shuttle service before. It seems these guys are contractors for moving airline staff (Malaysian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Jetstar) between the airport and their hotels. This was their primary business structure, but over the past few weeks opened their service to the public.

The booking system
The process is quite simple, and it begins on their homepage. You select the number of tickets you want, and then fill out your travel details. The tickets are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase, and they have a range of designated pick up spots - particularly hotels in and around the CBD. They do not travel to the suburbs of Melbourne, nor Avalon Airport.

Once you fill out the pick up / drop off details, you go on to the order confirmation page. Make sure you print this page, because the printed ticket does not list these details. So if you forget, then you need to chase it up. Their email response time is quite appropriate, within 24 hours and most of their customer service is through the internet. You can book over the phone, but there is a surcharge of $2.50 (read the fine print!).

If you book for more than one person, the main person whom you book under will appear on the ticket. Don’t stress, the driver has your details.

Punctuality
When you book your ticket, and select pick up times etc - ensure you have plenty of time to get to the airport. It is your responsibility to do this, not JetBus’s. Remember, if you intend to travel during peak hour traffic - account for this. The punctuality during my trip was impeccable. In fact, the bus arrived within a minute to spare. I am not sure how they time their trips, but I had a whole bus to myself going to and from the airport. Technically, people can enter a whole range of pick up times, and it would be a technically challenging task to coordinate all the buses so they all arrive on time (particularly in CBD traffic).

The service
I had one of the nicest drivers. His name was Nick or Mick, and was very professional yet casual. He helped with our suitcases, and kept us entertained throughout the trip. Not like your average driver who listens to music while driving. He even dropped us off closer to our house on the return trip. The bus itself (I got a mini bus - not the Volkswagen) was neat and tidy and their service is Carbon neutral (read more).

Inside tips
* Confirm your booking at least 24 hours before your trip.
* Ensure you print the order confirmation page so you remember your pick up details
* Don’t be surprised to see the tickets having only the main booking name. The driver has your details.
* Allow enough time to travel in peak hour traffic.
* On arrival into Melbourne, you can wait inside the terminal for the driver to pick you up. Read more in Suggestions section.
* I hear they are playing around with their pick up structure, and perhaps even may include some inner Melbourne suburbs.

Suggestions
* The tickets must have pick up and drop off details in them.
* We got a bit confused when we arrived into Melbourne. The driver had gone in to pick us up, yet the website said we had to wait outside. So we waited outside, until I saw the driver (same guy who picked us up few days before) waiting inside. Furthermore, there were plenty of buses just outside the terminal so it can be hard to find. To avoid this perhaps a dedicated bus stop for Jetbus would help customers.
* Keep up the good work Mick (or Nick).

Rating - 8/10 (great service, will use again)
I will use their service again. There are slight elements which can make your travel confusing, but their service based on my experience is excellent. They need to work on their booking process, and make sure you get some more details onto the ticket to reduce potential hassle for customers.

Note: I am interested in publishing reviews of other airport shuttle services. Let me know!

I was involved in an interesting Connex train ticket situation today. I bought a Zone 1 two hour ticket, and my plans changed at short notice requiring me to step foot into Zone 2 territory.

So I plodded along to Melbourne Central Station, and asked if I could buy an isolated Zone 2 ticket. This way, I could “combine” the tickets in case the vicious inspectors come along on the train. The answer was “No”. So my only (economical) option was to get off at the margins of Zone 1, purchase an isolated Zone 2 ticket and continue my travel. Yes, I would have to wait for another train. Or the more expensive option was to buy a Zone 1 + 2 ticket again.

I am a bit bewildered by this experience. Essentially if your situation changes after buying your ticket, Connex (or MetLink) doesn’t make it easy for you.

Here is my question: Why can’t the ticket counter at stations issue isolated tickets for people in my situation? The counter guy didn’t really explain why he couldn’t issue me a Zone 2 ticket. My hypothesis is that the machines do not allow this to be done.

I just thought it would have been so much easier if he just issued me with a Zone 2 ticket. My rant over!

I almost forgot about this great story. On my arrival into Melbourne, I could not find my long term car park ticket. After extensively searching my wallet, suitcase, and the car - it was no where to be found.

I went to the lady at the exit point, and explained my situation. No problems, she trusted my initial parking date (apparently I look trust worthy!), and re-issued the ticket and charged for the parking time.

Great customer service. So thank you car park lady!

My family organized a function at Taj Coromandel in Chennai during my trip to India. I did not organize it, so I cannot comment on this aspect but I will comment on the customer service, food, and ambience. From what I heard, all planning was done through email - which is excellent for foreigners.

