Originally Posted by
danielonn
David R,
There is a stipulation in the TIMATIC System where if a Visa is not valid the airline can be assessed a fine for up to $10,000 . You as the travel agency must adhere to the rules of the airlines. In this instance it does not matter discounted ticket or full fare you should work with Air India to waive the change fee of dates(with the customer proving to you the Visa has an issue with the dates) .
The customer is certain about his dates but due to circumstances beyond the customer's control due to Visa issues it would be in your best interest to allow one change free of charge.
When I had to come home from a trip due to a death in the family I only paid the fare difference and no change fees. You could find the customer a flight in the same fare basis code and waive any change fees.
Thanks.
Not defending Vayama (which ought to be avoided at all costs) by any means here, but this is simply incorrect.
TIMATIC is simply a database compiled by IATA for its member carriers. Neither TIMATIC nor IATA fines carriers anything for anything.
Rather, carriers transporting passengers internationally are generally required by the destination nation to assure that only properly documented passengers are permitted to board. When an undocumented passenger does arrive overseas, the destination nation
may impose a fine on the carrier. That is why carriers check docs and use TIMATIC to make certain of what is needed.
Nonetheless, it is always the passenger's sole responsibility to carry the proper documents.
Here, none of this is in doubt. OP acknowledges that he cannot fly and presumably AI would not board him if he tried. That has nothing to do with an opaque third-party vendor (what you refer to as a travel agent) such as Vayama. Its rules for cancellation and/or change are whatever OP agreed to and have nothing to do with AI or whether OP is or is not properly documented for the trip he booked.