ORLANDO, Fla. — Our sister station WSB-TV investigated travel websites that promise great deals but charge hefty surcharges after booking.
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Kafenia Smith said she received a confirmation email from a third-party booking site, Best Ticket Fair, that included the American Airlines flight time for her trip to Raleigh for the amount she paid ($114). was shown.
“These people have hidden fees. These people are not going to honor your ticket. You pay that low fee and that's the pitfall. It's bait,” Smith said. Ta.
“When I got to the counter, American Airlines had no idea who I was,” Smith told WSB-TV Consumer Investigator Justin Gray.
When she called Best Ticket Fare for help, she was told for the first time inside the airport that there were no confirmed seats and she would have to pay more than $200 in additional fees. She was on a standby flight.
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The Better Business Bureau gives Best Ticket Fare an “F” rating.
BBB reviewer Todd S. wrote last month: This is a scam! The day after I booked my ticket, I get a call and try to tell me that the price has increased. ”
The BBB recently issued a scam alert regarding third-party travel websites and additional fees.
Many fake third-party sites will call you back after making a reservation and ask for additional fees, such as baggage or confirmed seats.
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“Once I made that payment, I received a call from the company telling me that there had been a sudden price increase, or that I would have to pay an additional fee to complete my reservation, which they would never do.” says BBB's Taelore Hicks. said the Atlantan.
Smith ended up paying American Airlines an additional $200 for a seat on a flight she thought she had already booked.
“They (Cheapest Ticket Prices) were trying to extort more money from me to get out. And I said, no way. I want to pay American Airlines. That's how I got home. I was able to go home,” Smith said.
The BBB said you should do your research on third-party websites and confirm all flight details directly with the airline before booking.
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