Travel agent using my personal account with the airline to book a flight as part of the package holi

Zhuzhi

I've booked a package holiday abroad which included return flights with easyJet. When I gave the travel agent my bank details to pay for the deposit, he asked me for my logging details for my easyJet account. I was suprised to find out that he was going to book our flights on my personal account with easyJet, and use my credit card details, which I gave him to pay for the deposit, to pay for the flights! When I questioned it, I was told that he could book the flights on their busines's account but would have to charge me £45 each (not sure if it's per ticket or passanger). I was told that every airline is now requiring to open an account to buy flights. If the passanger already has an account with the airline, they have to use that account. Has anybody else had this experience and is this even legal???

NBLondon

Seems very unlikely...  I can imagine EasyJet insisting on the travel agent having an account and the cheapo agent trying to pass on the cost to the customer - but not every airline.  Or that EasyJet want to know if the same person is booking flights both through an agent and directly.

Try another travel agent!

bagand96

It's not illegal for him to ask for your airline log in details. You have a choice whether to give them to him. 

What a lot of the online travel agents do is use their own email address and card details to book the flight on behalf of the passenger.

There are some benefits of it being booked on your account though - you'll have full access to the booking and easyJet will contact you if there's any changes. 

However assuming you're booking a package I would be checking if the flight would still count as part of that package, and come under any ATOL cover. I'm not sure if it would or not because it will look like you've booked it yourself. 

Ayr_Rage

I guess this is a small independent agent.

It doesn't sound much like a package holiday if they are booking flights separately using YOUR account.

Sounds very dodgy.

Zhuzhi

Thank you bagand96 for your reply. I'm feeling much more relaxed now! I checked the ATOL and ABTA protection at the time of booking and was reassured that the package holiday will be covered. 

bagand96

Zhuzhi said:

Thank you bagand96 for your reply. I'm feeling much more relaxed now! I checked the ATOL and ABTA protection at the time of booking and was reassured that the package holiday will be covered. 

Just because the agent is a member it doesn't necessarily follow that your booking and arrangements will all fall under any protecetion. 

You should have received an ATOL certificate, does this list all elements including your flights? 

Zhuzhi

bagand96 said:

Just because the agent is a member it doesn't necessarily follow that your booking and arrangements will all fall under any protecetion. 

You should have received an ATOL certificate, does this list all elements including your flights? 

I have asked again earlier today about ATOL cover and the agent confirmed the holiday will be covered. I'll be getting all the documents within the next 3 days. You're right, looking at the easyJet confirmation, it does look as if I booked the flights myself. 

eskbanker

Maybe worth sharing the name of the agent on here?

CKhalvashi

Ayr_Rage said:

I guess this is a small independent agent.

It doesn't sound much like a package holiday if they are booking flights separately using YOUR account.

Sounds very dodgy.

A package doesn't have to, but 99.9% of the time will include flights. A company I have involvement with has had to be careful in this regard as we aren't authorised to sell directly to the UK public packages, but can to the trade (and can to any EU citizen/resident). We do not in any event any longer hold contracts with airlines and don't sell flights (although are in negotiations with one specific airline to possibly do so later under domestic law of another country, that airline has never touched UK soil bar a wet lease contract for an EU airline last year).

The agent in any event shouldn't be doing this, even if it will make your life easier should Easyjet change flights. The cost to the agent is IIRC about £2.50 per passenger, not £45 in any event.

Ayr_Rage

@Zhuzhi forget about registration, what you need is an ATOL certificate showing you have booked a package holiday, have you received one?

Ayr_Rage

@Zhuzhi forget about registration, what you need is an ATOL certificate showing you have booked a package holiday, have you received one?