Travelocity Nightmare! They Booked Both Airline Tickets in My Name!

[brendrek]

Just after New Years, I decided on a last minute trip to WDW to celebrate my birthday, and 10 year anniversary with my partner. I priced out the trip for two adults a few different ways. In the end I thought the ease of booking a package with Travelocity was worth paying a little extra (airfare, reservations at the Pop, and park tickets). Luckily, this afternoon I decided to do online check-in for our morning flight and noticed both airline tickets were booked in my name. I've flown enough to know this would be a HUGE problem. Of course I immediately called Travelocity to fix it. They told me they could not make any changes to airfares, I would have to call USAir myself.

So I call USAir, and they tell me to call Travelocity because the tickets I booked are non-refundable/non-transferrable, and only they could fix the problem. I called Travelocity back, got put on hold. The guy comes back and says he can't do anything for me, but he was transferring me to his supervisor. While on hold I get disconnected. I call back explain the situation again, and get placed on hold for another 20 minutes. At this point I'm practically crying because my vacation will be ruined, and I'm getting nowhere towards fixing it.

Finally I called back and get someone claiming to be the Supervisor of "package deals". She says that I will have to completely rebook my airfare at my expense, and file for a refund with customer relations at some later date. She accused me of booking a father/son trip (I guess because the name was the same?) and then trying to change the passenger at the last minute. Her solution didn't sit well with me because afterall this was not my fault and I still have valid ticket (two in fact). If anything I should only be paying for one new ticket. I see what the cost would be anyway ($754) but a new problem arrises. The return flight is booked! How does this make sense? I have two tickets, one of which I won't be using so there is a seat available! I told her to forget it and just hung up.

I am broken down at this point. I'm on the verge of tears, my blood pressure is through the roof. I've almost completely given up hope going to WDW tomorrow. My only plan is to chargeback the entire trip on my credit card, but that sucks because I really wanted to go.

For some reason I try calling the airline directly one more time. I explain the situation to them again, they place me on hold and I end up being transferred back to Travelocity. I call back and just ask to make a change to my reservation. I get a different person in another department. She manages to split my original reservation (cancels one of the seats) and rebooks 1 roundtrip fare. She even put the seats together on the two seperate confirmations. Yes, this cost me $377.30 for 1 last minute ticket, but I fully plan on charging this back to Travelocity and filing multiple complaints when I get home.

Funny thing, my DME luggage tags and documents have the correct names, which were ordered right after I booked. I guess that proves them wrong on the whole father/son trip argument. Of course I'd love to comment more, but I swear travelocity site created this error as I put in the proper passenger information in. Anyway the lovely person at USAir fixed my flights, and I'll just have to deal with getting that money back when I get home. I will never book a package deal again. I hope there is plenty of pixe dust in WDW tomorrow I'm gonna need it.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

You didn't comment on whether you actually do have a son with the same name.

Anyway, if the DME has the correct names then it would seem impossible that the airline reservations didn't have the same names on them. You could have a valid case against Travelocity although I would not count on your credit card company charging it back (except maybe temporarily) because Travelocity will say you got what you paid for. But good luck. You might also ask Ombudsman at Conde Nast Traveler Magazine to look into the matter for you if the credit card company won't.

Serves as a warning to everyone booking travel on the internet to look at that final screen VERY closely before hitting the button to finalize the transaction. Check closely for passenger names, dates of travel, flight information. Always scan the e-mail receipt immediately because many travel sites will do corrections if they are alerted immediately. Looking at things weeks later is too late.

BobK/Orlando

 

[brendrek]

I If that was the case I would have designated that by using suffixes (Jr., Sr. I II or whatever). How would the airline know which person was in which seat otherwise? To answer your question though, I don't have a son. The DME information alone should prove my intent. Travelocity messed up, and perhaps I should have caught the error sooner. It would be difficult to catch if you didn't know what to look for, plus hind sight is 20/20. I've had good luck with BBB.org in the past. They have never failed me. Travelocity claims to have a total satisfaction gaurentee, we'll see how that works out. Anyway I have to pack, and I'll worry about the rest when I get home.

 

[DebbieB]

Did you get a confirmation when you booked it? It should show both names on there.

 

[seashoreCM]

Did you do a print screen (requires more than just pushing the PRT SCRN button) of what you booked showing the correct information?

There is this guy, Chris Elliott, who has been an excellent ombudsman when it comes to travel troubles. His website is elliott.org

I'll add this thread to my dossier of items that reinforces my feeling that folks may look on Travelocity, Orbitz, Expedia, etc. but should book directly with the airlines, car rental companies, etc.

When I was in college I learned that a contract requires a "meeting of the minds". It is still my opinion that the party to the contract wishing to enforce the contract has the burden of proof when there is a dispute as to what the meeting of the minds, if any, consisted of. Messed up names that don't match your print screen definitely fall into the category of questionable meeting of the minds.

Among the things that are floating around that are still true, a vendor or merchant or provider must have a credit card imprint and cardholder's signature in order to enforce a credit card payment, should push come to shove.

 

[robinb]

Anyway, if the DME has the correct names then it would seem impossible that the airline reservations didn't have the same names on them.

Only if the OP booked a package through Travelocity. I didn't get that from the post.

Serves as a warning to everyone booking travel on the internet to look at that final screen VERY closely before hitting the button to finalize the transaction. Check closely for passenger names, dates of travel, flight information. Always scan the e-mail receipt immediately because many travel sites will do corrections if they are alerted immediately. Looking at things weeks later is too late.

