from the Departure Lounge

News has reached EID of a British couple who booked a holiday to Sydney, Australia via the Internet. What they didn't spot, however, was that they'd booked to go to Sydney in Canada. Apparently, they thought nothing of having to change planes in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

I've tried to find a full story to link, but news is scarce. Here's one.

Of course travel agents are jumping up and down, all excited, shouting, "See? See? You do need us after all!"

Well, travel agents, y'know what? We don't.

Just because some dopey teenagers didn't double-check their internet booking, that doesn't mean that those of us with the three brain cells required to get on-line, will all come running back to you, eager to pay you a middle-man fee for something we can do perfectly well ourselves.

I speak with some authority, as (without naming my former employer) I worked in the travel industry for the past 11 years. The rise of Internet travel booking sites has them all crapping themselves.

Personally, I've used Site59 for weekends away (within the US), and both United.com and Hotwire.com for flight-only travel outside the US.

In addition to good rates, I don't have to get off my arse and leave the house, I don't have to deal with another human being (in a bad polyester blazer) if I don't want to, and I can print my own e-ticket receipt on my own printer.

As a geek, it makes perfect sense that I should be able to do it all online.

The travel industry as a whole has made great strides in the use of technology. My ex-employer, for example, had a product that meant you could change a flight booking using your online PDA or cell phone, whilst sat in the airport, or running late to it. (God, I hope I got that right! Correct me in the comments if I didn't ex-colleagues.)

So the problem isn't the industry, it's those middle-men wanting a slice of the pie, just for filling in the ticket details for you. Still, at least they might check you and the right Sydney were destined to meet.