Toll-Free Information Helps Out

Many travel companies have toll-free telephone numbers to provide more ease in making reservations and getting information, but not all travelers realize the range of services that may be available through these special numbers.

The extra counseling generally comes from the questions travelers ask, and the information they provide to reservation agents. Often the more information you give about your travel plans, the easier it is to get advice.

Increasingly sophisticated computer capabilities generate greater information bases. On the other hand, given the maze of air fares in particular, you have to make sure that you’re getting all the latest options.

Here are some pointers by industry reservation authorities that may help in deriving the most from your use of toll-free numbers.

“Some people don’t ask questions they really should ask, such as about traveling with pets, what they can and can’t take as far as carry-on baggage, and availability of oxygen,” said Andy Broda, manager-reservation/vacation sales for Western Airlines in Los Angeles. “They’re sometimes afraid of asking what they feel might be silly questions, but they shouldn’t be.”

Weather, Transportation

Reservation agents can advise you, Broda said, on what the weather is like at a specific destination, what sort of airport-city transportation is available, at what price and where to find it at the airport as well as other airport/airline services including facilities for children. “You can also ask for literature, such as our flight schedules, to be mailed to you.”

Conversely, Broda said, people will ask questions they shouldn’t. One key example is attempts to obtain names of passengers on flights, particularly with bad-weather situations and canceled flights. “A passenger manifest is a confidential document, and we can only provide this information to the police and FBI. We can tell callers that passengers on a canceled flight were protected and on which airlines, but not which persons went on which airline.”

Similarly, unless a relatively small airport is involved, you can’t find out which gate will be used for an incoming flight. But you can inquire if a flight is scheduled to arrive on time.

“Some people will call our 800 numbers about baggage problems,” Broda said, “but all we can do is give them the phone number they should be calling, which is the baggage department of the city where the claim was or should have been filed. And we can’t transfer the call.”

In some cases, stretching interline practice and patience, some callers will ask about the schedules of other airlines and even for bookings to be made on other carriers.

Before you call, Broda suggested, have as good an idea as possible of what you want to learn. If you’re following up on an ad or brochure, have it in front of you for referral. If you expect to make a reservation using your credit card, have the card ready. Last, but not least, have a pen or pencil and paper to take notes.

Best Times to Call

As far as the best times to call, Broda said Western’s 800 number is available 24 hours, seven days a week. “If you call during peak times, we have more staff. If your call comes during off-peak periods, there will be fewer agents. Staffing is done on the basis of the anticipated number of calls and the level of service we expect to provide for that time period.”

A similar view was expressed by Wilfrid Thewes, reservations sales manager-New York for Lufthansa. “The biggest misconception callers have is that they think we’re just order-takers. In this day and age, reservation agents can give out all kinds of information stored in their computers besides making bookings on air, hotels and cars.

“In addition to weather and surface transportation, this information base includes what are the holidays and special events during the period you plan to travel. And this information isn’t just for Frankfurt, but for any city we serve around the world.”

One of the points to realize with some companies, such as Lufthansa, is in what time zone the calls are received and how late the reservation center is open. Lufthansa’s calls are taken in New York City until midnight. This means that someone in California can call after getting home from work in the evening.

From a hotel viewpoint, Sheila McFarland, vice president of Hilton’s reservation service, said consumers really need to figure out, in advance when feasible, the city and hotel as well as arrival and departure dates. “We need input from the caller, including which is more important, the time of travel or price. Are you shopping for price or looking for a specific destination at a specific time?

“Travelers,” McFarland said, “shouldn’t be hesitant on this score. Some people don’t ask for what they really want, especially when price is involved. Consequently, we don’t get a chance to explain various alternate hotels and packages, some of which might be of interest to them if they knew about them.”

Finding a Room

As for making reservations, the reservation centers for hotel chains may operate on somewhat different systems concerning many rooms they have to sell. It’s possible that a reservation center (with the same going for an independent reservation service or airline that also books hotels) will not have any vacant rooms, while a call directly to a hotel will turn up an available room.

“About 80% of our hotels give us all of their rooms, so we have the entire inventory to sell. Suites may not be part of our inventory, depending on how many suites a hotel has and how they define their suites such as mini, junior, alcove, executive, etc.,” McFarland said.

When people want rooms in specific parts of the hotel, or even a specific room number, these are situations when it might be better to contact the hotel. “In most cases we can confirm special room arrangements, but it doesn’t hurt to call the hotel directly, particularly when you want to make arrangements such as flowers and champagne.”

There are also limitations on how much agents can tell callers about room features. “We can advise travelers about such things as private baths and color TV, but when someone wants to know the color of the carpeting, we may not be able to help. Similarly, we can advise if a hotel has rooms for the handicapped, but it’s possible that more specifics on guardrails and other aids might not be available.”

A basic point to keep in mind, McFarland advised, is to ask for any discount you want at the time of your booking. “And you can always ask what discounts are available.”

But not all properties may necessarily participate in a chain’s discount program.

Car rental reservation centers can also provide more information than some callers realize.

Drop-Off Charges

One of the key points that some travelers fail to inquire about are drop-off charges, said Karen Bell, operations manager of Dollar Rent A Car’s reservation center in Los Angeles. Some renters, she said, assume that you always get unlimited mileage, which isn’t necessarily the case. “If people give us an idea of how much they plan to drive, we may be able to advise them on the best rental for their circumstances.”

“We should also be advised,” Bell said, “if you’re going to be returning a car at very late or early hours when our offices are not open, so we can instruct you on what to do. Ask what are the opening and closing times. And if there’s something you don’t understand, like collision damage waiver, bring it up. We’ll explain what CDW is and isn’t so you can decide whether or not you want it in advance of picking the car up.”

If you don’t have a credit card, or a major one, you should mention this to find out what you would have to do and show to be able to rent a car. “People sometimes call us under the mistaken impression, often received from our ads on the backs of airline ticket jackets, that we can make air bookings for them. While the airlines may handle car rentals, the reverse isn’t true.”