I'll be heading to RSA in September for my first plains game safari. Is there any advantage to booking with an agent like Gracy if we won't be overnighting in Johannesburg? The airlines prices are anywhere from $125 to $250 cheaper for the same flights. To me the savings can go towards the trophy fees for an extra animal. Your thoughts.

Craig

I guess it depends on how important it is for you to have someone who can help you out of a jam if your travels don't go according to plan. I've used Gracy on 3 trips and booked the last two myself. My last trip was to RSA and I felt that not much could go wrong and I still had a gun to borrow if mine didn't show up.

book with a reputable agent even if your not having a layover they will take care of all the notifications etc. that you need to fly with your rifles. it saves a lot of hassle

Agreed.

Well, I disagree. I've never used an agent. I caught a well known agent telling me a lie about fees. When challenged, she admitted the lie and claimed she did it to simplify things. You can use a gun clearing/meet & greet service like Air2000 by contacting them online if you want/need such service. All air tickets and lodging can be done on your own with little effort and no additional fees on a computer. JMO

I've always used Gracy, but there's some other good ones out there. Most of the time, not a problem, but once when trying to connect in Joberg, the airline tag got ripped off of a bowcase and I had to go back through security. No way I would have made it without Gracy's guy on the ground. That was well worth any premium they might get.

I don't have anything against travel agents, but I find it's just easier to do myself. I am not so sure that they can get any better prices than I can.

When I went to Africa, I used Afton's meet & greet service. I contacted them myself via email. After several emails, I sent them the documents. That gave me a chance to interact with them and when I arrived it was like we knew each other a little better than having someone else do it and I just showed up. I also book my own lodging.

Out of the nine international flights I have taken, 2 were booked with agents. One of those was a disaster and at that time of night the agent would not have been available anyway. So far, any problems I have had, I have handled on my own. That's the way I like it. I also know that is not for every one. Some want the travel agent to do it. What ever your most comfortable with. If traveling with firearms, take copies of the TSA and airline rules that apply.

I am usually a do it yourself guy. I clear my guns myself in JNB. No problem. But, I use Gracy to book airline tickets. For whatever reason, they have been able to save me money over booking on Orbitz myself, including their fees. Also, I have gotten used to having someboby in JNB to meet me and make sure everything goes smooth. Also, they prevent you from doing something stupid, like flying into an airport hostile to guns.

I am absolutely capable of making international travel arrangements, but one thing I like about using an agent is that if there's a change or hiccup you just make one call. I don't know who 338zmag has used, but Steve Turner and the folks at Frosch that I've used have someone available 24/7. Having to call airlines, hotel, meet & greet, etc. is a hassle compared to calling the agent and having them make all those calls. Just my opinion.

I've been making travel arrangements for 25 years for myself, an employer, or clients and do lots of it myself. The ease of using an agent is, in my opinion worth the money 95% of the time.

Good luck whatever you decide and have fun!

What I like about Kathi Klimes is if there's a huccup, she calls you!http://forums.accuratereloadin...391003241#2391003241

It's worth it to use an agent IMO.

I've had two travel hiccups in my hunting career. Both were when I was booking my own travel. One cost me and my partner about $2500 each.

Booking travel looks easy from "our side" when you have phone and internet available 100% of the time. However, you get into uncivilized Africa and miss a connection or have a cancelled flight and being able to pick up the sat phone and call an agent to bail you out is a lifesaver and worth whatever they charge for their service.

quote:

Originally posted by gotogirl3:
I am absolutely capable of making international travel arrangements, but one thing I like about using an agent is that if there's a change or hiccup you just make one call. I don't know who 338zmag has used, but Steve Turner and the folks at Frosch that I've used have someone available 24/7. Having to call airlines, hotel, meet & greet, etc. is a hassle compared to calling the agent and having them make all those calls. Just my opinion.

I've been making travel arrangements for 25 years for myself, an employer, or clients and do lots of it myself. The ease of using an agent is, in my opinion worth the money 95% of the time.

Good luck whatever you decide and have fun!

I should have stated that it wasn't any of the agents who post here.

I just like doing it myself. What ever problems have come up, I have been able to deal with myself. I am sure the law of averages will catch up with me. However, there is no guarantee that an agent will fix every problem either. There have been other posts here where those problems have been stated.

i have never had a problem but i do believe that gracy's guy in joburg "bruce" is worth his weight in gold

There are 4 of us going this july,, we will use Steve Turner as our agent,"Total Travel Solutions" or something like that. EYEdoc on here is one of the 4, he has been there countless times and I have made a lot of trips with him,, can we book the flights,, of course,, is it worth it,, not if there is a problem. Who in our group of 4 wants to take the lead and when a travel beast gets us who wants to be responsible and deal with the problems? not me. On our last trip to Australia,, not a gun friendly place by the way,, Steve had all the paperwork and directions including where to go and when for clearance etc. He even knew doc had weather issues and called him before we were aware of the problems,, had a backup plan in place just in case before we even knew there was an issue,, use a good agent,,

quote:

Originally posted by gotogirl3:
I am absolutely capable of making international travel arrangements, but one thing I like about using an agent is that if there's a change or hiccup you just make one call. I don't know who 338zmag has used, but Steve Turner and the folks at Frosch that I've used have someone available 24/7. Having to call airlines, hotel, meet & greet, etc. is a hassle compared to calling the agent and having them make all those calls. Just my opinion.

I've been making travel arrangements for 25 years for myself, an employer, or clients and do lots of it myself. The ease of using an agent is, in my opinion worth the money 95% of the time.

Good luck whatever you decide and have fun!

I will second the folks ar FROSCH. My guy there is Mike Romano and he has always come through for me to sort a problem. In a given year we buy probably 30-40 tickets through them moving all my referees around the midwest.

They have always been there for us when needed.

For my trip to SA I let the wife of my hunting partner (she is going as well) book the flights. She is a frequent international travler so she knows the ropes well as well as them having been on 8 safaris. I am a pretty decent traveler as well so I am used to dealing with the TSA and others like them. I wil be met by my PH at DF Malan Airport ( I will contiune to call it that cause I have no idea who Tembo was).