Beijing Travel Agents. Sichuan Airlines, Shanxi Airlines, etc

[Long Zhiren]

I'm interested in flying on Sichuan Airlines and Shanxi Airlines.

Can anyone recommend any travel agents in Beijing?

According to these articles

http://www.ehow.com/how_2024517_sichuan-airlines.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2024515_shanxi-airlines.html

the wisdom is something like:

STEP 1: Reserve your tickets for travel on Shanxi Airlines after you arrive in China for the lowest prices. Book your travel with a Chinese travel agent; these agents can offer discounts that you won't find elsewhere.

STEP 2: Research the rates offered by a range of travel agencies to get the best price. Ticket prices for travel on Shanxi Airlines differ tremendously from travel agency to travel agency.

STEP 3: Don't accept the first price given when purchasing Shanxi Airlines tickets from a travel agent. You'll have to negotiate to get the best deals; it's an accepted part of doing business in China.

Can anyone confirm this or have a related experience with such bookings?

And then, there is:

Shanxi Airlines doesn't offer a Web site or English booking phone number. The best bet for English-speaking travelers is to make reservations with the help of a travel agent.

What if I do speak Mandarin? To whom and where can I check?

Thanks.

[roddy]

Is there any particular reason you've singled out those two airlines? Generally your best bet is to check schedules on ctrip or elong, choose the best time / price and either order it through them or pop out to a travel agent (which are all over the place) and buy it in person once you've identified the flight you want. There's not a great deal of difference between the different airlines, and as domestic flights are never going to be more than a few hours you're better off just taking the one with the best departure / arrival time.

In my experience travel agencies just give you what you want without much fuss, and I've never got much mileage by chasing further discounts.

[Long Zhiren]

Hey Roddy,

Thanks.

Is there any particular reason you've singled out those two airlines?

I plan to be in Taiyuan between being in Beijing and Chongqing; and then going to Hong Kong. I'm eyeing these two airlines as having the greatest potential of having direct flights.

Generally your best bet is to check schedules on ctrip or elong, choose the best time...

www.ctrip.com and www.etrip.com work excellent.

However, they came up empty for CKG-HKG (Chongqing-Hong Kong).

www.kayak.com found it with Air China.

I believe Sichuan Airlines does it. Does anyone else? Cathay Pacific's website flops over with an error for this route.

domestic flights are never going to be more than a few hours

That is unless you have to sit around some airport for a whole day or more waiting for the connection. That is what I'd like to avoid.