Booking flights - airline or 3rd party?

[MumblesParty]

I'm wondering if anyone can give their opinion on this, as google searches aren't proving very helpful.

We're booking our summer holiday - accommodation is sorted so just flights needed. The cheapest option at the most reasonable times of day would involve flying outbound with EasyJet and home with Jet2.

I've never flown outbound and return with different airlines, so I'm slightly wary.

Would it be best to use a 3rd party (like booking.com or gotogate), or book each flight with the individual airline? Or would it be a nightmare either way, and better to stump up the extra cash to fly both ways with the same airline?

thank you

No real advantage either way. It's always going to be "separate" flights, whether you book with each airline directly or through a 3rd party.

Only difference would have been if you'd booked it ALL (incl accommodation) through an ABTA-travel agent, as a package-holiday. That would have offered different protections.

But if you're only booking flights now, there's no (legal / protection) advantage to any of your options. So it depends now if cost, time or something else is your priority.

And as you're booking flights & accommodation separately, arguably there's nothing really to be wary about if you book separate airlines for each flight. Or certainly, nothing more / extra to be wary about.

Book directly with airlines
Any issues ( cancellations late etc) and they will tell you to talk to your travel agent unless you have booked direct

Ex travel agent here - always direct with the airline if anything happens and you try to deal with the airline they will direct you back to the third party with a not our problem approach.

Thank you. We've had various problems in the last few years with cancelled flights, changed flights, airport fire etc, and the ability to contact customer services has now become something of a priority for me when booking holidays! It sounds as if I would be better booking with the airlines rather than 3rd party.

I book flights with separate airlines relatively frequently, and have never had issues.

As a PP said, you need to be aware that you are not on any sort of 'package' and therefore don't enjoy the protection that comes from that, and that certain risks come with that - e.g. if one airline cancels one leg, and you can't find a sensible replacement, you likely won't get a refund on the other. But its relatively rare in my experience for flights, when booked, simply to be cancelled altogether - much more likely to be relatively minor date changes.

It's a risk I'm generally happy to take to benefit from what can be (though are not always) costs savings from sorting separately.

If booking separately, I would always try to book directly if possible, unless it is much cheaper to go via a 3rd party (which is rare, in my experience). That way, if any issues arise you can at least deal with (or try to deal with) the airline directly, rather than being passed back and forth, or stung with additional fees.

This ... we did a package with TUI this summer and our flight was cancelled hours before take off and re scheduled for the next day.

When I claimed for that cancellation it took minutes to put through as my booking agent was the airline. Had the compensation (£1300 for the three of us ) in my account within the week)".

I've heard that trying to claim if that's not the case is very long winded and a faff.

Definitely better to book direct with the airlines, from a customer service point of view. It's fine fly with different airlines in each direction, it won't make any difference to you. In fact, it can make it easier, in as much as if you (for any reason) miss your flight out, and have to rebook, it won't affect your flight home - I've known of people who have missed a flight out, made it to their destination eventually by booking a different flight, then when they came to fly home, their return ticket had been cancelled, as they hadn't made the outward journey.

It's definitely better direct with the airline. Easyjet for example you can do everything on the website if there's an issue, including applying for compensation if significant delay or you need to quickly get on the next flight if your flight is cancelled.

No idea about Jet2 as have never used them but once had to try and negotiate the above via LoveHolidays and it was (even more) of a nightmare.

We always book hotel seperatley now, wherever cheapest, then book EJ flights seperatley and it has always been fine so far. Had a flight cancelled once and all the faff of compensation etc came through automatically on the EJ website and they automatically gave us a choice of what to do about the return leg, still want it or not and I had to send them receipts for costs seperatley which they eventually paid.

I can't see any obvious issue with different airlines on each leg, any issues you'd just deal with the relevant one via their website.

I haven't used a travel agent to book anything holiday related ever. I always go direct to the airline to book flights. Whether you're booking single or return doesn't make a difference. My only advice is avoid BA if possible. Their customer service is fecking woeful.

Always book my flights direct with the airline company.

Never use Loveholidays - from what friends have said, total nightmare experience even trying to get thru to speak to someone!