My mom insists travel agents get access to discounts a person can’t get themselves. She argued with my wife (who is somewhat of an amateur travel agent for her family/friends).
Mom: “They have access to rates and fares you cant get by yourself!”
Wife: “And who told you that? The person getting paid to do all this for you, right?”
Mom: :mad:
I don’t know about others, but when I use a travel agent at work to book airline tickets, it is functionally equivalent to what I do at home with a travel site. Select date and destination, click a button, and click on the reasonable flights shown. No people involved. I think there is a penalty for talking to a person. So if by travel agent we mean actually speaking to someone who helps you, this hardly counts.
It would be good for an emergency, I suppose - never have had one.
I flew home from Hong Kong once, and there was a Hong Kong travel agent (Not airline employee) sitting in one of the little jumpseat things the cabin crew use for take off and landing - the entire eight hour journey. I daresay it was an industry deal of a free or dirt cheap flight, and the cabin crew seemed to give her a bit extra attention, but it can hardly have been a comfortable ride.