Why I don't recommend buying tickets from Kiwi, Pelikán and other similar companies...

When you plan today buying a ticket to Barcelona (or other world destinations), you have dozens of options where to make the purchase. All your options are literally one click away, and if you don't have any experience with buying tickets, it's quite easy to get lost in it and make the wrong choice. And all this with the foolish knowledge that you made a good choice and saved a few hundred. 

Wait, what are you talking about? 

Although buying a plane ticket is as common as buying a roll in a store today, in addition to airlines, there are also various agencies, portals or intermediaries on the market, with which you can get a good start by purchasing a ticket. 

Who is it about? 

The most famous is probably the Kiwi or perhaps the Pelican. But there are more similar companies operating on the market. All of them only resell tickets, but do not directly operate air transport. If you buy a ticket through them, in the event of a problem, you have significantly less chance to fix it than in the case of an official carrier. 

The error that bounces you... 

Some time ago I read the experience of a flight dispatcher who deals with tickets, reservations, complaints and other similar topics on a daily basis. In his text, he shared what mistakes are often made in air transport when booking tickets: 

"The ticket can be issued incorrectly, it doesn't appear correctly in the system, it looks like it hasn't been paid for, it's not in the system at all, it's in the wrong name (I saw a ticket in the name of Jana Zlatá, but the lady was Nováková, etc...). Often even on a different day, plus or minus a year by mistake."

According to him, 2-3 people on each flight get into the above-described trouble. 

And if there is a plane ticket purchased directly from the airline, 99% of all cases can be resolved at the airport. They are used to it, they know who to contact, they have processes and procedures for it. 

If you are one of the "lucky ones" who bought a ticket through an agency or other third party, quick fixes are not allowed at the airport. You will be referred to the dealer as only he will be able to provide you with more information and arrange a remedy. 

And this is exactly the stumbling block for many of these people: the problem may not be resolved in the limited time you have before departure. 

And you in the worst case scenario you won't fly to your dream holiday destination at all. 

And that reason can be as banal as, for example, not contacting the seller's customer service line or not being able to agree on everything in a reasonable amount of time. Of course, all credit to the exceptions from the classic IATA agencies. This includes, for example, companies such as Air Marine, Asiana/Letuška.cz, Fly United, OK Tours or Student Agency. You can call them for help in case of a problem. 

The airline will take care of you if there is a problem, the agency will not

Agencies like Kiwi you usually they just sell tickets and don't deal with anything else. They disclaim all responsibility should anything go wrong along the way. This can be a ticking time bomb especially on long flights. 

Did you buy a connecting flight through them and individual airlines do not normally cooperate with each other? If all goes according to plan, you can be happy. But as soon as one flight is delayed and you miss another one because of it, you are uploaded.

In the hunt for the lowest possible price, agencies book flights as individual trips. 

Then when something goes wrong, you are like a person with 2 tickets for the airline. When your plane flies, you do not claim a free rebooking, you are not entitled to refreshments, accommodation, and it is often difficult to get legal compensation for a delayed or canceled flight even within a reasonable time (e.g. Kiwi allows up to 6 months for refund conditions).

Book directly on airline websites

The number of companies that fly from Prague or Vienna to Barcelona is limited. This route is short and not complicated. It really doesn't make sense for me to drag a middleman into it. 

Therefore, if we are talking about a trip to Barcelona, ​​I always recommend making a reservation and buying a ticket directly on the website of the specific airline. 

You will sleep better.