Flight date change within 24 hours

FBaby

I've made the very stupid mistake of booking my flight via Skyscanner and therefore a travel agent when I normally always book directly with the flying company.

I booked two return flights to NY from London total £776 at 5:50pm yesterday. At 12 noon today, I checked the booking and noticed the wrong date outgoing by two days, clearly a stupid mistake on my part. 

I called the agent immediately to make the change accepting a minimum admin charge and increase in fare (£20 per person) to change the date. They did not get back to me until 2 minutes before 6pm to inform me the charge for cancelling was......£299 per person....

I tried to see if I could amend the date directly with BA, and it seemed they would have just done it free of admin charge but unfortunately they couldn't do it as via the agent.

Can I ask what recourse, if any, I have on the basis that:
- I contacted the agent within 4 working hours of the booking.
- Even if BA applied the dearest of their penalty, this would be £180 per person, not £299.
- the T&R states that 'it is the customer's responsibility to check documents, and let us know immediately in the event of an error as it may not be possible to make changes later'.

eskbanker

What do the agent's terms say about this scenario?  It's fairly standard that such companies can often undercut initial purchase prices (the reason you went with them?) but that subsequent costs for changes or refunds, etc, will typically exceed those that would apply for direct bookings....

FBaby

Terms and conditions in relation to changes are only the phrase I've stated. They have two long paragraphs about cancellation rules but that doesn't apply.

The difference was minimal. I fully accept an admin fee for changing the booking, just can't see how £600 for £776 total cost is reasonable when notified under 24h (under 5h really).

I was hoping anyone might know any consumer rights rules relating to this situation. One that would enforce reasonability and proportionality. 

FBaby

I've actually found the specific terms and reference to changes (front is so small, I almost need to magnifying glass to read them!). 

It says 'if after we've issued you with a booking confirmation, you wish to make a change, please contact us in writing (I did). We will contact the supplier and let you know if the change is possible (BA confirmed to me that it is). We will let you know any change to the price (it goes on about asking is if we are happy with it before making the change).

It then says they charge a £150 fees (for two) to amend.

So at most, they should charge £150 rather £600! 

Again, looking for knowledge of any legislation about acceptable charges and timing to request the change if any exist. 

eskbanker

FBaby said:

I've actually found the specific terms and reference to changes (front is so small, I almost need to magnifying glass to read them!). 

It says 'if after we've issued you with a booking confirmation, you wish to make a change, please contact us in writing (I did). We will contact the supplier and let you know if the change is possible (BA confirmed to me that it is). We will let you know any change to the price (it goes on about asking is if we are happy with it before making the change).

It then says they charge a £150 fees (for two) to amend.

So at most, they should charge £150 rather £600! 

But there will be two or three separate charges, i.e. the charges for the agency to process the change on your behalf (presumably the £150), plus the airline's admin charge for applying a change, plus any fare variance?  The latter two may not be the same for tickets booked via an agent rather than direct, and you'd need to be sure you were comparing identical fare classes, etc.

FBaby said:

I was hoping anyone might know any consumer rights rules relating to this situation. One that would enforce reasonability and proportionality. 

FBaby said:

Again, looking for knowledge of any legislation about acceptable charges and timing to request the change if any exist. 

The most likely legislation would be The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, if you fancy trawling through that to see if there's anything that fits your situation:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/1277/contents

FBaby said:

- the T&R states that 'it is the customer's responsibility to check documents, and let us know immediately in the event of an error as it may not be possible to make changes later'.

My understanding is that this relates to errors made by the agent or airline, not by the passenger, so if they provided what you asked for and you then wanted to change it the next day, that's unlikely to signify that you had any right to do this any cheaper than a later change.

FBaby

Thank you for your response. I think I hav found the answer.

I hav found BA's policy. As I expected, BA will cancel/change flights for no admin costs when contacted within 24 hours.

The agent fees (outrageous but seem they can get away with) are £75 per person.

I therefore will challenge them agreeing to £150 and no more. Very poor business behaviour (stealing really) to pretend the supplier is charging when they are not. 

Caz3121

BAs policy is the changes/cancellation within 24 hours for travel more than 7 days in advance (repricing and fare difference would apply - it is basically a cancel and rebook with the original payment put towards the new fare)
However this applies to bookings made direct with them and not sure if it would apply to third party bookings. When booking with a third party you have two sets of terms and conditions. People have been caught out with totally non-changeable/non-refundable tickets from time of booking when booking with the airline direct would have given them options.

FBaby

*However this applies to bookings made direct with them and not sure if it would apply to third party bookings*
I appreciate that but the T&C of the agent is that they will act in accordance with the supplier allows. BA told me directly that they would do it so the agent should honour it.

Unsurprisingly, the agent is now ignoring me. 

jimi_man

BAs free change cancellation in 24 hours doesn’t apply for TA bookings (basically because they operate on a cheaper fare bucket) so there will be a charge to the travel agent - which they presumably pass on to you as well as their fees. 

If there was no charge and it was a cheaper ticket then there wouldn’t be much point in booking direct with the airline. 

FBaby

*If there was no charge and it was a cheaper ticket then there wouldn’t be much point in booking direct with the airline*
The tickets are about £10 cheaper if that. Quoting £300 per person is completely disproportionate. 

If the only reason they can afford marginally cheaper airfares, is relying on people making simple errors and being charged extortionate penalties, this definitely need to be challenged.

I found the below on BA website:

If you notice a mistake with your booking

After you have paid for your ticket(s), if you notice a mistake with your booking, you can cancel your flight booking and claim a full refund without penalty, up to 24 hours from when you make the original booking. Refunds under these circumstances can only be requested by calling our contact centres.

The following types of booking are not covered by this 24 hour guarantee:

Bookings made for travel within 24 hours of booking.

Bookings where immediate payment is not required.

Package bookings or flights booked with hotels, car hire, transfers or experiences.

Flights within Southern Africa, operated by Comair.

Yes, it can be infer that this relates to direct booking, but it doesn't say so, and more importantly, it does not stipulate that booking via an agent as what is not covered, so I would dispute that.

I've ask the travel agent for evidence of them contacting BA to try to change the booking, evidence of their contract with BA that stipulates that BA will not accept a change through them and a copy with the breakdown detail of BA's charge.

This behaviour needs to be challenged.  

eskbanker

FBaby said:

I've ask the travel agent for evidence of them contacting BA to try to change the booking, evidence of their contract with BA that stipulates that BA will not accept a change through them and a copy with the breakdown detail of BA's charge.

This behaviour needs to be challenged.  

Entirely your prerogative to wade into them with all guns blazing, but as things stand do you still have tickets for the wrong dates?

In terms of the potential for the dispute to escalate, is it a UK-based agent?