Comments on: Charged twice for my Cayman Islands hotel http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/charged-twice-for-my-cayman-islands-hotel/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jon http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/charged-twice-for-my-cayman-islands-hotel/comment-page-1/#comment-19045 Jon Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:00:20 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=6207#comment-19045 I have had two billing error disputes involving Citibank. In both cases they initially ruled against me; in both cases after a long fight and complaints to the Comptroller of the Currency, they changed. In the first case we provided our credit card number to a medical laboratory to cover charges not covered by insurance. Rather than actually file the claim with the insurance card, they charged our credit card. The laboratory was uncooperative, until we got the charge reversed. Citibank initially said that the fact we paid our bill in full each time meant I could not dispute the claim. After I filed a complaint with the OCC, they changed their position. In a second case--in late 2008-- there was a mystery $34 charge from a gas station after my son and bought $3.4 in snacks when we walked there from his school. Citi initially claimed the charge was valid and could not be disputed because it was a 'card present' transaction made at a pump. I asked for the documentation to verify this purchase. It showed zero gallons of gas purchased at 0 dollars per gallon for $34. I simultaneously complained to the OCC; Citi finally agreed that the charge was erroneous or fraudulent. I have had two billing error disputes involving Citibank. In both cases they initially ruled against me; in both cases after a long fight and complaints to the Comptroller of the Currency, they changed. In the first case we provided our credit card number to a medical laboratory to cover charges not covered by insurance. Rather than actually file the claim with the insurance card, they charged our credit card. The laboratory was uncooperative, until we got the charge reversed. Citibank initially said that the fact we paid our bill in full each time meant I could not dispute the claim. After I filed a complaint with the OCC, they changed their position.

In a second case–in late 2008– there was a mystery $34 charge from a gas station after my son and bought $3.4 in snacks when we walked there from his school. Citi initially claimed the charge was valid and could not be disputed because it was a ‘card present’ transaction made at a pump. I asked for the documentation to verify this purchase. It showed zero gallons of gas purchased at 0 dollars per gallon for $34. I simultaneously complained to the OCC; Citi finally agreed that the charge was erroneous or fraudulent.

]]> By: Christian http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/charged-twice-for-my-cayman-islands-hotel/comment-page-1/#comment-18875 Christian Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:24:33 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=6207#comment-18875 Some of Carvers response is somewhat valid but I have to differ with his generalization of not booking through third parties. I have used all three methods. 1. direct 2.Internet agency 3. local brick and mortar travel agency. I can see a hotel (was in the industry for 20+ years) looking at reservation from a dot com travel agency and wondering is the payment going to follow the reservation. My local travel agent has always given me confirmation emails from my bookings showing that they (hotel -rental agency ect) have received my deposit or payment. It was nice when I screwed up and missed a flight that was going to cause me to miss a ferry departure that my travel agent was working the phone and emailing while I was on the next available flight out. My rerouted trip itinerary was waiting when I landed. I wasn't worried as knowing my travel agent on a first name basis let her do her job and me to not stress out. So bottom line there is something good to say about third party bookings Some of Carvers response is somewhat valid but I have to differ with his generalization of not booking through third parties.

I have used all three methods. 1. direct 2.Internet agency 3. local brick and mortar travel agency. I can see a hotel (was in the industry for 20+ years) looking at reservation from a dot com travel agency and wondering is the payment going to follow the reservation. My local travel agent has always given me confirmation emails from my bookings showing that they (hotel -rental agency ect) have received my deposit or payment. It was nice when I screwed up and missed a flight that was going to cause me to miss a ferry departure that my travel agent was working the phone and emailing while I was on the next available flight out. My rerouted trip itinerary was waiting when I landed.

I wasn’t worried as knowing my travel agent on a first name basis let her do her job and me to not stress out.

So bottom line there is something good to say about third party bookings

]]> By: Carver http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/charged-twice-for-my-cayman-islands-hotel/comment-page-1/#comment-18587 Carver Sun, 05 Apr 2009 05:52:03 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=6207#comment-18587 The form that Nanci signed is quite common. It generally states that you are ultimately responsible for paying for the room should the hotel be unable to collect from the third party whether its the credit card, your employer, an airline, etc. I can understand the hotel'spoint of view. It provided a service, Nanci received the service, the hotel wasn't paid, why should the hotel eat it. Ultimately, it comes down to is who does the travel agency ultimately work for. I don't know the answer. And that's the fundamental problem with booking through 3rd parties. I once booked a flight on American Airlines. Part of the flight was on British Airways. AA never sent all of the paperwork to BA. BA said bluntly, unless they get the paperwork transmitted before departure, I wasn't getting on the flight. Fortunately, I arrived 4 hours before departure and had plenty of time to fix the issue. The problem is that today, travel providers don't see travel agencies, third party websites, etc. as the agents of the travel provider, but rather the customer's agent. As such, if the travel agent or third party screws up, the travel provider takes the position of tough luck. Hence my mantra. Booked directly with the travel provider. If its a complex trip or a cruise, then a travel agent is the other option. The form that Nanci signed is quite common. It generally states that you are ultimately responsible for paying for the room should the hotel be unable to collect from the third party whether its the credit card, your employer, an airline, etc.

I can understand the hotel’spoint of view. It provided a service, Nanci received the service, the hotel wasn’t paid, why should the hotel eat it.

Ultimately, it comes down to is who does the travel agency ultimately work for. I don’t know the answer. And that’s the fundamental problem with booking through 3rd parties.

I once booked a flight on American Airlines. Part of the flight was on British Airways. AA never sent all of the paperwork to BA. BA said bluntly, unless they get the paperwork transmitted before departure, I wasn’t getting on the flight. Fortunately, I arrived 4 hours before departure and had plenty of time to fix the issue.

The problem is that today, travel providers don’t see travel agencies, third party websites, etc. as the agents of the travel provider, but rather the customer’s agent. As such, if the travel agent or third party screws up, the travel provider takes the position of tough luck.

Hence my mantra. Booked directly with the travel provider. If its a complex trip or a cruise, then a travel agent is the other option.

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