Great Travel Agents

What Travel Agent do you use here?

  • David’s
  • Interlink
  • Champion Travel
  • Jenny Su
  • Astor
  • A different local one
  • I book on the Internet
  • None - I don’t go travelling

0 voters

Stumbled across a great travel agent. Sheree Lin, Champion Travel, Chung Shan N. Rd., 2561-6250, x. 215. Speaks great English, got me a great last minute deal (Singapore 4d/3n, airfare-hotel, NT$15,000), and sorted things out with my bank for me when I had a credit card problem. Nice lady, extremely helpful, restores your faith in Taiwanese. Give her a call.

In contrast to the good experience posted above, I want to share a bad experience I had with David’s, particularly with a girl named Veronica, who handled my travel needs before.

Three weeks before my scheduled flight, I called her up and reserved a return ticket for Taipei-NYC via Cathay Pacific. She sent a record locator number to me by fax so two weeks later, when I need to pay for my flight, she advised me I can merely restate my record locator and present the fax message as a proof to their agency to pay for and claim my ticket. I was confident my reservation because of her reassurance that everything is alright and that she was able to confirm my seat!

But lo and behold! When I called her again two weeks later, she told me I didn’t have any reservation and worst of all, she told me that what she gave me was not the record locator number. When I inquired whether I can still take the flight I want on the day I wanted it, she told me the flight was already fully booked, but of course since it was only less than a week away! What else can I do, but just sigh in disbelief.

Because of that I missed a very important appointment in NYC and vowed myself that as long as I live, I’ll spread my sad encounter with their travel agency!

This may not mean anything but I sent four fare/travel questions to every travel agency listed in the Post via e-mail. Jenny Su was the only one that replied and her fare on the return to Bangkok was good. However, I must confess to never having used her agency.

I have used Astor Tours on Nanjing East Road for the last 4 years exclusively, with no regrets. Ask for Margaret. The # is 2545-8199

In my experience, travel agencies in Taiwan are a complete mess. I fly quite often and have had a range of bad experiences (including my own run-ins with Veronica, see Morning Breeze posting).

It’s incredible how unprofessional travel agents here are, to the point where I expect to be disappointed before I even pick up the phone. When it happens, I too just sigh though sometimes I even bother to ask them (rhetorically), “how can this happen?” knowing that their answer won’t be acceptable.

I don’t speak Chinese well enough to use the local travel agencies and usually refer to the ones listed in the English-language newspapers. Does anyone know if this is just a streak of bad luck on my end or if there are actually English-speaking travel agents that come highly recommended?

I used to get so frustrated with this but over time have to expect poor quality service.

I recommend Interlink Travel at Kuang Fu N. Rd, No. 68, 11F-1 especially a rep there by the name of Sean. His English is great and more importantly his level of service is second to none.

My roomates and I have used Interlink many times and we have nothing but rave reviews. Their prices are just a little higher than other travel agencies though, but I am willing to pay a little more for good service and peace of mind.

Their phone number is 02-2578-0611, their e-mail address is intlink@ms11.hinet.net and their URL is www.interlink.com.tw.

No, I am not a shill for these guys. I am just mightily impressed with their service.

I agree with MrBubble. Interlink has a very good English speaking staff and I even commended one of the staff there before by being so courteous, attentive and efficient (no matter how at one time I was so fickle minded about my flight bookings, they all seem to be nice and customer-focused, trying their best to help you with your needs!). Their price might be hundred bucks higher compared to others. But they’re so reliable. Who can beat that?

the taiwanese in general love to travel in groups thus agents here are not used to the needs of individual travellers particularly those who cant speak chinese, ie foreigners.

sure their english could be better but so could your chinese. give them a break.

hunt around, this forum is a good start. i like tristar myself.

I use to use Jenny Su. She is pretty good. I never had any trouble. Lately, I only book online through some of the Chinese language only travel agents.

I use Interlink too, but they fucked up on me once. They forgot to confirm my flight or something. Managed to get it right in the end, but I was very close to arriving home the day AFTER Christmas.

Bri

So far we have had positive responses for:
Champion, Astor, Interlink and Jenny Su.
It seems that the agencies are much of a muchness. One bad experience will spoil a place for anyone, but it seems that by and large, most places are fine.
Incidentally, I have used Linda King for years with no complaints other than she has lately not been giving me the rock-bottom fares. Well, it is a business, after all…

Ya, I can recommend Margret from Astor too.