The service
Customer service has improved markedly over the years in India, and Taj Coromandel is no exception. It is one of the prestigious hotels in Chennai, and the Taj chain of hotels has an excellent reputation for customer service. But it does come at a cost. Our function for 25 people - buffet style Indian vegetarian dinner cost was Rs 38000 (approx: AUD $1027). Comparatively, it is quite cheap. A similar style buffet in Australia will cost a lot more.

There were 4 waiters looking after us, and were very friendly. The food was prepared on time, and was presented well. There was an issue with the bill, as we had been charged for 35 people instead of 25 people - but this was promptly fixed by the manager in charge and a corrected tax invoice was provided.

The food
We chose a South Indian style menu. There were other options, but ours was vegetarian. There were a few North Indian items, and also some pasta(my favorite). Finger food was also included, and non-alcoholic drinks were unlimited. The food was very nice, presented well - and with about 3 entrees, 6-8 mains, 3 desert, finger food, and unlimited drinks options - it was well worth the money.

The ambience
When I go to Taj - I expect excellent ambience. Taj Coromandel was no exception. The lobby was dimly lit, with plenty of customer service personnel available. The marvelous stair case leading to the Willingdon Hall set the tone, and the lobby was brilliantly decorated with its own water feature, Italian tiles and Mahogany furniture. The European elegance was visible throughout the hotel. The hall itself was very spacious, with comfortable seating and coffee table arrangements. I included a small presentation and they accommodated my needs with space for a projector, screen and my laptop. The decorations, and furniture quality were excellent and second to none.

When you enter the hotel, you feel like royalty and I have not experienced this feeling in other 5 star hotels I have stayed or visited.

Inside tips
* As a general rule (anywhere in the world) - check your bill. This is true in India as well, no matter how expensive the place you visit is.

Suggestions
* Do what you are doing.
* Ensure you bill customers correctly. I was a bit disappointed that I had to point out the mistake, but appreciate your prompt acknowledgment and correction. I suspect my experience was an exception, none the less you lost 1 point for this. I’m sorry!

Rating - 9/10 (Marvelous, but the billing let you down)
Taj Coromandel is a place I will be holding any future functions. I am very much impressed with their professional approach, and also the ambience of the hotel. Well done!

I have been traveling with Singapore Airlines (SIA) for 20 years, and I have been eye witness to the improvement in passenger travel comforts over the years. Krisflyer is their main in flight entertainment, and this is now standard across their airlines. There are small variations however.

This is my travel experience between: Melbourne -> Singapore -> Chennai, Chennai -> Singapore -> Melbourne. Travel time: 11 hours. Class: Economy.

My experience was that the flight between the Melbourne -> Singapore sector was far superior to the one between Chennai -> Singapore sector. I have flown this route for the last 20 years, and this has historically been accurate. For what reason, I am not sure. I would have thought the frequency between Singapore -> Chennai was much more than Melbourne -> Singapore, thus warranty better quality aircraft etc.

The service
Customer service is something SIA prides itself. Their website is informative, but there are some obvious coding errors which really needs fixing. Such a big airline cannot afford to get their website wrong. Initially the e-checkin service did not function, but this was a rare error but was corrected spontaneously the day of my flight. I had similar problems on my return, and once again it worked miraculously. In flight service is exceptional. Response times are adequate for Economy, and from what I heard its even better in Raffles & First Class. During my flight, I tested their service by asking for: more drinks, more peanuts, more blankets, and pillows and I wasn’t refused once. However, between Melbourne -> Singapore, the lady did say they had no more pillows left and gave me extra folded blankets instead. The food was bearable, then again most airline food is crap! So, no offence taken.

Singapore airlines takes good care of their frequent flyers, with the Raffles & First Class lounge and Premier lounge. You can find out more about this on their website.

The facilities
Krisflyer is exceptional. The Melbourne -> Singapore sector had far superior in flight entertainment than Chennai -> Singapore. They need to focus on standardizing their inflight entertainment to avoid customers from guessing. The in flight entertainment had major system errors in the Chennai -> Singapore sector, but I wasn’t too bothered because movies were still playing. The on demand style entertainment offered between Melbourne -> Singapore was great. All shows, movies were great quality, and the larger LCD displays made it that much better. The games were admittedly crap. I was surprised to see ethernet, usb facilities behind each seat which is great for the business traveller. What would have been great - and this is not necessarily a SIA issue, is to have charge ports for laptops so we can use them on the flight without the fear of losing battery life. This is something Airbus and Boeing should look at for their future aircraft, if not already in their A380. Read the rest of this entry »