Help - who is responsible when buying tickets through Expedia...or airline...

janeyjoojoo

I am being given the run around trying to get a reimbursement following a recent trip abroad.
Basically, tickets purchased through Expedia for return flights involving BA and Iberia in September 2020.  On our return home, we were told that we could not board as the tickets had been cancelled due to non payment.  Iberia service desk kindly printed out the PNR and highlighted this line for us.  Iberia informed us to contact Expedia - which we did sat in the airport, Expedia's appalling customer service, left us holding for 50 minutes in which time the gate closed.  Tried Expedia again, held for 20minutes then hung up but had left instruction to ring back if that happened, nothing.
We rebooked flights and had to stay in hotels to return home at considerable cost.  Now trying to get reimbursed. Complained to Expedia - took them almost 4 weeks to get back to us to say it wasn't them but BA as they held the tickets (?),  went to BA, 2 weeks later, it wasn't them but Iberia.  Just spoken with Iberia, it isn't them as we didn't directly buy the tickets from them.  Back to BA - no-one able to help.  
We have taken advice from CAB too.
Anyone, similar experience by any chance?

MasonJar

When you book through an agent then all issues have to be transacted through the agent. It's usual in such instances that the airline will not deal directly with you at all.

Alan_Bowen

Have a look at your eticket, there will be a ticket number, if it begins with 125, then it is a BA issued ticket, if not it is Iberia. However, as you travelled outbound with no difficulty, I find it difficult to understand how it wasn't paid for as they would not have allowed you to travel outbound if the ticket was unpaid. The only exception is if Expedia booked it as two separate flights, in which case it is certainly Expedia's fault, there would be two separate ticket numbers per passenger appearing on the eticket. Likewise, if the ticket had been cancelled weeks in advance, there is usually a date by which tickets have to be issued, then Expedia should have noticed and rebooked you, again it is their fault.

I fully understand your frustration, one of my students booked a ticket through them and I spent 5 totally unsuccessful hours on the phone to their Indian call centre getting absolutely nowhere, I told all students to avoid them like the plague, sorry you weren't aware of the hell involved when things go wrong with Expedia

brianposter

If you paid Expedia, it is up to Expedia to resolve the problem. If you discover that there was a particular failing by BA you may also be entitled to some further compensation from the airline.

brianposter

Just to add that you may end up having to take Expedia to court but at sometime in the interim Subject Access Requests to BA and Iberia might be appropriate.