Travel Agent Mistake Leaving Me Stranded! What can I do?

[jspkg]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? - California

So recently I had booked a business flight to Vietnam with some of my colleagues through the use of a Travel Agency. The Travel agency had booked 4 tickets from America to Vietnam with a transfer in Taipei, which is routine. Problems arose during the transfer flight in Taipei. My colleagues were booked for a morning flight from Taipei to Vietnam, but for some reason my ticket was for an afternoon flight which was unacceptable since we all needed to be there at the same time. I had specifically told the travel agency that we must all be on the same flights for the same time. The airline said they could not transfer me to the AM flight and that the only way I could get on the flight was if I had purchased another ticket. However, the airline says that because I am not boarding at my "correct" flight time, it invalidates my return tickets to the United States.

The airline says that I will not be able to get a refund on my invalidated return tickets. The travel agency says I will need to purchase new tickets in order to return to America, is it legal for them to do that considering they were paid to have correctly booked the flights to begin with and that the error was there fault? I have already paid $700 for the emergency flight ticket, I do not want to have to pay another $1000 to get back to America. What can I do?

 

[justalayman]

Problems arose during the transfer flight in Taipei. My colleagues were booked for a morning flight from Taipei to Vietnam, but for some reason my ticket was for an afternoon flight which was unacceptable since we all needed to be there at the same time.

does this mean you did not check your individual flight itineraries until you got to Taiwan?

 

[jspkg]

I checked my departure date and return date, which all matched up to every one else's time, but didn't think to check the transfer time. I assumed it was all taken care of since the contract stated the time and date that we were supposed to be flying to/from each destination.

 

[justalayman]

since the contract stated the time and date that we were supposed to be flying to/from each destination.

contract? What contract?

 

[jspkg]

We had a written contract with the travel agent saying that the following flights would be booked:

4 Tickets from SFO to Taipei with a departure time of 2:00AM from SFO to Taipei, arriving at 3:10PM (as per the itinerary).
4 Tickets from Taipei to Ho Chi Minh City with a departure time of 7:55AM the following day for arrival by 11:15AM (as per the itinerary). <- this is where the travel agent ended up booking 1 out of the 4 tickets incorrectly, having booked the ticket for a 1:30PM flight.
4 Tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to SFO for the return trip.

The contract stated that these were the times and dates that were to be booked by the travel agent as is.

 

[justalayman]

why did you need a travel agent if you knew exactly what flights you were going to be on prior to engaging the agent?



If you have a contract, take a shot and try to reclaim the money. Can't say I have ever seen anybody sign a contract with the customer stating the exact flights to be booked but if you have one, it should prove your side of the issue.

I do not want to have to pay another $1000 to get back to America. What can I do?

well, you can't do anything from Viet Nam and depending on the time frame, it too could prevent you from taking any action prior to intending on returning to the states. About all you can do is pay the money and attempt to reclaim it from the agent after you get back.

 

[jspkg]

why did you need a travel agent if you knew exactly what flights you were going to be on prior to engaging the agent?



If you have a contract, take a shot and try to reclaim the money. Can't say I have ever seen anybody sign a contract with the customer stating the exact flights to be booked but if you have one, it should prove your side of the issue.


well, you can't do anything from Viet Nam and depending on the time frame, it too could prevent you from taking any action prior to intending on returning to the states. About all you can do is pay the money and attempt to reclaim it from the agent after you get back.

I was afraid of that.

We used a travel agent because the 4 of us are on a public relations business with a city in Vietnam for a humanitarian trip scheduled in August. The agent is to book 35 tickets as we have 35 members flying out at the end of the month, and to handle all their visas and documents. We had the contract written because of the sheer volume of airline tickets being booked and the necessity for all members of the trip to arrive at the same time.

I suppose I'll have to shell out and discuss this at their office when I return.

 

[cbg]

The travel agency says I will need to purchase new tickets in order to return to America, is it legal for them to do that considering they were paid to have correctly booked the flights to begin with and that the error was there fault?

What do you mean, is it legal? Do you seriously expect that some legislature wrote up some statute, or some judge handed down some case law, making it illegal for you to have to buy new tickets when there's a clerical error? Methinks that in an election year, with the economy down, unemployment up, and the nation split on health care, immigration, and Penn State football, they've got bigger issues to worry about.

It's called a mistake, sport. People make them. Even travel agents are human and occasionally err. No, there is nothing in the law that says they're required to provide you with free tickets if they make a mistake.

You can certainly file a small claims action for a refund, and it's certainly possible that you will prevail. Not definite; that's why we have courts in the first place. But even if you win in small claims, doesn't mean that it was "illegal" for them to require you to buy the replacement tickets.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Something to gel on also. At the time the flights were booked, all seats may have been sold prior to your ticket being issued, which is why you were put on a later flight. After the seats being reserved were released, you could then have possibly obtained one at the last minute. You may have no case.

 

[Just Blue]

The travel agency says I will need to purchase new tickets in order to return to America, is it legal for them to do that considering they were paid to have correctly booked the flights to begin with and that the error was there fault?

What do you mean, is it legal? Do you seriously expect that some legislature wrote up some statute, or some judge handed down some case law, making it illegal for you to have to buy new tickets when there's a clerical error? Methinks that in an election year, with the economy down, unemployment up, and the nation split on health care, immigration, and Penn State football, they've got bigger issues to worry about.

It's called a mistake, sport. People make them. Even travel agents are human and occasionally err. No, there is nothing in the law that says they're required to provide you with free tickets if they make a mistake.

You can certainly file a small claims action for a refund, and it's certainly possible that you will prevail. Not definite; that's why we have courts in the first place. But even if you win in small claims, doesn't mean that it was "illegal" for them to require you to buy the replacement tickets.

I totally agree with you CBG.

OP I also agree that this totally SUCKED for you. That is something you can, likely, sue for in civil court.