Booked flights from Birmingham Alabama instead of Birmigham UK - Cannot cancel

MarkyMarkD

LB1985 wrote: »

Surely the fare would have been in US $?

Also, having just gone on to the Expedia website and typed in 'Birmingham' as my departure airport, it came up with bullet points with options:

Leaving from:

Birmingham (BHX-Birmingham)
Birmingham, AL, United States (BHM-Birmingham Intl.)

I don't see any way that that wouldn't have come up, unless you specifically entered 'BHM'.

If you were using Expedia.com, rather than Expedia.co.uk, it assumes that you are American and hence lists:

Leaving from:

Birmingham, AL (BHM-Birmingham Intl.)
Birmingham, England (BHX-Birmingham)

which is marginally less obvious. But still I can't see how anyone can rationally choose anything other than "Birmingham, England" when presented with that choice.

If you price compare travel between different sources and there's a huge price discrepancy, as there obviously is in this case, then you ought to realise there's something wrong!

The OP's point about the airline re-selling the seats is irrelevant - if you buy a cheap, non-cancellable fare, then it's not cancellable. That's how cheap fares work.

It's not Expedia's fault, and it's not the airline's fault - you've just made a very expensive mistake.

You say that you are "worried sick" - don't be. The worst that can happen is that you've paid £1,700 and not got a holiday. But you were happy to spend that £1,700, so the world's not going to end.

lottee

OP, we have a vacancy in our branch at the moment - fancy it? We would prefer someone qualified, but as you know at least 2 airport codes, I thought I would give you first refusal for the job...

Seriously, sorry to hear your internet booking has all gone t!ts up, I can't really add anything tbh, I think Alikay pretty much covered everything I would of said - but in a much nicer way !

sky_rat

Ive tried to retrace my steps through booking this holiday.

Ive tried it with Birmingham as the departure airport and it did come up with bullet points asking which Birimingham airport I wanted.

I dont remember seeing this page.

So all I can think is I must have typed BHM, but I cant be sure.

The confirmation screens did not make it clear what so ever that it was Birmingham, AL instead of Birmingham, UK.

It just said Birmingham.

If it had said Birmingham Alabama on the confirmation screen I would have noticed straight away.

The short flight time did confuse me, but at the time I presumed it was an error in the fact that it hadnt taken into account the time difference between the UK and the USA.

To rub salt in the wound, Expedia told me that if I had rang on the same day of booking the holiday and found the error, then they could have done something about it.

But because I rang the next day there is nothing they can do.

However, I booked the holiday at 11pm at night and the phone lines are only open until 10pm at night.

So even if I had noticed the error when I booked it, I couldnt have rang to correct the error until the next day because the phone lines were closed.

The fare was not it US dollars, the complete holiday packeage was in GB pounds.

There was no breakdown saying in price for flights, accomodation and car hire.

It just said the cost was £1700 for the complete package.

Its only from ringing them up that I was told the flights were £300, otherwise I would not have known this.

If I had seen the flights were £300 then that would have been a big give away that something was not right.

I had originally been looking on MyTravel for package holidays to Florida.

A few months ago it was £1100 for flights, accomodation and car hire flying from London Gatwick to Florida Sanford.

That went up to £1300 in March.

The reason we didnt book those deals was because the hotels got a bad review (on TripAdvisor).

After looking in holiday brochures we came accross Sheraton Villas which got a good review on Tripadvisor.

I found Expedia provided holidays at this accomodation but it was £400 more than the deals on MyTravel.

So the fact that the price was £1700 seemed about right, because I knew I could get cheaper deals but with lower grade accomodation on MyTravel.

I did ask Expedia if it would be worth me talking to the airline direct.

But they told me that the airline wont discuss the booking with me because it was booked through Expedia so I have to discuss it with them.

Then again Expedia might well be lying ?

But I cant discuss it with Expedia because they say its the terms of the airlines that I cant cancel the booking.

So both the airline and Expedia pass the buck and blame each other.

Airlines must make alot of money from people making mistakes like this, even tiny small errors.

On BBC Watchdog the other week there was an article on how people were being charged high prices to make simple changes on flights they had booked with Ryan Air or Easy Jet etc.

