Students being ripped off for J1 flights

DeadMoney

I am going on a J1 to new york and booked my J1 with go4less. I was hoping to book with sayit and book my flight on my own but this is the first year that this option is no longer available and now all students going on a J1 must book with flights through the company they choose to go with. I had to get a new passport which I just received today so I was not able to book my flights until now. Anyway I was told in January that booking flights through go4less would be about the same price as they are if you were booking independently. I have been keeping on eye on the prices of flights on Delta which are currently €461 for the dates I want to fly to new york and back.

However through the go4less flight search engine which I have to book through, the cheapest fare I can get is €660 When the agent from go4less told me this today, I nearly went crazy telling her that they are only €461 if I could book on my own and enquired why the hell they were so much extra. She just gave me some absolute bull about how the airline companies negotiate these fixed rates every year with the agency and they are for the benefit of the students. I am totally sickened by this to be honest and I am not surprised that these companies are ripping off students. It is so typical and the reason they get away with it is because most people who book their J1's have never been on one before and may be a bit naive in general about what they are being asked to pay.

This is my 3rd J1 and I have never paid anything over €450 in the past but I have always been able to book my own flights. Now I'm being told that on top of their over priced insurance, embassy fees, exam failure insurance, I now have to pay €200 more than I should have to pay for flights. €200 could be almost 1 months rent in the states, it is so sickening! And there is nothing that can be done about it as you have no option but to pay these extorted prices if you want the opportunity to work in the USA this summer and get out of this country. Good old rip off Republic at its best!!
Sorry, rant over!

I am wondering are people totally helpless to paying these rates? Surely somebody should be made aware of what is going on and agencies like USIT, Go4less, and sayit should be explaining where the extra money is going.

dudara

Is this American law - that you have to travel with the company who organise your visa?

DeadMoney

dudara wrote: »

Is this American law - that you have to travel with the company who organise your visa?

I'm not sure why you must book your flights through the agency. As I said the first time I booked a j1 back in 2007 I went with Sayit travel as they were the only company who offered a 'commando' option where by you were allowed to book you flight independently. I am looking at Delta airlines website now where I could book them right now for €461 but they are €614 through the go4less search engine and this is if I am willing to fly over a few days earlier. Its a joke and the only explanation I can think of is that the travel agencies must have fixed negotiated deals which allow for them to pre book seats on certain flights and take a % of the over all cost of these seats. Why am I paying almost €200 extra just because I am being lumped in to some special J1 category? It really annoys me because I am a mature student and I am just using the J1 as a means to get working in the states yet they just treat you like you are some immature student looking to spend the summer living off your folks.

dudara

I'd contact the American Embassy in Dublin and find out if it is required that you source your J1 together with your flight.

DeadMoney

dudara wrote: »

I'd contact the American Embassy in Dublin and find out if it is required that you source your J1 together with your flight.

Thanks, I just tried however there and there is no option to talk to an agent, it is all just recorded information. I'm just gonna have to go ahead and pay the extra money for these flights as I need to book them asap before they go up in price even more. I'm really sickened though that these companies are getting away with this and are not explaining where the extra costs are going. They have made up a term of contract where by you MUST book flights through the agency and this is allowing them to pre-book seats and pocket a % of the seat cost. I feel like I am being denied the right to organize my own trip. I have been to the staes before on my own and Asia and I feel like I am being treated like an immature teenager or something. Would really love to do something about this, and it doesn't make sense that they can get away with this while not even offering valid reasons as why their flights are far more expensive than the average market rates at the moment.

IrishTonyO

Deadmoney2 wrote: »

I'm really sickened though that these companies are getting away with this and are not explaining where the extra costs are going. ...They have made up a term of contract where by you MUST book flights through the agency and this is allowing them to pre-book seats and pocket a % of the seat cost.

The American government 'made up' the term of contract as far as I am aware. And Go4less already explained that they prebook flights every year at a certain price.

DeadMoney

IrishTonyO wrote: »

The American government 'made up' the term of contract as far as I am aware. And Go4less already explained that they prebook flights every year at a certain price.

Actually my mistake go4less don't actually pre-book these flight seats. I just got off the phone there with one of the agents. She seemed really confused as to why I am getting way cheaper rates on the flights from the direct websites and again just getting some ambiguous excuses. For example, she told me that I got the Visa for €99 when it can often cost up to €250 or something. That makes no sense though because if they are charging more on flight to balance out the costs of ordering work visas then putting posters up saying that you are saving money on visas while you are infact just paying for it through flights would yield as dismissive advertising.

judas101

It is possible to sort out your visa with them and book flights yourself.

DeadMoney

judas101 wrote: »

It is possible to sort out your visa with them and book flights yourself.

Yes I have just learned that they offer some 'go alone' thing (which they only told me about when I enquired about booking my own flights) but they charge you €170 as a fee to do this. Lol, don't even ask what this fee is for but paying €170 just to book your own flights still makes them about the same price as booking through the agency. Its is also stated in the terms and conditions that you must book your flights through the agency. So far I have paid a €39 booking deposit which was partly knocked off the following costs and €215 for the remainder balance which breaks down as:
€25 Sevis Tracking
€90 Embassy Visa fee
€120 4 Months Insurance.

So I haven't paid anything off flights yet AFAIK. I'm wondering what is stopping me from booking my own flights? Like can they cancel my visa if I did so as I broke the terms of contract or something?

tommy21

Deadmoney2 wrote: »

Thanks, I just tried however there and there is no option to talk to an agent, it is all just recorded information. I'm just gonna have to go ahead and pay the extra money for these flights as I need to book them asap before they go up in price even more. I'm really sickened though that these companies are getting away with this and are not explaining where the extra costs are going. They have made up a term of contract where by you MUST book flights through the agency and this is allowing them to pre-book seats and pocket a % of the seat cost. I feel like I am being denied the right to organize my own trip. I have been to the staes before on my own and Asia and I feel like I am being treated like an immature teenager or something. Would really love to do something about this, and it doesn't make sense that they can get away with this while not even offering valid reasons as why their flights are far more expensive than the average market rates at the moment.

Be careful, that line is about €2.60 a minute or alternatively you can pay a flat charge of €16 via credit card :eek:
Don't bother raising the issue with the American Embassy, they will not do anything to help you. I know this from placing students in the US, rules will not be bent, explained and it is a nightmare to ask a question outside of the norm. They through all the info up on the website, its up to you to wade through it. Organising the visa etc. on your own is a harrowing affair too, so at least that is being sorted for you (though pricely!)