Travel Agent Flight Price Hike

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SLT1984
SLT1984 Posts: 2 Newbie
in Overseas holidays & travel planning
Hi all,

New to Forum.


Recently I booked a flight with Travel Trolley. I paid the amount and then the following day had an email saying the flight I had paid for was no longer available and the cost was ~200 more.

I phoned them and they said I had the option of a refund or pay the extra. If I chose the refund the money would take 3+ days. By the time my money would be back in my account allowing me to buy another flight from a different agent prices would go up so my hands were tied.

Is this legal? And What are my rights in this situation?

Can an agent offer a price and then hike it after payment?

Many Thanks

Simon

Comments

  • martindow
    martindow Posts: 10,218 Forumite
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    They presumably don't show live prices so this happens. It's always best to book directly with airlines - sorting any problems is simpler with one organisation rather than two.
  • eDicky
    eDicky Posts: 6,574 Forumite
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    You're unlucky, it's a common occurrence when booking through an online agent whose prices look attractively low but are not always live, instead of direct with the airline. You will find that the terms of your booking cover the possibility that, in effect, the price you were shown and booked was already sold out.
    Evolution, not revolution
  • PeacefulWaters
    PeacefulWaters Posts: 8,495 Forumite
    edited 15 April 2018 at 1:02PM
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    I'm always reluctant to book through firms with silly names.
  • dj1471
    dj1471 Posts: 1,968 Forumite
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    Travel Trolley have live pricing but not live ticketing, they usually ticket within a few hours but they do say up to 24 hours. I've used them many times without issue, you were just unlucky this time.

    As above this is the risk when booking through an agent.
  • unholyangel
    unholyangel Posts: 16,863 Forumite
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    It depends on whether they accepted your offer or not. If not for this change in price, would the contract have been binding on you?

    If yes then most likely you would have an argument for the cheaper price as they accepted your offer and they can't then breach it without being liable for losses.

    If they hadn't yet accepted your offer then no contract exists and they're free to reject your offer and make a counter offer at the higher price.
    You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
  • dj1471
    dj1471 Posts: 1,968 Forumite
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    The contract is formed when they make the booking with the airline. Section C of the T&Cs:
    https://www.traveltrolley.co.uk/terms-conditions/
  • unholyangel
    unholyangel Posts: 16,863 Forumite
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    dj1471 wrote: »
    The contract is formed when they make the booking with the airline. Section C of the T&Cs:
    https://www.traveltrolley.co.uk/terms-conditions/


    No need to read all the way to the bottom sections, its already covered at the start of the T&C's.
    No contract will come into existence until we accept your booking and we receive your deposit or full payment in cleared funds and issue you with a confirmation invoice either on behalf of ourselves or the supplier in question
    You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
  • SLT1984
    SLT1984 Posts: 2 Newbie
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    Thanks for the replies.

    So if full payment is made. This doesn't mean the contract is issued?

    Therefore when they say you can STILL get a ticket but have to pay more money, it is legal.
  • dj1471
    dj1471 Posts: 1,968 Forumite
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    SLT1984 wrote: »
    So if full payment is made. This doesn't mean the contract is issued?
    Correct. It's the same when you purchase goods online, usually the contract is formed when the goods are dispatched not once you've paid.
    SLT1984 wrote: »
    Therefore when they say you can STILL get a ticket but have to pay more money, it is legal.
    Yes, you're free to decline as you have done. There are some agents who deliberately advertise fares that don't exist then ask for more money, but Travel Trolley aren't one of them.
  • jpsartre
    jpsartre Posts: 4,085 Forumite
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    SLT1984 wrote: »
    So if full payment is made. This doesn't mean the contract is issued?

    Read the previous post, the relevant parts of the T&C have already been posted. If you want to avoid these kind of issues then book your ticket directly from the airline, the ticket will be issued straight away.
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