Travel agency cancelled my booking- what are my rights

Nurse2004

The travel agency I booked with accidentally cancelled my flight booking and did not send any information to me so I got to the check in desk and the airline informed me it had been cancelled by the travel agency. I had to wait 5 hours to be put on the next available flight however it would be to Manchester instead of Birmingham and I would need to pay a fee for changing flight. When I have contacted the travel agency they have offered me the money I had to spend to change flight and the train cost from Manchester to Birmingham but are refusing to pay compensation for the inconvenience and the fact I actually arrived in Birmingham a lot later ruining plans I had made to start my holiday. What are my rights? Should I receive compensation and how do I go about getting them to offer this?

jpsartre

I don't know of any laws which dictate a specific amount. You can try small claims court but the key to winning anything would probably be to show that you suffered a financial loss. It's a lesson to check up on your booking from time to time to avoid any nasty surprises at the airport.

PeacefulWaters

While you've clearly been wronged by your TA it's not a question of "rights".

It's a question of negotiating a settlement or taking them to the small claims court.

Costs, including refreshments, plus time plus loss of enjoyment should all be part of your claim.

I suggest you itemise your claim, submit it to the TA and await their response. If it's unfavourable ask them to review it on the understanding that you'll take them to court if they don't.

Then follow through on that if you remain unhappy.

It's a lesson to check up on your booking from time to time to avoid any nasty surprises at the airport.

Oh yes. I've just spotted Ryanair changing flight times without dropping me a note.

agrinnall

Perhaps as a starting point for your discussions with the TA you could point out that if the airline had cancelled the flight and caused a 5 hour delay you would be entitled to a statutory payment, so ask the TA for the same amount.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/flight-delays?_ga=1.58389354.1193631705.1415385279

leylandsunaddict

If you'd have done what you should have done, and logged into your booking to check for changes you would have noticed this long before you got to the airport. At that point you would have been able to do something about it. It is always the passengers responsibility to check for changes, or in this case a cancellation, albeit in error.

You'll just have to try to negotiate some sort of compensation with the agent.

PeacefulWaters

It is always the passengers responsibility to check for changes

While it's prudent, surely the travel agent is responsible for advising their client here.

leylandsunaddict

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

While it's prudent, surely the travel agent is responsible for advising their client here.

They should, which is why I said to negotiate some sort of compensation, but ultimately it is the passengers responsibility to check their bookings. It's the same whether it's booked via a third party, or direct with the airline. It's just one reason why checking in online is a good idea. At least that way you have time to sort things out if there are any problems/changes with the booking, even if you've not picked up on it it earlier. Without knowing when it was cancelled, if the OP was out of the country, it's possible they couldn't contact them, or they emailed them but the email didn't arrive. Emails go astray or get stuck in spam filters all too often, which again is why people really should check their bookings regularly.

jpsartre

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

While it's prudent, surely the travel agent is responsible for advising their client here.

Of course.

hollie.weimeraner

leylandsunaddict wrote: »

If you'd have done what you should have done, and logged into your booking to check for changes you would have noticed this long before you got to the airport. At that point you would have been able to do something about it. It is always the passengers responsibility to check for changes, or in this case a cancellation, albeit in error.

You'll just have to try to negotiate some sort of compensation with the agent.

And what happens to those that book through TA's that don'y have internet access?

Sorry but if this is booked through a TA then the onus is on the TA to update any changes.

As long as they meet any receipted out of pocket expenses (or if it caused any loss of earnings) I can't see why compensation should be paid.

leylandsunaddict

hollie.weimeraner wrote: »

And what happens to those that book through TA's that don'y have internet access?

Sorry but if this is booked through a TA then the onus is on the TA to update any changes.

As long as they meet any receipted out of pocket expenses (or if it caused any loss of earnings) I can't see why compensation should be paid.

As I said, they should, but......

I presumed this was an OTA, (some of whom are shonky beyond belief) in which case the customer would have internet access. If it was a high street agent it would be very unusual for them not to contact the customer.