Comments on: “I was flabbergasted, but they said there was nothing they can do”

By: patathomas

patathomas — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:31:49 +0000

I’m amazed that everyone just automaticall believes that Ms. O’Brien mistakenly provided Expedia with an incorrect itinerary number. More likely, the representative wrote down or keyed in the wrong number, but blaming the victim is more Expedia-nt than taking responsibility for the mistake.

By: ajaynejr

ajaynejr — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:15:46 +0000

It never occurred to me that I could have the U.S. Dept. of Transportation help me out but now I know of such a valuable resource.

If businesses are not going to do the right thing because they think they can get away with it then it is fully worthwhile to have the government use its resources to help the consumer.

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:46:02 +0000

I think most people are missing one gigantic clue.

If Ms. O. had given the agent the wrong reservation number how would the agent know that the charge didn’t clear?

Did the agent ask Ms. O. to repeat the number when she couldn’t find the parents booking?

How did Expedia know she gave the wrong booking number? Did they comment Ms. O’s booking that said she gave the wrong number?

Too many questions for me. I think Expedia was 100% wrong and was looking for ANY dopey excuse to get out of it.

By: ed

ed — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:42:40 +0000

If you’re just going to be flying as a single or couple to a simple location, then yeah, one of the online travel services are just fine…I use Orbitz since they are affiliated with the timeshare organization I use most…
But the more complicated your itinerary gets, the more you should consider using an agent. This is what I did about a year ago when my wife and I invited my family to join us on a two island, two week vacation to Hawaii. My parents were departing from one location in the united states and my wife, me and my sister from a different location…we were to all arrive at around the same time in Oahu on different airplanes. A feat unto it’s self! Then the hotels were booked and inter-island flights were also booked and we all left from seperate islands…Oh, and my wife and I had our airfare paid for through frequent flyer miles…that that made things even more complicated! This mess went flawlessly! and made for a wonderful Hawaiian family vacation…Oh, and our agent had a bottle of champagne waiting for us in our room with chocolates because it was my anniversary! that’s service!
Sometimes, agents are your best bet!
Ed

By: Joel Wechsler

Joel Wechsler — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:55:39 +0000

While I sympathize with Ms. O’Brien, as a travel agent I love stories like this,as they underscore the value of our services. I do agree, however, with Mr. Davis when he says that a run-of-the-mill R/T flight does not need the help of an agent unless there are multiple options that would require a traveler to go to many different sites.

By: Frank Wergin

Frank Wergin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:52:12 +0000

Book Expedia at your own risk. I booked and paid for a hotel in Durban So. Africa. I received a confirmation/voucher from Expedia which looked “odd”.

The confirmation said “roomnotconfirmed”. I called expedia and was informed that I indeed had a confirmed/prepaid room. I followed up with the hotel by fax and was informed that I was waitlisted for a room. When I called expedia, I was told (after arguing with the agent) that I would be refunded less a charge of $14.00 and would not budge on that charge.
I consider myself lucky to get out of this with only a $14.00 charge. BOOK EXPEDIA AT YOUR OWN RISK – I sure won’t use them again.

By: acproductions

acproductions — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:31:16 +0000

@Robert Davis
It is always worth checking the various 3rd-party sites, and then the airlines’ and car sites, because sometimes you DO get a large discount from a 3rd-party site. I especially find that true with booking cars through Travelocity (plus the price is guaranteed), although I do cross-check. I’m one of the lucky ones – have never had a problem with either Travelocity or Expedia, despite lots of traveling for pleasure each year. For a complicated itinierary, I would definitely talk w/ a travel agent, but for the run-of-the-mill R/T flight, car and maybe hotel, or a quick vacation package, no problem with a 3rd-party site. What I caution the most care with re a 3rd-party site is a tightly time-budgeted flight, as it is easier to talk directly with an airline if there is a change of flight that you’re not willing to accept, and that tends to works better if you have booked directly through the airlines’ website.

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:46:27 +0000

i find this whole episode troubling.

You know, I just finished reading an article how the travel industry needs people to “come back” and start travelling again- how they are giving out perks and the like.

Here’s a piece of advice for them (particularly airlines) – stop being such absolute jerks about fixing mistakes such as double bookings, name changes when it is spelled incorrectly and the like.

They’ve all been using computerized systems for decades, so the old story about how this or that “can’t” be changed is far from believable.

What did Expedia and US Airways expect could be gained by having a couple pay for two tickets on the same flight? Since they don’t allow name changes, it is obvious that one set of tickets simply could not be used.

Although it was regrettable that the itinerary number given was wrong, they could have searched the flight and names.

I’m glad the DOT lawyer got US Airways and Expedia to straighten it out. They should have also made them pay for everyone’s time that they wasted in being so foolishly stubborn.

A story like this creates a lot of negative publicity for the travel industry in general and US Air/ Expedia in particular. They should know better. Most people have a good sense of right and wrong, these companies should too.

By: Scott McMurren

Scott McMurren — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:18:58 +0000

I was in a similar situation–having to book my wife and son on different itineraries and different dates to oddball airports….hooking up in Pigeon Creek, Alabama.

After a couple of hours….WORK got in the way. I called my travel agent. She helped me redeem the miles on TWO separate frequent flyer accounts, arrange for adjacent seats and cross-referenced the itineraries so the carriers would know they were traveling together. FF numbers. Done. Car rentals. Done. Peace of mind=$38 fee. Forget Kayak–I hate that site. And Expedia and Travelocity are fine travel merchants, although I’ve had unsolvable problems with both.

The assistance of the live travel agent has saved my bacon time and time again. I know it’s regarded as “old school”, but I’m impressed at how quickly they solve problems that I did not even know existed.

By: Judy

Judy — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:57:44 +0000

I read this story and was shocked really, because I use Expedia all the time for years now and never had a problem with them ever. Sorry that this elderly couple had to go through this, but if the daughter did give the wrong booking number then it would be her fault, also sometimes it takes a few days to see charges on your credit card account. Glad to see that things turned out ok.

By: Linda

Linda — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:47:42 +0000

It would never occur to me to get the Department of Transportation involved with a dispute like this. Is that really the best use of the government’s time and money?

By: Bruce InCharlotte

Bruce InCharlotte — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:10:57 +0000

It went downhill with “it appears that Ms. O’Brien mistakenly provided Expedia with an incorrect itinerary number when she first called to confirm her parents’ reservation”. If she had not made this (honest) mistake, much of the trouble could have been avoided.

Sadly, Expedia and US Airways should not have needed to be threatened by a DOT attorney for them to do the right thing. That’s plain wrong.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:08:46 +0000

I’ve heard this sort of horror story way too many times. The moral: Never use Expedia, never use Travelocity. Use Kayak (&/or search Southwest), then book directly with the airline.

By: Robert Davis

Robert Davis — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:15:50 +0000

Again, why does anyone not book directly with the airline? Is the discount that big?

By: david

david — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:15:22 +0000

I do not agree with the conclusion of this consumer, condemning all online travel website because of the actions of one is short sighted. Online Travel Companies can offer great deals.