Booking airline flights online is increasingly the norm rather than the exception nowadays. But it is not without its rising share of dissatisfied consumers.
In the first 10 months of this year, the Consumer Council has received 336 cases in total of consumer complaints in relation to online purchase of air tickets - a significant 233% increase over the corresponding period last year (101 cases).
Online flights booking is no doubt fast and convenient but it does sometimes create communication problems that could easily lead to misunderstanding and disputes.
In one case, the complainant (a Mr. Sze) was attracted by the offer of low-fare tickets to Japan by a budget airline, which he intended to purchase for family travel two months later. The website information indicated that any change of travel date would be free, and cancellation was $800 per ticket. He subsequently bought 5 tickets at a total cost of $20,320.
Later when he needed to change the travel date, he could find no option for such change online on the airline website. He had to call the airline's ticketing to do so. Thereupon, he was told to pay an extra $6,070, bringing the total cost of tickets to $26,390.
The explanation for the surcharge was the difference in airfares between booking done on telephone and booking done online. He had no choice but to pay using his credit card. Dissatisfied with the explanation, he called the airline's customer relations, which failed to respond to his satisfaction.
He turned to the Council for help. Upon conciliation of the Council, the airline explained that the low-fare tickets on the new travel date of his choice were all sold out, and therefore the surcharge was actually the difference between the low-fare and the normal fare tickets.
As it happened seats later became available due to changes of travel itinerary of some passengers, the airline contacted the complainant and suggested he made the online booking again - the total cost would only be $21,770. The surcharge he paid earlier would also be refunded to him in a few months' time. The matter was amicably settled.
In another case, the complainant (a Mr. Chiang) found a low-fare air ticket between Shanghai and Paris on the website of a travel agent, which he bought and paid with credit card. Instantly he received a confirmation email of the online purchase; he waited however in vain for the e-ticket to arrive within 24 hours.
He called up the customer service hotline of the travel website and was assured that the e-ticket would be issued within 48 hours. Two days later it still did not come. This time he was told that the company could not produce the ticket on grounds that the airline's online ticketing system had malfunctioned.
He called the airline concerned but was told its ticketing system was not at fault. He called back the company, which voluntarily offered to refund reasoning that the price of the ticket was no longer acceptable to the airline.
As it transpired, the airline did make the mistake of posting the wrong fare on the web. But the position of the airline is that if payment was successfully received for the online booking, it would accept the loss and conclude the transaction. Otherwise, if payment was made only after the price was duly corrected, the booking would deem to be null.
The company, after receiving the payment from the complainant, apparently did not pay the airline in time resulting in the cancellation of the booking. The complainant sought the help of the Council; and upon conciliation, the company agreed to bear the responsibility of delayed payment and issue the e-ticket to him.
Other typical problems include:
- Malfunction in online ticketing system. For instance, due to incomplete and inaccurate information provided, consumers mistakenly purchase tickets such as "student tickets" unsuitable for their use; or despite confirmation, the tickets are somehow cancelled or overcharged.
- In the event of flight changes such as delay or cancellation, airlines only inform customers through email. Consumers may miss such important messages and when something goes wrong, they find it hard to contact the company concerned for help.
- The website ticketing system usually pre-sets optional charges such as insurance or baggage handling. Consumers may inadvertently purchase unneeded services.
- Some foreign websites are not familiar with names in Chinese or their translation or sequence, and when the names on the tickets differ from those on the passports, consumers are refused boarding the plane. The operator of the website is not registered in Hong Kong creating refund problem in the event of dispute.
For more information and guidance, consumers are advised to consult the report in this December issue of CHOICE.
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