Location: Beautiful BritishColumbia
Posted on: 24-07-06 00:32:40
I am seeking advice from CD members.
My wife and daughter travelled with EMIRATES to East Africa. We bought the return tickets from a local travel agent in Surrey.
The tickets clearly indicate the return travel date as August 29. 2006.
My wife went to confirm the return flight from the Emirates offices in Africa, when she was told the tickets are not valid.
This was a big surprise to her as everything was confirmed here at the travel agency before departure.
The tickets clearly state the return date as August 29, 2006.
Emirates indicate it is an oversight on the issuing travel agents.
She is being asked to pay a difference of USD 700 per ticket (total of USD1400) and get a reimbursement from the travel agents.
The travel agent here verbally confirm that this will be refunded as soon as she comes back and produces the receipt of payment.
Most of the people I talk to say, that this will never be refunded and somehow the travel agency will avoid refunding this.
Please comment!
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"After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb." (Nelson Mandela)
Location: British Columbia
Posted on: 25-07-06 11:43:42
Are the tickets expired?
how so?
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~ Morning rain
Hello Tourist,
It is most likely that travel agent will not refund the amount. However what choice you have?
Hi Morning Rain,
Tickets are issued with a fixed validity, most standard tickets are valid for 1 year. Low cost return tickets may have validity of three months or even less, when they are issued at low cost for a specific lean season and have a fixed end date before which you have to complete outward and inward journey.
Your reservation dates, both outward and inward, have to be before this expiry date. If not, you get into a soup like Tourist.
Hi Tourist,
You have no choice but to pay $700 as requested by Emirates. But ask your wife to talk to the Manager of Emirates in East Africa (You can also try to talk here in Canada) and explain the situation, since it's not your fault. Send a written complaint (keep a copy of it) to Emirates, as they are also partially responsible for their agent's mistake and they can also push agent to do the needful.
If your agent is saying that they will refund, then may be they will refund as it is their mistake. Is there any reason for not believing?
Keep all receipt/ticket (keep original ticket which had expired) and if agent refuse to refund you then pursue with airlines.
Location: British Columbia
Posted on: 25-07-06 14:38:02
Quote:
Originally posted by LD
Hi Morning Rain,
Tickets are issued with a fixed validity, most standard tickets are valid for 1 year. Low cost return tickets may have validity of three months or even less, when they are issued at low cost for a specific lean season and have a fixed end date before which you have to complete outward and inward journey.
Your reservation dates, both outward and inward, have to be before this expiry date. If not, you get into a soup like Tourist.
I understand that..but the return ticket date is the end of August. That is still a month away.
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~ Morning rain
Hi Morning_rain,
You are right.
There is a possibility, as it seems, that the said scheme/rate/ticket was available only upto July 31 and travel agent printed date of August on it, without actually having confirmed reservation for return journey.
However, the case is still puzzling as the Airlines system or Trans-Airlines Booking systems like Sabre/Amadeus/Galileo would not provide you reservation if the ticket class / rate / date was entered incorrectly. It could still happen if return journey was open dated and therefore system could not check the error.
We would appreciate if Tourist would let us all know how it was sorted out. Ash20 is right that travel agent may make a refund to avoid litigation/problem with Airlines/IATA. If he does such things repeatedly he could lose his IATA membership, thereby killing his business.
It is therefore important to have a PNR printout from travel agent.
Also One can check oneself at this link to see veracity of printed ticket, if ticket is booked by agent through Galileo:
https://www.viewtrip.com/en-us/ViewTrip.asp?lo=1
Or one can check status using PNR on Airlines website before starting the journey.
Location: Beautiful BritishColumbia
Posted on: 25-07-06 23:06:49
Thank you guys for your comments!
Ash20, I will do exactly what you have mentioned and am going to write a letter to Emirates with a copy to the travel agents.
Will ask my wife to pay and keep all the receipts and obtain a letter from Emirates office that she had to pay the money.
LD, there was no mention of the expiry date when we bought the ticket from the travel agent. The ticket clearly indicates the return date as August 29 (fully confirmed). On the top where the trip dates are indicated.
How it went through the software I really do not know..Her name is still confirmed on the flight of Aug.29. All printouts clearly indicate the return date.
As usual, the validity date is in a very very fine small print and you need lens to see it.
So guys please please check and confirm the validity on all your future travel.
morning_rain, the tickets had expired in July 10, 3 months validity.
Expired 7 weeks before the return date indicated on the ticket...
That is why it is an oversight on the travel agents part.
Is it an oversight or ...??
If these people don't cough up then I take on a lawyer. Let the Canadian justice work!! Will keep you posted.
Thanks again...
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"After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb." (Nelson Mandela)
