Online Ticket Booking
By chicko
@chicko (86)
India
February 23, 2011 12:57pm CST
I booked a flight ticket online with a popular travel website. However I entered the date incorrectly and noticed only after the ticket booking was processed completely. I immediately called their customer service to request for the date change, but I was informed about date change charges, plus service charges, plus fare difference, and each of these charges are per sector(2 flights connected).. I was aghast! It was hardly 5 mins back that I did the booking. The total of this came up to nearly the flight cost!I thought I might cancel the ticket and make a fresh booking. But the cancellation charges are equally high(same as base fare). but what they do not tell initially is that it will be per sector. As in if u have 2 flights, you have to double the cancellation cost. Do you think these extra charges are justified for a small date change within minutes of making the booking!.. Im not asking for change after 10 - 15 days, wherein somebody else could have made the booking instead of me but lost it because of me... The airline is not losing anything because they didnt lose out on any booking.
And another thing, when I requested for a date change, I was supposed to pay the fare difference, which can change within mintues, as told by customer care rep. she told me it had increased by 200 bucks whereas on the website, it showed the same price. She said its decided by the airlines and u can check with them. She knows i cant get in touch with them, so i have no other option than to beleive her n accept the rates that she gives me.
I feel so hopeless because i will have to lose out on money uselessy/// please suggest
2 people like this
10 responses
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
23 Feb 11
Can you go to the payment processor (the credit card company) and ask them to cancel the payment? If you did that, then maybe you could go through the airlines website and book the flight again. I don't know if they will let you do it, but it is worth a try. It doesn't seem right that they should try to screw you like that when you called right after making the booking. I think I would also stay away from that particular website. I hope it wasn't one of the big ones because that could hurt their reputation if you were to tell people which site it was. I usually book with the airlines directly. I find that not paying a fee to the middleman helps. Good luck with that.
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
28 Feb 11
I don't think I will use them ever. I am usually very careful in choosing a flight anyway. The last several times I flew, I went directly through the airline and picked specific flights. I always check before I hit finish or whatever the button they have says. I think I would complain to them about not having the policies written where people would know about it also. It might not help in your situation, but it might make you feel better.
@chicko (86)
• India
28 Feb 11
it was makemytrip.com, they do not inform in the beginning that cancellation charges apply per sector. customers have to be born with that knowledge you see..
And you know what, its not just cancellation charges per sector but also the service charge is charged per sector (250+250) what sense does that make? plus the fare difference for the other fligth which will be booked. And the fun part is , all of a sudden the flight charge increases!! LOl, so that I get a fare difference in the flight, so they extract more money just like that! I know they were increasing the price and telling me, coz the website still showed the same fare!
1 person likes this
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
25 Feb 11
All you did was make a mistake on the date of your flight. For example airline staff themselves do make mistakes. I was at the airport at Cartagena De Indias. I was given three boarding cards. The lady at the check point wouldn't let us go through. The check in lady had given one of me and two of my son but not my daughter. She had made this stupid mistake. That airline also told me the next airline would have me and my three year old disabled son sitting apart. At Bogata Airport I was able to sort this out. Funnily enough we ended up getting three seats.
I am ever so sorry that your on-line booking has turned out into a nightmare. This travel website and airline involved are being very mean to you. I am really shocked to find out whichever option you choose you will lose money. You don't want the cancellation charge and it doesn't seem possible to do a date change without spending lots more money. I wish you luck in making the airline treat you well.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
24 Feb 11
It seems like an easy task to purchase airfare or other travel tickets on line. Cancelling those tickets can be a different story all together. Run arounds and hassles seem to be what you get what you don't want or need something anymore.
@jennyze (7029)
• Indonesia
24 Feb 11
I am responsible for booking flights in my company, I know the rules. They are all very strict, once you issued you can only change or cancel according to the rules. That's why I prefer to book with an Agent, cause I do not have to issue the tickets until the it is due. More time to check and to get alternately cheaper tickets.
Sorry for your experience.
@zralte (4178)
• India
23 Feb 11
I am very sorry for your loss of money, but I have to say they are very much justified for those charges. That is why you need to be careful when booking tickets online. Once you book it, it does not matter if it is 1 second after or 10 days after, the rule applies. And it is not just the booking company, even with the airline, the same rule applies. As for the per sector charge, it depends on the airlines and their rules. Domestic flights are usually charged per sector. Doesn't matter if it is return or you have to change flight, if it is a different flight, cancellation will be taken for both the flights as they have to issue two tickets.
@chicko (86)
• India
28 Feb 11
ya but the rules dont make sense... They can have something like, if cancellation is done within an hour, then charge only 50 bucks, if one day then 100 and so on..
And they do not mention anywhere in the beginning before we make booking that cancellation charges will apply per sector.
@doggydimon (1369)
• Philippines
24 Feb 11
Sorry to hear that but maybe that is the way how it goes with their agency. As for me, I haven't tried booking on a travel website before for flights. I go directly to the website of airlines. Some of the airlines are quite forgiving if you make booking changes with in the day. They will allow you to change dates as long as it is within the day when the booking was made. But some of them don't allow it.
@chicko (86)
• India
28 Feb 11
hey but when i spoke to makemytrip customer service, it was not just man to machine, it was man to man right? They could have used their rapport with the airlines and asked them not to charge any penalty, right?
Because logically speaking, nobody lost out on a booking because of me wihtin those 5 mins.. Other people could have easily picked it up after i cancelled.
@LaLaNoShade (45)
• United States
24 Feb 11
That's a really stinky situation. I'm not sure if there is anything you can do other than change the flight and pay the fee. You could try talking to a manager of some sort or even call customer service for the website to see what they can do.
I hope everything works out in your favor.
@chicko (86)
• India
28 Feb 11
I tried my luck with their customer service, but they were adamant and insisted that cancelleation charges wil be per sector , also the service charges per sector and also the fare difference!!
If i had to cancel that flight, i would end up paying half the price of the ticket!
