Airline Pre-Booked Seat Refund

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81869962#Comment_81869962

Any claim would be against the travel agent as they cancelled the flight (which also probably cancels any associated services), or you could try your travel insurance.

If I put myself in the airlines shoes, I would be telling you the seats are ready and waiting for you, you just need to turn up for the flight with a valid ticket....

visidigi

Could be an interesting one if it was followed up with LBA and SCC

By offering the seat reservations separately to the flight the voluntary cancellation thing shouldn't apply if the travel agent cancels the flight. The OP has entered into a separate contract with Emirates for the seats to be reserved for use - albeit on the same itinerary code.

Can you access the itinerary code on the Emirates site? I mean Emirates are getting £704 for the actions of a party that didn't book the element the OP is claiming for. Seems quite unfair to the OP to be hit with the less than honest actions of the TA.

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81869962#Comment_81869962

You might be able to argue the point on pre book seat cost with airline on a good will gesture, but actual flights costs are gone & you would need to sue travel agent, which could/would be a waste of money if they have ceased trading.

Wilmst3r

Hi,

Both the flight tickets and seat bookings shared the same itinerary reference and neither can be seen in the manage my booking since the travel agent cancelled the flight booking. It was only by calling the airline that we found out both had been cancelled and our flight funds refunded to travel agent. The travel agent is also being investigated for fraudulent activity and the airline still were not interested. Would this be worth a solicitor view to see if I have a case? There is no chance of getting anything from the travel agent, they have changed names, changed directors and business registered location to some back alley, the office front in London is all locked up and empty. I did manage to get hold of one person who apologised and said that everything was re booked, but after checking they had merely made a reservation, no flights, no accommodation, apparently they were doing this so people continued to pay for their holidays.

To be honest I am really surprised by the airline as the flight doesn’t take place until April so really they are bordering on the same tactics as the travel agent.

eskbanker

But on the face of it the airline is complying with its published terms, assuming the reference to voluntary cancellation includes cancellation by your agent (as opposed to the airline cancelling your flight booking involuntarily), so the question then moves on to whether those terms could be deemed unfair under the legislation of whichever jurisdiction they're formed under, and if so, what could realistically be done about that.

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81870219#Comment_81870219

I think there's two possible scenarios, neither of which really work for the OP:

1. The flight booking and seat booking are linked, and cancelling one automatically cancels the other. In this case its the TA who is liable, not the airline.
2. The flight booking and seat booking are separate. In this case the OP still has reserved seats, but one flight they don't have a ticket for. So they can either cancel the seats (no refund) or let the flight go (still out of pocket) or book new tickets for thr flight and claim their seats....

Ergates

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81870067#Comment_81870067

£704 for the seat bookings?

As in the bit where you specify which seats you want?

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81870718#Comment_81870718

It was for 9 people, and assuming return flights thats £40 pee seat...maybe about right for exit row/extra leg room seats.

Wilmst3r

I wish they were exit row extra leg room seats, they were 9 standard seats return.

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81870790#Comment_81870790

Wow! Totally off topic, but why bother booking seats if they're standard ones? I always wonder why people would pay extra for something the airline has to give you anyway...