Korean Job Discussion Forums

MeMyselfI · Joined: 23 Jan 2007

Hi,

I just got finished trying, and failing to book a flight through the Xanadu Travel agency. They've wasted a week of my time, so I thought I'd warn other travelers in Korea about them.

I went to the travel agency and asked them to book a flight. They said they couldn't do it at the time, but would email me a possible schedule if I left them with my dates, and the country I wanted to visit.

The first schedule they sent me had the wrong dates. I sent them an email, telling them this.

The second schedule they sent me had the wrong country. I sent them another email.

They sent me a form letter addressed "dear sir or madam" (all previous emails had been addressed to my name) saying that all of the flights were booked. This was sent so quickly after my second email that it must have been automatically generated. Also, I checked airlines they mentioned in the first schedule, and there are empty seats on every flight on the days I want to travel.

I will never go near the agency again, it's easier to just book online.

MeMyselfI

ChimpumCallao · Joined: 17 May 2005 Location: your mom

agree- they deal a lot with foreigners and are pretty well known- so i guess they can afford to give crappy and overpriced service as there are always newbies around the corner who don't know any better. I only used an agency once- they are thieves- better to go online.

XANADU SUCKS. Seconded.

jlb · Joined: 18 Sep 2003

I think they're pretty decent. I"ve booked 2 flights with them. They had good service and their prices were cheaper than most other places. Jenny Lee is good, ask for her.

milkweedma · Joined: 15 Dec 2006

I used em too and got great service. their internet booking system rocks.
Unique Travel on the other hand just never got back to me.

Richard Krainium · Joined: 12 Jan 2006

Why is this in the Off-Topic Forum? Use the Travel Forum.

kreitler7 · Joined: 07 Jan 2005 Location: Seoul

Agreed. Xanadu sucks. The workers are b i t c h y and impatient. Get a Korean friend to find an online ticket for you.

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

I've used them for flights departing next week.

Although i found the service pleasant, the woman who dealt with me was thick as two short ones. I said I want a direct flight several times and kept getting information about transfers at Hong Kong or Bangkok.

Impatiently, I said for a third time....I would like a D-I-R-E-C-T flight. She said it was too expensive. I said "can you please tell me the price and I will be judge of whether it is expensive or not?" (twice too, if I recall) - a flight I subsequently booked (which my employers wil refund).

Only reason I booked it myself was because I don't trust the even stupider people at my employers to get mehome and back efficiently.

ForceOne · Joined: 25 Aug 2005

I've used Xanadu before, no problems...jlb is right, ask for Jenny Lee.

Tony_Balony · Joined: 12 Apr 2007

Yea, I have been there and I go back. One time I saved W18,000 on a W600,000 ticket going somewhere else. When I defect, its usually to whypaymore but then WPM wants the big prior time to booking and unless I have that, there's no advantage. Xanadu has the LP guides and internet available. They also offer visa services. I'm sorry you got burned.

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

Xanadu is good. I have used them before without many problems.

However, these days I prefer ETTEHAD TRAVEL in Itaewon. It's an agency run by Pakistanis so they're very foreigner friendly. Plus their hours are way more conveninet than Xanadu.

On Saturdays, Xanadau closes at 3 pm whereas Etthad closes at 8 pm.
Etthad is open on Sundays 1 pm to 8 pm. Xanadu is not open on Sundays.

In short, you will probably get the same good pricing at Ettehad and you can go there when it's convenient for you. You're not stuck followiing Xanadu's shitty business hours.

The head agent there, Ms. Kang was very straighforward and polite explaining to me the different ticket options that were avaliable to me.

They're really close to Itaewon Station. Just come out of exit 3, walk past Starbucks, turn right at the corner, walk up the hill passing The Foreign Food Supermarket & What The Book bookstore on the left. Turn left onto the next street and it's like the 3rd or 4th store.

Their number is 02-794-9673 /4
email: [email protected]

samd · Joined: 03 Jan 2007

Great info Dev! Cheers.

I also have had no problems with Xanadu.

I didn't see Jenny Lee, but Jiyeon was great. She helped me sort out my tickets for my vacation this week, gave me the best prices out of all the places I called (not the Pakistani place - didn't know about them), sorted out my visa and some travel insurance, all while being patient about my indecisiveness and changing of dates.

I used Marco Polo (4th floor of the same building as Xanadu) last year, and they were fine too. I would have gone back, but Xanadu gave me a much better price for the same flights.

simone · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Now Mostly @ Home

A couple of years back, hubby went into immigration (on the day his visa was due to expire) looking for a one-month extension. He'd done it before under similar circumstances, but this time, no dice.

He called me, I called Jenny Lee at Xanadu (who we'd used for a few things before) and she actually ran down to Noksapyeong station to meet hubby with his ticket so he could be on the run-around to Fukuoka that afternoon. Her exact words: "You can pay me next week."

Jenny Lee at Xanadu prevented hubby from having a black mark on his immigration record. Sure, I might save 20 bucks here or there by going online or calling 20 agencies to find the lowest price, but that kind of help bears rewarding. There are few Korean businesses that I would say that TRUST, but Jenny's one of them.

-- Also, keep in mind, that if you're trying to make arrangements over the phone, they may have customers in their shop, and I think it's fair that the customer there in the flesh should get priority over someone telephoning. I usually get most of my stuff done by email, but come in to say hi when I pay.

Ekuboko · Joined: 22 Dec 2004 Location: ex-Gyeonggi

I haven't used Xanadu for a while, but the last time was about a year ago.

I had no complaints with their service - decent email responses and friendly when I went to pay in person; and I appreciated them sending me the tickets by registered mail at no extra charge.

Kyoung, who is no longer there, and Kaytee (is she still there?) were good to me.