What happens to a TA ticket if the TA goes bust?
Oct 17, 2018, 3:03 pm
#31
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,767
No, there is an exception for when goods and services are purchased through an intermediary (eg when you pay via paypal, or when you purchase via Omega for BA flights).
Now if OP purchased a bulk deal holiday (eg flight and hotel) as a package this would be covered by S75, but a flight-only with no addons is not covered (For reference I work in a credit card company and S75 is very close to my heart.
Quote:
There are a few circumstances where Section 75 does not apply. These include:
UK CARD ASSOCIATION LINK
Now if OP purchased a bulk deal holiday (eg flight and hotel) as a package this would be covered by S75, but a flight-only with no addons is not covered (For reference I work in a credit card company and S75 is very close to my heart.
Quote:
There are a few circumstances where Section 75 does not apply. These include:
- the purchase of any land
- goods or services paid for by a secondary cardholder
- hire purchase agreements e.g. car finance
- where goods or services are bought through intermediaries.
UK CARD ASSOCIATION LINK
In any case I think the above is a simplification and I would certainly not rule out liability on the card company for Expedia or indeed Omega flight-only bookings. But given I've not had to pursue or deal with such a claim myself in respect of an OTA, I will happily temper my confident assertion above.
ETA: My thinking on this (very briefly off the top of my head) is that the card company is not liable for a failure of BA to perform the contract as between BA and the customer, but is liable for the TA's failure to pay BA for the ticket. Whether that's correct or not I'm not sure.
Last edited by Ldnn1; Oct 17, 2018 at 3:14 pm
Oct 17, 2018, 3:22 pm
#33
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,659
Thanks Anonba, that's pretty much exactly what I was told on the phone. It was suprising to me to hear that the agents don't know if a ticket is valid or not, or if its been paid or not as these are key pieces of information. It seems like I will only know when I check in.
We can see if a valid ticket is issued and see the amount on the ticket and payment method. The problem is that as others have referred to is how the billing works for travel agents.
In the contact centres we are there to handle bookings made direct. So lots of travel agents specific issues like how their billing works we arent taught, with the exception of trade support.
So in theory if a travel agent can issue a ticket and then pay BA at a later date in the background how would you know technically if its ‘paid’ or not? The answer is you wouldnt be able to with the ticket and booking alone which is all the information we would have.
Normally if a booking is made direct as long as the ticket is issued and matches the itin itwould be valid and we would know it has been paid for.
Last edited by Anonba; Oct 17, 2018 at 3:29 pm
Oct 17, 2018, 5:09 pm
#34
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,282
Funnily enough I was reading about a similar situation earlier involving tripsta.
Link is below with may contain some useful advice for the OP
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/a...ng-agent-bust/
"
Link is below with may contain some useful advice for the OP
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/a...ng-agent-bust/
"
Oct 18, 2018, 12:55 am
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: BG
Programs: BAEC Silver, TK Elite, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 827
This problem only occurs on travel agent bookings.
We can see if a valid ticket is issued and see the amount on the ticket and payment method. The problem is that as others have referred to is how the billing works for travel agents.
In the contact centres we are there to handle bookings made direct. So lots of travel agents specific issues like how their billing works we arent taught, with the exception of trade support.
So in theory if a travel agent can issue a ticket and then pay BA at a later date in the background how would you know technically if its ‘paid’ or not? The answer is you wouldnt be able to with the ticket and booking alone which is all the information we would have.
Normally if a booking is made direct as long as the ticket is issued and matches the itin itwould be valid and we would know it has been paid for.
As it was mentioned before, someone at BA must know if it has been paid for already.
I understand that a TA can pay later, but as this was ticketed in March, i'm crossing my fingers that it was paid for beforehand. I'm actually travelling with my wife and 2 kids and I will/would make alternative plans if I know it hasnt been paid for (as if it hasnt, i'm sure they wont pay). Although I have travel insurance, having to rebook and reorganise everything at the airport should the ticket be invalid will not be easy and i'm really not sure what i'm covered for. At the moment, I cant rebook anything as the ticket is still (maybe) valid.
Being told repeatedly to contact my TA (who is no longer operating) feels like passing the buck, when all I want to know from BA is if they received the money from Omega.