Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sdcrdcf.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcs!lsuc!pesnta!hplabs!sdcrdcf!shaprkg From: shaprkg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Bob Shapiro) Newsgroups: net.nlang.india,net.travel Subject: Re: travel agent in NYC: CAVEAT Message-ID: <1754@sdcrdcf.UUCP> Date: Mon, 11-Feb-85 10:14:29 EST Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.1754 Posted: Mon Feb 11 10:14:29 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 13-Feb-85 19:05:55 EST References: <138@sbcs.UUCP> Reply-To: shaprkg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Bob Shapiro) Distribution: na Organization: System Development Corp. R+D, Santa Monica Lines: 31 Xref: utcs net.nlang.india:70 net.travel:1077 Summary: re your experience with the Indian travel agent. There is an excellent possibility that this was not a travel agent but rather a ticket broker. I suspect the reason you went to her in the first place is that she offered a lower price than you could get at a standard agency. In the Indian and Far East market there are many ethnic brokers who will get you tickets at a discount. They are usually not travel agents. There are many ways of arranging these discounts but it is illegal for an authorized travel agent to do it. e.g. They may get the tickets written by someone overseas who is not restricted by American law or they may get enormous override commissions because of their volume and rebate part of this commission. (These tickets are usually marked non-refundable) When you deal with someone who gives you a price that is too good to be true it is caveat preemptor. I would suspect that you should never deal by mail and by credit card whenever possible. In my experience as a travel agent I would offer the following: 1. You were pretty lucky - after all you eventually got your tickets. In many cases people never see them. 2. Have a little talk with the airline. (But probably they will do nothing) 3. If this is a legitimate travel agency write to IATA. Any honest travel travel agency will give you the address. 4. Have a little talk with your local bunko squad. It is illegal to keep your money like that in my state (California) and I suspect it is also in New York.