So, I’ve been helping my Mum and Dad book business class flights to Europe next year. I had enough velocity points to get them a one way flight on Singapore Air, but sadly not enough for both ways. So the other half of the flight was a problem. Mum went to see a travel agent that she had used before (small Vietnam trip) who went searching for options. This is a small boutique travel agent. Initially TA said she found and “held” flights on British Airways using qantas points, which got Mum all excited. However, next day it became apparent that the TA was wrong, and those flights didn’t exist (nor can you “hold” rewards flights I found out). TA found FinnAir and Singapore Air cash flights but they were simply way too expensive, to be the point where Mum was giving up on the whole idea of the holiday.
I had previously suggested that they could fly via Tokyo using qantas points (of which Dad has quite a few), but it may require a stop over for a day or two. I found flights to Tokyo and then on to Europe on Emirates in business, using QFF points and reasonable taxes, for the dates she wanted. That night I booked the krisflyer flights, then went to book the QFF flights, and they had disappeared, and in general the Qantas site was failing every second search. After 1.5hrs on the phone to qantas, I finally had all the flights booked.
Mum mentioned to me that the TA would be disappointed not to get any of her business and she felt bad because she did spend a fair amount of time searching. None of the flights I booked (which were much better and cheaper flights) were flights that the TA had alerted me to, but I suggested to maybe just drop her a bottle of wine or something similar if she felt bad.
Anyway, the very next day the TA has sent Mum an invoice for $100 ($50 booking fee per person)! Before this, Mum was thinking about paying the TA maybe 1 x booking fee, but didn’t appreciate the invoice and expectation.
What would you do? Poll below.
If nothing was signed (and even if it was), tell the TA to (profanity) off.