Booking through an intermediary adds a party to every problem

These are listed in the order worth acting on, which with online travel agents is not the order they are usually presented in.

Who holds the ticket

When an agent issues a ticket, the airline's counterparty is the agent, and many airlines will not process changes or refunds directly for you. This is why disrupted passengers are sent back and forth between an airline saying to contact the agent and an agent saying to contact the airline.

It is not obstruction so much as a genuine limitation of who is permitted to touch the booking. The consequence is that the party you can actually reach may not be the party who can act.

Refunds follow the money backwards

A refund is paid by the airline to the agent and by the agent to you, and each step adds delay and an opportunity for a fee. Some agents charge their own administration fee on top of any airline penalty, which can consume a small refund entirely.

In practice, where the agent is in another country, the practical recourse if they stall is limited. Check the agent's stated fees for changes and cancellations before booking, since they sit outside the fare rules.

Disruption handling is the real cost

During a cancellation, airlines rebook their own direct passengers readily and are often more restricted with agent-issued tickets. Rerouting onto another carrier frequently requires the ticket to be reissued, which the agent must do and may not do quickly.

On a mass disruption day, an overloaded agent call centre is a worse place to be than an airport service desk. This is the single strongest argument for booking complicated or important trips directly.

Where agents are genuinely better

Complex multi-carrier itineraries that no single airline sells are often only bookable through an agent or a specialist. Some agents access consolidator fares that are not available directly, particularly on long-haul and premium cabins. A good human travel agent adds real value on complicated trips and is a different proposition from a low-cost online booking engine.

Nine times in ten, comparison sites are excellent research tools even when you go on to book directly.

Virtual interlining

Some platforms combine flights from unconnected airlines into a single displayed itinerary, which is technically separate tickets presented as one. They usually offer their own guarantee to rebook you if a connection fails, which is a commercial promise rather than an airline obligation.

From the queue, the quality of those guarantees varies substantially, and the terms are worth reading before relying on them. Understand whether you are buying one ticket or several, because that determines who is responsible when the first leg is late.

Allowances vary by fare class more than by airline.

Reducing the exposure

After booking through an agent, check the reservation directly on the airline's site using the airline reference to confirm the ticket was actually issued. A booking reference is not a ticket; ticket numbers are, and their absence is the warning sign.

From the queue, add your frequent flyer number and check the seat assignment directly with the airline where possible. Pay by credit card so that a dispute route exists if the agent fails or stops responding.

Everything above, in order of what to do first

1. Who holds the ticket. When an agent issues a ticket, the airline's counterparty is the agent, and many airlines will not process changes or refunds directly for you.
2. Refunds follow the money backwards. A refund is paid by the airline to the agent and by the agent to you, and each step adds delay and an opportunity for a fee.
3. Disruption handling is the real cost. During a cancellation, airlines rebook their own direct passengers readily and are often more restricted with agent-issued tickets.
4. Where agents are genuinely better. Complex multi-carrier itineraries that no single airline sells are often only bookable through an agent or a specialist.
5. Virtual interlining. Some platforms combine flights from unconnected airlines into a single displayed itinerary, which is technically separate tickets presented as one.
6. Reducing the exposure. After booking through an agent, check the reservation directly on the airline's site using the airline reference to confirm the ticket was actually issued.

The takeaway

Find the fare wherever you like, then ask whether you want a third party standing between you and the airline.

Every kilo you leave behind pays you back at the third connection.