Online travel agent problem! Please help.

Neodr31

Hey everyone, I have a small problem I was looking to get some advice about.

Earlier today I was looking over various travel agents webpage for a good deal on some flights to New York, when I came across a good deal on MajorTravel (Can't post links, but it's .co.uk) I decided to go through their booking process to see what hidden fees would be added on. I went through the whole thing, but of course didn't enter any payment information and then closed the webpage. However, upon checking my emails I had received a booking confirmation saying that the flights had been booked for me!

I immediately rang the customer service line and explained the mistake, and the man on the other end told me it wasn't a problem and that the flight was cancelled. I asked him if I had to pay anything at all and he said "No no, don't worry", but I am still not entirely convinced. If a webpage is sneaky enough to book a flight prior to taking payment details I am betting their customer service team are willing to bend the truth a little. I asked for an email confirmation of the cancellation but was told that wouldn't be the case.

I guess my questions are thus; Has anyone had experience with anything similar? If so, what came of it?

And also, are there any legal grounds on which the company could come to me and ask for payment of any form? This would seem silly, as I technically could sign anyone of my friends (or enemies :P) up for expensive flights with as little as their names and email addresses.

Any help or reassurance would be greatly appreciated!

Many thanks,

Daniel.

melb

so you didn't enter any card number or anything?

Westin

If the confirmation email has the airline booking locator number on it, you may be able to go on to the airline web site and look for your "booking" on there. Each airline has slightly different terminology but look for something like "manage my booking". Enter your locator number, first and last name. If the booking was cancelled or does not exist then it will show an error message.

I suspect Major Travel is correct in saying that the booking has been cancelled. Many airlines will have ticketing rules that mean a ticket has to be fairly quickly ticketed to obtain the fare you booked at. If no payment is attached to the booking it would be unlikely to be ticketed.

I don't think you will have a problem.

Neodr31

Thanks for the replies guys.

No I didn't enter any payment details at all.

I did not receive any kind of flight booking number that is applicable to the Delta Airlines flights system. I am guessing the booking reference is just for the travel agents.

I got through and spoke to someone within an hour of getting the email and obviously because no payment was made I am sure no flights have been booked or anything. It is obviously possible (and simple) to cancel this at their end, I am just worried that they won't because I know what some companies are like, especially when it comes to flights!

Alan_Bowen

Major Travel are one of the good guys, their prices to the States on some airlines are excellent and they cannot debit details of an account you didn't give them! The system went ahead and made a booking in error, you called and they confirmed the booking was cancelled, that sounds pretty good to me

Neodr31

Alan_Bowen wrote: »

Major Travel are one of the good guys, their prices to the States on some airlines are excellent and they cannot debit details of an account you didn't give them! The system went ahead and made a booking in error, you called and they confirmed the booking was cancelled, that sounds pretty good to me

Thanks. So you have booked with them in the past and had a good experience?

I was very tempted by their prices and will probably book with them eventually, but at this time I was just wanted to price things up really. I guess how they deal with this will make or break it for me.

I probably am just overreacting, however I do know that some travel agents have very bad reputations and I couldn't find many reviews of MajorTravel so didn't really have much to go off in terms of reputation.

amanish

Neodr31 wrote: »

Thanks. So you have booked with them in the past and had a good experience?

I was very tempted by their prices and will probably book with them eventually, but at this time I was just wanted to price things up really. I guess how they deal with this will make or break it for me.

I probably am just overreacting, however I do know that some travel agents have very bad reputations and I couldn't find many reviews of MajorTravel so didn't really have much to go off in terms of reputation.

I have worked in the travel industry for nearly 10years and Major Travel is one the leading agents selling tickets to US...the travel agent would be required to pay only when the tickets are issued and they could not have issued without your payment...so do not worry...

Major Travel are consolidators ( Wholesalers ) and sell most of their products to travel agents...hence you will not find much reviews...

johnnybondfinger

They are probably putting the flights on hold just before you go through to the payment page so that when you put in the card details the flight hasn't been sold.

In high street travel agents when you get a printed itinerary/quote, the flights are on hold. Most travel agents will then cancel them off so that there's no duplicated bookings.

It's no problem whatsoever.