I booked a great deal on Travelocity and the next day got an email from the airline, stating that they had filed a number of fares in error, and that they "will not honor the fares that were filed in error." I just called the Travelocity reply number and they said to call back tomorrow because they wouldn't receive the specifics from the airline (NWA) until then, but that the fares will be an increased price and I will have to pay the difference.

I already have the itinerary, confirmation numbers, etc - as well as the original amount charged to my credit card. Has anyone had experience with this, and is there anything else I can do? It just doesn't seem right that if I made changes, I would be penalized . . . but they can make changes and not be responsible for it?!?

Few years ago Expedia and Hilton posted the wrong room rate for all the Japanese Hiltons. For example: instead of $350 a night, it was $3.50 a night. Many of the regular www.flyertak.com members took advantage of the deals after it was reported on the site by somebody.

I booked 5 or 6 nights each at 2 different Hiltons but some booked an entire year.

Anyways, at first Expedia and Hilton said they would not honor the reses, but after few days and many complaints they came back and said they would honor any res that seemed "normal", meaning anything between a day to couple of weeks. They did not honor the 6 months or a year long reservations.

The point is, that legally they are not obligated to honor mistakes. There have been few before and some people actually went to court. At the end the court ruled in favor of the on line travel agency. So, in short, no, you do not have any recourse if they decide not to honor the mistake.

Good luck!

The point is, that legally they are not obligated to honor mistakes.

I don't know if it's different specifically for the travel industry, but in general, that statement is overbroad (legally-speaking). Mistakes DO have to be honored unless they were "obviously mistakes". So the Hilton hotels for $3.50 -- obvious mistakes and they would not have to be honored. But if the room rate were normally $350 and it was advertised for $300 -- absolutely has to be honored (under California law -- every state is different, although I suspect there are federal laws that pertain to the travel industry).

I'm wondering about the airline contacting you directly regarding fare and booking. And, how the airline can charge you more when you did not book through them.

When you book with a third party, you pay them and they pay the suppliers.

djkbooks, the email came from Travelocity Proactive Customer Care, NOT the airline - sorry for my misprint!

sf7307,

I agree with your point,

BUT, if the difference is let's say $50, what will you do?

You could take the agency to small claims court and perhaps you would win, but is $50 worth the hassle?

When about 300-400 www.flyertalk.com members were told that they won't be able to use their reservations, there was a call for class action suit. And with the HUGE difference in money it might have been worth it, but if we're talking $50 and you're on your own, do you really want to pursue the legality of the case?

I wouldn't, so that's why I suggested that in reality there is no recourse.

Well - if they won;t honor the ticket I think you're stuck. But, they can;t hold you to it either. Ifyou want to look for a better deal you should be able to cancel this one without penalty.

I, personally, believe that Travelocity should honor the confirmed booking you made. It's up to them to ensure that rates, fares, etc., provided when you are shopping their site for a trip are accurate. They should pay for their own errors.

There's enough to read and study on each booking site without having to wonder whether the prices will be changed after you have booked.

If it were me, I'd hang onto all documentation, wait and see how they attempt to resolve the fare issue, then decide how to proceed.

Meanwhile, I'd shop the same hotel/fares on other sites, just to see how they compare.

So long as you have a confirmation and your credit card has already been charged, they are NOT authorized to charge your card another or a different amount. If they do, then you'd have a strong case with your credit card company.

However, there's not much you can do if they cancel your flight and hotel reservations.

Personally, I haven't found any "great deals" on Travelocity, Expedia, etc., for some years versus shopping the hotels and flights directly with the suppliers.

If this is the fare I think it is, it was 0. I don't believe anyone with any common sense would think a 0 fare is correct. Am I correct on this fare or not? I just read about a mix-up for NWA tickets on Travelocity and they were put in at 0 for certain flights. I am thinking this must be the one. If it is, I don't think you should expect them to honor this price.

AA, I don't disagree with you as a practical matter - I was just pointing out that they could be held to it legally (unless of course, it was the $0 airfare to which Cali refers, in which case, no way can they be held to it, since it was an obvious mistake)

the pkg. price per person was $267, which included air and 3 night hotel (MGM).

if it had been $0, I wouldn't have wasted more than a nanosecond looking at it - forget about booking it or trying to fight for it.