 

[MulanMom]

I feel your pain. This happened to us a few years ago....through no fault of my own. Booked AirTran out of Philly thru Travelocity. When I checked in, there was no record of my reservation. Despite the copies in my hand, I had to work it through travelocity. After 45 minutes at the desk, while everyone else was checking in, Travelocity would not resolve it. All the ticket agent for AirTran needed was a particular code and she could have issued us tickets. Ended up buying tickets right there and dealing with mess when I got back. After many aggravating phone calls and headaches, the matter was resolved but I never received anything for the inconvenience...not even an "I'm sorry". I deal directly with airlines, hotels and car rental companies. BTW, the problem was the info was dropped while transferring between Travelocity's computer and AirTRan's.

I'll pray that your trip is a good one. To top off the Travelocity fiasco, I ended up breaking my ankle on that trip to WDW. So don't tempt fate by asking "Could it get any worse?"

Sending some your way! Have a great trip!

 

[Tinkim]

Oh no! What a mess. I'm sorry Travelocity screwed up your reservation. I have had a problem with SWA but that was my own fault. I bought a ticket for my mom and put in my mom's old married name instead of her new married name. She was married to my dad for 25 years and even though she has been remarried I just goofed. They just had her bring her marriage certificate with her to the airport and it was no problem. However, I did have a problem recently with US Air. I was trying to purchase our tickets on-line and their system was down so I called and spoke to a CSR and she booked the tickets for me. I noticed later that she had spelled my first name wrong. I called them back and they said it would not be a problem. I really hope it isn't because I really need that vacation. I hope your situation gets resolved and you have a wonderful vacation and that you get your money back from Travelocity. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

 

[simpilotswife]

I stopped booking through the online travel places years ago when I read that people who are stuck get less help from the airlines when they bool through the online places. I use the online places as a way to find the cheapest airfare and then go book directly with the airline.

A few years ago we had a problem coming back after spending President's Week at WDW. We got to the airport an hour ahead of time only to be told that our flight was closed out and that we should have been there 2 hours ahead (which was bogus because there were other people there that had been there 2 hours ahead that had gotten closed out as well-but I digress). We wound up spending the whole day in the airport waiting as standby. They finally told us that we wouldn't be able to get home until Tuesday (this was Saturday). We threw a fit so they booked us across the country and back and we got home Sunday morning. I was very grateful that I had booked directly through the airline though because I could just see getting stuck without any accommodation if we hadn't. It turned out that the reason they closed out the flight so early was that a flight the night before had been cancelled so they were trying to get those people home too.

 

[seashoreCM]

IA few years ago we had a problem coming back after spending President's Week at WDW. We got to the airport an hour ahead of time only to be told that our flight was closed out and that we should have been there 2 hours ahead (which was bogus because there were other people there that had been there 2 hours ahead that had gotten closed out as well-but I digress). We wound up spending the whole day in the airport waiting as standby. .

What they probably did was forcibly book other people onto the flight. This always works although ticket agents and gate agenst will be disciplined for doing it indiscriminately. Then, 4 or so hours in advance when done manually (24 hours for Southwest when done on line) the check in order and a few other variables determine who can get boarding passes. Except that a pro-active button push is needed to cancel seat assignments ahead of the usual 20 minute or so deadline. At that time they should or should have asked for volunteers.

Did they pay bump compensation?

They would have to quote something from the contract of carriage that said otherwise in order to deny compensation.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[Lewisc]

The problem is you didn't proof you E-Tickets, emailed itenirary. A phone call within 24 hours and it would be clear you weren't trying to change the passengers but rather were correcting an error. Many airlines will let you cancel a reservation with 24 hours for a refund.

I look at it differently than you. Unless I'm saving money I prefer to deal directly with the airline.

By waiting until the day before your flight it does look like you were actually trying to change the actual passenger. Many people don't put Jr or III for a father son.

 

[brendrek]

Just a quick update to the story. I filed a claim with Travelocity Consumer Relations as soon as I got home. They put in a refund request directly with US Airways. The airline agreed to refund one of the original unused roundtrip tickets in my name (good news). However, they would not refund the higher priced last minute fare or the change fee, which means I'm still out $180. I told Travelocity while I'm happy they were able to make a recovery from the airline, I am still disputing that difference in ticket prices directly with them. I'm still waiting on a final decision about that. So far so good though!

 

[safetymom]

If they refund everything what did you pay for your mistake of not checking the tickets when you first purchased them?

 

[brendrek]

If they refund everything what did you pay for your mistake of not checking the tickets when you first purchased them?

Even if I do get all the money back, I still had to go through hell! I've learned a valuable lesson about double checking things, but apparently you think I should be out money (for a glitch on their website no less). Nice attitude coming from a moderator of these boards. :

 

[safetymom]

Just asking a question from someone who flies a lot. I wasn't offering an opinion. Sorry that you took it that way.

 

[mickey12810]

I have learned my lesson with Travelocity. Not as bad a problem as you but they just overcharged me $600. I called the credit card company and have to send info to them and Travelocity said that they would credit me the $600. If I don't have my credit within a reasonable amount of time I will scream!

 

[brendrek]

I'd say being overcharged $600 is a worse problem, but good luck to you. Did you notice that Travelocity uses an entirely outsourced phone center? Everytime I called them I got someone with a thick Indian accent. I sent a few documents to their San Antonio TX address and an Indian person responded to them. Do they forward the mail to India too? I swear the next time a company routes my call to India I'm going to put on my best mock Indian accent and really have some fun with the person on the other end.

 

[brendrek]

Update: It took a month but they finally issued me a full refund of the last minute airfare. Someone please send me a gnome statue so I can smash it on the sidewalk.