If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
TA's liability for ticketing mistakes?
What is a travel agent's legal liability for a passenger's expenses that
are due completely to mistakes made by the agent in issuing a ticket? Recently, in two separate instances, involving two different travel agents, I paid for unrestricted, round trip tickets on a foreign airline. In one, the TA failed to show me as having been ticketed on the flight for which I had had a reservation. So, after traveling across the country to the international gateway (on a different airline), I was told at the ticket counter that I had no reservation, and that the flight was full. I had to completely change my travel plans, incurring several hundred dollars in additional expenses. It remains to be seen how much of my original ticket cost the TA is going to refund. Naturally, she has refused to refund her $40 "service fee". Some service. In the other, my supposedly unrestricted, round trip ticket was used without incident on the outbound flight. But the airline refused to accept it for my return because I wanted to return several days earlier than shown on the ticket. Normally, that would have been no problem, since it was a changeable fare. (I had done so previously, under identical circumstances.) Unfortunately, the TA had mistakenly written on the ticket that it was only valid on a single date. I had to purchase a separate one-way return ticket, and the unused return ticket is not fully refundable. Any comments, suggestions? |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
"You seem to imply that these tickets were handwritten, not issued. Is
that correct?" No, it's not. "I would also like to clarify at which point you understood they were 'unrestricted' tickets." Well before purchase, since I had previously purchased tickets of the same fare, flights, airline Etc. BTW, that they were unrestricted is not in dispute.. "For the first one you first say that you had no ticket...." Let me clarify/elaborate: I had a proper paper ticket, but my reservation had cancelled automatically 24 hours before the first flight, because the TA had failed to show me in the reservation system for the airline as having been ticketed. "On the second, what were the exact endorsements written on the ticket?" As I said above, the TA agrees that it was in fact unrestricted. It is, however, subject to a change fee and a refund fee. The refund fee is the problem, since I now have a round trip ticket and a return ticket that I have no choice but to have refunded, to the extent possible. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
"So you never asked about restrictions...?"
As I've said, the restrictions, if any, are not an issue, since the TA STILL says the ticket was "unrestricted"--her word, not mine, BTW. The only issue is the airline's refusal to accept it as written. (It mistakenly states that it is valid for only a single day.) "Which airline was this?" China Southern "...hence definition of 'unrestricted'.: I agree completely, but "unrestricted" is how the TA characterizes it. "Without this sort of basic information, we cannot tell you anything useful." I have not provided such information, because my question is just about the general liability a TA has for his/her mistakes, rather than which specific mistakes have been made in my cases. FWIW, in each case, involving different airlines and TAs, the airline refused to accept the tickets, claiming that the TA made a mistake issuing it. Neither TA claims not to have made such a mistake. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
"So you never asked about restrictions...?"
As I've said, the restrictions, if any, are not an issue, since the TA STILL says the ticket was "unrestricted"--her word, not mine, BTW. The only issue is the airline's refusal to accept it as written. (It mistakenly states that it is valid for only a single day.) "Which airline was this?" China Southern "...hence definition of 'unrestricted'.: I agree completely, but "unrestricted" is how the TA characterizes it. "Without this sort of basic information, we cannot tell you anything useful." I have not provided such information, because my question is just about the general liability a TA has for his/her mistakes, rather than which specific mistakes have been made in my cases. FWIW, in each case, involving different airlines and TAs, the airline refused to accept the tickets, claiming that the TA made a mistake issuing it. Neither TA claims not to have made such a mistake. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 15:43:18 +0000, Hilary wrote:
"So you never asked about restrictions...?" As I've said, the restrictions, if any, are not an issue, since the TA STILL says the ticket was "unrestricted"--her word, not mine, BTW. The only issue is the airline's refusal to accept it as written. (It mistakenly states that it is valid for only a single day.) That sounds like something the agent needs to take up with the airline. "Which airline was this?" China Southern Explains a lot. "Without this sort of basic information, we cannot tell you anything useful." I have not provided such information, because my question is just about the general liability a TA has for his/her mistakes, rather than which specific mistakes have been made in my cases. There's no "general" liability unless there is an actual error on the part of the agent. In many cases problems occur because of inaccurate information being given (by the passenger, the agent or the airline). I've had airlines such as BA tell outright *lies* to passengers, and you have to know what's right to call them on it and get it fixed. Many airlines automatically blame the TA even when it's their problem. FWIW, in each case, involving different airlines and TAs, the airline refused to accept the tickets, claiming that the TA made a mistake issuing it. Neither TA claims not to have made such a mistake. At that point you need to make a written complaint to the TA and to the airline. Contact IATA or the equivalent organisation for where you are. Keep hold of all the info. They should investigate. Well, the TA acts as *agent for the airline.* As such, I would think he should bear responsibility for whatever miscommunication occurred between him and the party which *he* represents? |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Insurance fails to pay up. | Miss L. Toe | Air travel | 49 | November 10th, 2004 08:47 AM |
Insurance fails to pay up. | Miss L. Toe | Europe | 57 | November 10th, 2004 08:47 AM |
Air France groundings stemmed from mistakes | James Anatidae | Air travel | 1 | January 2nd, 2004 03:49 PM |
Liability issue on transfer of ownership of a car | I12ask | USA & Canada | 8 | September 29th, 2003 06:05 AM |
Damage-theft cdw excess liability insurance for car rental in Europe | Elio | Europe | 9 | September 27th, 2003 10:42 AM |