A RECENTLY misfiled fare on
the GDS from Jet Airways,
which resulted in significant
frustration for both agents and
travellers, has highlighted agents’
inability to hold airlines accountable,
leaving them at the mercy of
unwarranted ADMs and irate clients.
On December 24 Jet Airways
advertised a return fare on the GDS
between Johannesburg and Mumbai
via the Seychelles for R2 057, says
Ridhwaan Mayet, ceo of Falcon
Travel Consultants.
Trusting that the availability and
pricing advertised on the GDS would
be guaranteed, Ridhwaan asked
his marketing team to advertise
the deal on Christmas Eve. “Ticket
numbers were issued and payments
went off,” he says.
Yumna Kharodia, md of Sweet Life
Travel, says her agency also issued
35 tickets that same day. However,
the airline started cancelling
ticketed bookings the next day, after
it realised there had been an error
with the fare in the system, says
Yumna. “The airline said it was
unable to honour the fare.”
At first, Jet Airways would only
offer a full refund, Yumna says,
but about a week after receiving
pushback from clients, it
offered to reroute the flight
via Abu Dhabi if passengers
paid the difference in the
fare.
“Then after more pushback
the airline eventually offered
to reroute the flight via
Abu Dhabi at no additional
cost,” says Yumna. But, as
she points out, by this time
many travellers had already
booked alternative flights
with other airlines. What’s
more, the connecting flight
via Abu Dhabi meant a
longer flying time.
Jannine Adams, senior
manager marketing of
Amadeus Southern Africa,
says although the airline
may think it honoured the
fare, it in fact did not give
clients what they paid for.
She says when it comes to
guaranteed fares loaded
on the GDS, the airline is
expected to honour these.
It seems, however, that
holding airlines accountable
in situations such as this
is a challenge for agents.
Jet Airways could not be
reached for comment by
the time of publishing. Iata
says it will not get involved
in situations like this.
“If parties are unable to
resolve the situation and
seek recourse, this would
be subject to the relevant
laws and regulations of
the jurisdiction in which
the matter has occurred,”
says Perry Flint, Iata
spokesperson.
Meanwhile, Yumna says
she has experienced
several incidents where
there’s been an issue with
an incorrect fare loaded by
an airline that resulted in
an ADM for her agency. In
one instance, her agency
issued a ticket using an
airline’s guaranteed fare
on its website within the
same 24 hours that the fare
appeared. The agency then
received an ADM for under
collecting tax on the ticket.
While she has queried
the issue, she has yet to
receive a response from the
airline.