If they made a slight spelling mistake on their name then it cost them hundreds of pounds to correct that spelling mistake.

In reality its a 2 minute job, but the airlines were charging the cost of a flight to do so.

Someone even changed their name by depol to match the details on the flight they had booked and then changed their name back after the flight !

The name change by depol cost £25 which worked out cheaper then getting the airline to change the name on the flight.

How can airlines get away with doing this ?

How can they justify things like this ?

Are they not regulated by a governing body ?

sjpkgp

Hiya,

Just spent ages typing in a post to explain how I have done a similar thing (not so expensive) not once, but twice, and not with expedia, and also how I managed to deal with it.

I will type in the practical bits again:

Write immediately to the MD/CEO of both expedia and the airline carrying you from B'ham AL and explain in full your mistake - don't attach any blame to them, but admit that it is a horrible mistake and has miserable consequences. You are not going to get your £1700 holiday from BHX, but you might get yourself back to square one (i.e. not lose your £300 or have to pay an additional £1000 for new flights). When you write, address it private and confidential and addressed direct (to the person) and appeal to them. make sure you say that you are only wanting to cancel in full with minimal admin charges (not that you want a £2400 holiday for £1700). Include all reference numbers.

When you are back to square one, reconsider, and keep your eye on here/put a post in/ask travelman or some other expert on here. £1700 seems steep to me for 2 flights to florida and an infant, but of course it depends what you had booked & when etc.

Don't be put off DIY in future, just make sure there are two of you to check every page.

Finally, don't beat yourself up (my original post outlined that I had made this sort of mistake) and nobody makes a mistake deliberately, and loads of us make them.

I hope you get somewhere. Please try, don't just resign yourself to cancelling.

Best Wishes, Sal x

saveapenny

I would just re book charter flights as cheap as poss and put it down to experience ..I dont think you will get either expedia or the airline to budge but I dont suppose to will hurt to call and ask for the supervisor.
They dont need to be regulated...sorry to be so blunt but it wasnt thier mistake it was yours so all you can do is play the poor stupid me card and be nice as pie, grovel do what it takes the second you get irrate they will dig thier heels in

I really do wish you good luck

Keep us informed on how you get on

ianian99

get holiday insurance then through yourself downstairs couple of days before!!:eek:

sky_rat

"You say that you are "worried sick" - don't be. The worst that can happen is that you've paid £1,700 and not got a holiday. But you were happy to spend that £1,700, so the world's not going to end."

Thats a stupid comment.

Thats like saying "oh well you spent £150k on a house, so loosing £150k is no big deal"

I have never spent anything like £1700 on a holiday before.

This wasnt just a holiday, it was to see if we would like to emigrate out there.

Normally our holidays consist of a cheap flight to spain for £80 with Ryan Air and cheap accomodation.

So £1700 is a big deal... its a very big deal.

Especially when you are the only person working and have to support yourself, your girlfriend and a child.

Maybe you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth and have one of those jobs which pay lots of money for doing fcuk all, so £1700 and nothing to show for it is no big deal to you.

I realise things could be worse and at least I have my health and my family.

I am not about to top myself over this !

But it is a big problem and a worry and all I wanted was some advice.

poe.tuesday

Dara Khosrowshahi is the CEO of expedia inc - I would hunt him down and write to her as sjpkgp sugested

here's a link to expedia contacts that may help
http://center.spoke.com/info/p1HrKC/DaraKhosrowshahi

oh here you go:

Primary contact
Angie Blackburn
Senior vice president, operations
angiebl@expedia.com
(425) 679-7200

Secondary contact (*)
Steven McArthur
President, North American Leisure Travel Group
stevenmc@expedia.com
(425) 679-7200

Chief executive (*)
Dara Khosrowshahi
Chief executive officer
darakh@expedia.com
(425) 679-7200

saveapenny

I have just had a thought ( it doesnt happen often) after you try the groveling ask how much it would be to change your ticket to a flexiable one were route changes are permited providing the same airline routes from BHX-MCO you should be able to do it.
I have changed tickets before when the cost of the new route was higher for no charge but that was in the days of helpful travel agents ...worth a shot

this might be a good place for advice too https://www.flyertalk.com

sky_rat

Thanks sjpkgp

Might give that a try theres nothing to loose by doing so.