I certainly have found the same a couple of times recently with hotels. I have also found the same with flights in the past.
The Sofitel Mumbai and the Eastin Grand in Bangkok were both cheaper booking direct. So how come these sites actually manage to sell the rooms?? I think it's a lot to do with folks assuming that booking direct is just going to be more expensive. The argument about which is best happens all the time- there is no one right answer to what is the cheapest way to book- you need to research all options.

Hi Doe , it's usually after using these discount operations that it ends up in the complaints section !!!
Is there really a company called " Cheap O Air " ??? Must look them up , with a name like that there must be bargains to be had , and therein lies the problem , but doesn't it ring alarm bells in your head ?
IMO , the purchase of flights or holidays is mainly an emotional purchase , and it should be a nice and exciting experience , but you really have to look at things logically and analyse the information and offers in front of you , and I think it's too easy to make a snap decision and go for the headline price which only means feeling regretful later on , and this leads to people complaining and feeling s cammed .

Even though I know who I'm going to book with anyway , I always look at the competitors prices , I've looked a flights to Lanzarote next June and my preferred airline has prices of £300 per person in Club , I checked Thomson and they beat that with a price of £260 after applying a discount , but then adding luggage £48 !! ) and ELR , the price shot up to £390 , and I've got to buy my own champagne and get a lounge !!! I'm off to see what Cheap O Air can do for me

The only time I have ever found it to be cheaper to book a flight through a 3rd party was with Jet2 flights via Travel Republic. This was because the TR price included hold luggage but was an extra with Jet2! I understand that this is no longer the case and so was perhaps a glitch in the TR system but they honoured it. It saved us quite a bit on flights for 6 people for a family holiday to Tenerife. With hotels my experience has been more varied - sometimes cheaper direct, sometimes cheaper via a 3rd party.

I think that 3rd party bookings end up in the complaints section so frequently because some people don't fully understand what they have agreed to - usually by making assumptions rather than checking the T&Cs properly.

SM

I think people are attracted in by the good headline prices, and names that have bargain, budget, cheap in them.

Personally the name cheapOair would send me running for the hills.

I do agree SMa there is a big issue in people not reading and fully understand terms and conditions, and then ending up feeling like they have been c o n n e d, thus ranting on forums.

I'm hoping that over the next five years (perhaps ten is more realistic) or so with all the explaining people do on forums, plus individuals own experiences of using such companies, people will start to accept they have a duty to make themselves aware of things. Surely the message will get across in the end.

Maybe customers think it is going to be simpler dealing with one company when dealing with OTA's and mega search engine style sites ? There must be some kind of attraction, as they seem to pull in the punters time amd time again.

i have yet to find an hotel in Tunisia where it is cheaper to book direct. I actually book with a well known German company which saved me lots on a long term booking. The cheapest after them is always TR