Part of the problem may be that Taiwan does not exist, as other nations do. That is to say that many major airlines change their names and routes and share flights with local airlines when dealing with the Renegade Province. Like it seems to be impossible to get a flight to Korea, except via Japan. Big bully Middle Kingdom’s got 'em all running scared.

You can’t get a flight to South Korea because Taiwan cut off airlinks in retaliation after South Korea switched diplomatic ties to China. It’s not because of China’s bullying (in this case) although China is, in fact, a bully.

I also have had good service with Interlink.

No flights to South Korea???

I just came back from there last week. Cathay and Thai Airways have regular infact daily flights from Taipei to Seoul.

Anyway, about travel agents - I havent had any problems, because like everything else you buy here, you have to understand the product.

For travelling it is - if you don’t have the ticket in your hands, no locator code can help you.!! And, its easier to get a seat 2 days before your flight than it is between 3 weeks and 3 days before your flight.

I agree with one/eye/priest. Sheree and Irene at Champion are the best! Both professional, excellent service, very helpful, friendly, excellent English, and replies quickly to your questions and emails. Also, they are the most knowledgeable about travelling with pets. They found out the airline restrictions for me and listed all the info. I needed to provide the airlines with.

Here’s my experience with the other travel agenices. Take it for what it’s worth…
tried David’s, rude as can be! They made me feel like I was inconveniencing them by calling! Tried the high recommended Interlink, but they too were rude and incompeten, very disorganized and cannot read properly! Tried TC Travel…rude, unprofessional and very very sarcastic! They couldn’t have been bothered to even listen to my question! Made me vow to let everyone know of my experience with them. And finally, tried Trump Travel, they never bothered to phoning me back or returning my emails! I guess they didn’t need another customer!

We Can Travel (Wénkāng Lǚxíngshè) - The web site is all in Chinese. You can go there in person. The address is Rm. 12, 12th Floor, Asiaworld Bldg., No. 50, Sec. 1, Zhōngxiào W. Rd., Taibei 100. The Asiaworld building is between the Shinkong Mitsukoshi building and the Hilton Hotel, opposite Táiběi Train Station. We Can Travel is associated with the Chinese Taipei Youth Hostels Association, so they can help you with hostel bookings as well as tickets. If you go into the Youth Hostels Association office next door first and say Zhū Lì (Juba’s Chinese name) sent you, it might get you more attentive service. This agent is not necessarily the cheapest - Different agents get their hands of different deals at different times. The advantage is that they are used to talking to Westerners, Japanese and Koreans and they know a lot about hostelling and backpacking.

David’s is the worst. Haven’t spoken to them in years because they really are pretty dishonest. Astor is great(ask for Margaret) and their location now is not on Fu-Hsing, it moved to Nan-King E Rd. next to Westin hotel about 1 1/2 years ago

I used Astor last year. I don’t know if it was Margaret but their service was poor and,when I asked additional questions relating to the hotel/airline package I was interested in, I was told to “look on the Internet”. Perhaps I just got a surly staff member? Also I returned there on a Saturday afternoon and found them closed. A travel agency that closes on a Saturday??? :shock:

These days I use Jeannie at Interlink and am quite satisfied.

Agree with the hoards praising Champion. They put me onto a great ticket seemingly unknown to most agents several years ago - Taipei to Sydney (or Melbourne) for (then) NT$14,000 return year open. Last I went (two years ago) it was still only NT$17,000. You spend 12 hours in transit in Saigon on the way to, and 24 hours on the way back. A very nice break indeed. You can skip out of the airport during the 12 hour stop by going to the airport hotel for $US30.

I’ve also heard Viet airlines have a similarly cheap ticket to Paris, but when I wanted to go it was booked solid for 3 months.

I also found Champion to be very helpful with those awful “must have a ticket out of Taiwan” issues.

HG

Thumbs up for Allen at Interlink. Excellent service in Chinese or English and extremely courteous.

Years ago, I used to have horrible experiences with David’s when I was looking for the cheapest price possible. I almost had to overstay a visa one time due to their mistakes. Another time I called up to inquire about a price for a complicated ticket. The woman had horrible English so I kept having to ask her to clarify. When I asked her if she could please speak Chinese she put me on hold. After a while, someone picked up and I asked what happened to my agent. She said, “she doesn’t want to talk to you anymore.” I heard my agent yell, “asshole!” in the background. Anyway, I started over and explained what I wanted to the second agent. She said she would call me back with a price. Of course, she never called back. I can’t believe that place is still in business…and with the same damn ad they had eight years ago! HK or Manila anyone? Only NT$4,500 Very cheaper cheaper!