Horribly incompetent travel agent

Old May 2nd, 2002, 01:43 PM
  #1  
Earl
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Horribly incompetent travel agent

Travel agents are constantly telling us how they take care to make sure that the customer doesn't fall in potholes.

We purchased plane tickets from Phily to Orlando on AirTrans from this agent. We couldn't but we forgot to cancel the reservation. With a major airline, you pay a penalty and you change your ticket. Air Trans is different. If you don't cancel your flight prior to an hour of departure, you forfit everything.

I think this dumb agent should have told me this since it's so unusual. I'm suiing him.
 
Old May 2nd, 2002, 02:23 PM
  #2  
Melissa
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Wait, tell me again how this is the TA's fault you didn't use your ticket, or remember to cancel. Take some responsiblity for yourself, buddy
 
Old May 2nd, 2002, 02:45 PM
  #3  
YouGottaBeKidding!
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Earl, don't blame your travel agent. Let me get this right: the airline is supposed to hold your seat for you if you decide to show up, but then if you don't feel like doing the flight and you don't bother to mention it until after the fact, then the airline should be providing you with at least a partial refund?! Why don't you re-title your post "Horribly incompetent traveler" and put the blame where it belongs?
 
Old May 2nd, 2002, 06:58 PM
  #4  
Sue
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Really?It makes sense to sue for the price of your ticket?? Sounds like way too much time on your hands. Get tired of hearing about people suing for this and that....
 
Old May 2nd, 2002, 08:17 PM
  #5  
A professional Agent
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If they emailed the Air Tran confirmation, it is right on the bottom. Or did you fail to read that.
Yes, the agent should have told you Air Tran required you cancel 1 hour prior to departure or you lose the fare.
If you are a good little boy and got back to them perhaps the agent can plead your case with Air Tran and get an exception.
Had you no-showed a hotel, they would also have charged you.
 
Old May 3rd, 2002, 03:24 AM
  #6  
Barbara
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What Earl is saying it that AirTrans may be the only airline that makes a ticket totally valueless if you don't cancel prior to one hour of flight. An agent should point such a major difference from other airlines to the customer.
 
Old May 3rd, 2002, 07:29 AM
  #7  
John
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You decided to fly. You decided to buy. You decided to cancel. You decided not to notify the airline. You blame the agent. You want a refund. Everything revolves around you. It was your trip, your cancellation, your irresponsible behavior (that leads to higher prices for the rest of us!) and now you want to blame someone else. You are really a work of art!
 
Old May 3rd, 2002, 07:32 AM
  #8  
Josie
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Air Trans is not the only airline with this policy. I agree that the agent should have discussed cancellation penalties with you but are you sure you were never told the penalties? I work in the home health field and I have had several people insist certain things were never discussed when I had signed copies of the very item they were denying. Sometimes in the confusion you miss things. I know my agent has went to bat for me with the airlines with usually good results. My agent got non-refundable tickets refunded when one of our employees quit before they traveled to a conference. Maybe if you were nicer to your agent he would be more willing to go the extra mile for you. Remember, they are just people and people do make mistakes.
 
Old May 3rd, 2002, 09:37 AM
  #9  
Alex
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I brought a hammer and hit myself in the head with it while hammering. I mean, it's so unusual for this to happen and I WASN'T warned. Now I have a big bump on my head.

This dumb salesperson should have told me about this! I'm suing him since its so unusual.
 
Old May 5th, 2002, 05:11 AM
  #10  
Ralph
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I would suggest that you check itinerary
If cancellations policies are on this you have no recourse. If not I would suggest you contact agency and request.

Credit for ticket less cancellation fees.

these credits would be good for any other flight on Airtran for this passenger.

by the way - shame on you for not cancelling flights.
 
Old May 5th, 2002, 05:14 AM
  #11  
Earl
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I know you travel agents are defensive because the airlines have eliminated commissons and you must charge fees to issue tickets.

I think the agent should have told me about such an unusual provision. What is he charging a fee for, if not to tell me a about such things?
 
Old May 5th, 2002, 05:26 AM
  #12  
Earl
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Another thing, the agent sent me my Eticket confirmation. I read it carefully, there was no warning of this problem on the confirm. What is that idiot above talking about?
 
Old May 5th, 2002, 05:38 AM
  #13  
John
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I don't see how you travel agents can possibly defend Earl's agent.

The fact is, this provision is very unusual. I bet almost no one on this forum is aware of this crazy rule. That's what an agent is for, to warn people about things the customer is unaware of, but should be aware of.

Maybe, this is why the airlines stopped paying commissions. What good is an agent?
 
Old May 5th, 2002, 06:12 AM
  #14  
OkEarl
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Earl,
Why don't you take your e ticket confirmation out to the airport. Ask to see a supervisor. Tell them your story and ask for a flight fund credit, under the circumstances. Say you had a flat tire on the way to the airport, Anything!
Calling the reservation center, WILL NOT WORK. They have their own guidelines, but the airport can be case sensitive.

I am a travel agent trying to help you. I was not aware of this either as we don't sell much here on the west coast. But I have informed my staff.

Give it 1 last try and let me know.

To all the people commenting on this forum with negetive remarks, what is wrong with being kind? I never got anywhere with the ugly remarks I have read here.

 
Old May 5th, 2002, 06:47 AM
  #15  
TO Earl
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As a TA I was aware of the policy, but did not know it did not print on the
e-ticket confirmation.
Thank you for bring it to our attention.
I am going to email Air Tran sales and suggest the policy be added to the
e-ticket confirmatin immediately.
Next time you need to cancel something, call your TA or the Airline or Hotel or Car Company, all hotels and many car companies now have this rule.
 
Old May 5th, 2002, 08:15 AM
  #16  
Vic
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Why not contest the charge with your credit card company. Send the Eticket confirmation to the card company and explain that the agent didn't give you anything in writing other than the Eticket. No warning of any kind of a very unusual policy.

For your satisfaction, AirTrans will probably charge the thing back to the travel agent.
 
Old May 5th, 2002, 07:13 PM
  #17  
Ralph
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Hey Earl:
 
Old May 6th, 2002, 06:21 AM
  #18  
cousin oliver
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Vic~

As usual, your opinions are way off. You simply cannot just have it charged back to the TA. If there is a signaute on a charge slip or invoice, he'll have a hard time getting anything back. On every invoice I give my client, it states that the penalty is up to 100% and I get a signature from my client stating they understand that. I will not have a client making me pay for their own responsibility in what they pay for. They need to read what they sign BEFORE they sign. And that ticket the passenger has? It's a contract.
 
Old May 6th, 2002, 12:04 PM
  #19  
Cindy
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I just bought an AirTran (not trans) ticket. On my itinerary that I bought online it clearly states their policy. Didn't you ask for a copy of your itinerary. You need it to travel on an e-ticket. You also stated in your first post that you forgot to cancel. By saying that, you are admitting that you were aware that you needed to do something, otherwise you couldn't have "forgotten". Now I know why the airlines oversell their flights. It is for people like you that don't cancel.
Thanks a lot!
 
Old May 8th, 2002, 05:59 AM
  #20  
a Professional Agent
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I had a client just yesterday who did not cancel his Air Tran flight.
I told him to call Air Tran and tell them his agent did not advise him of the policy. The Air Tran agent graciously changed the flight with only a $30 fee (fare had gone down).
Now this client should have been aware of the policy, it was on his confirmation and he flys Air Tran all the time. As long as he does not actually believe I am incompentant, I have no problem with him telling the airline that to get his way.
 

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