Booked a friend's flight now she wont pay me for it. What can I do?

[Julesmac]

If you can't cancel the tix, the least you should do is to try and shift the flights to a time more conventient to you... oh, say January next year.

And while you are at it, give them both just 90 mins at thier destination before their return flight departs.

Remind me not to p.... off any of you guys!! However, doesn't this conflict with the opinion given by others? ie If you are not the person travelling you can't change anything about the booking whether it's to cancel or change flights, despite the $$$ being paid on your card?

 

[medhead]

Plus note that if anything is cancelled that was purchased on a credit card that the company (QANTAS in this case) will only refund the total amount to the original credit card.

This is done to prevent fraud.


So I would cancel, and then deduct any cancellation fees, booking fees etc from the $2000.

Exactly, they return the money to the credit card used. The hardest thing will be getting it cancelled and not getting a voucher, I think.

 

[cove]

After you have been refunded mail them a copy of these posts so they can see the opinions expressed.

 

[rechoboam]

Name changes are usually harder than date changes. If it were me I would try to negotiate some sort of minimally acceptable arrangement. I would say, I am changing the dates to 12 months out and will continue doing so, unless I can be offered a reasonable sum. If it were my "friend" or former friend and they had genuine financial issues I might accept less than face value if it made the issue, and more importantly the "friend" go away for good. The prospect of losing the flights would possibly entice them to find something.

One thing I don't quite understand is who actually made the OP book the flights. His wife told him to book them, was the "friend" as keen for the tickets to be booked as his wife was?

 

[BAM1748]

I suspect as others have said, only the named ticket holder can make changes.

I wish you luck. Otherwise it will be a lesson learned.

Matt

 

[Alanslegal]

But can't you cancel online if you have the booking details, and it should automatically generate a refund less any cancellation costs. That way you avoid speaking to anyone.

 

[markis10]

After you have been refunded mail them a copy of these posts so they can see the opinions expressed.

Nah, get Judge Judy to sort them out!

 

[Travel Guru]

The point alot of you are overlooking that the OP made was their mention that it was a sale fare and no refunds allowed.

What that means is payment form is irrelevant as there's no refund forthcoming.

All value of the tickets can be used as a credit towards a flight of equal or higher value with QF in the name of the pax only.

The OP is well within their right to cancel the flights since they paid for them and can prove that, they don't need to the pax permission to do so especially given the pax in question never paid for the ticket in the first place.

TG

 

[straitman]

Are the flights domestic or international?

Do 'they' have the etickets and/or the booking references?

 

[rechoboam]

I wonder what the resolution will be. I have to say given that one party has $2000 sunk costs and the other the ability to cancel the tickets and crystallise the friends loss, from a negotiating point of view there should be room for a resolution.

This made me think though. A few people have bought extremely expensive tickets and worked out that they used their girlfriends official middle name rather than first or whatever (I didn't know my father's name was a nickname until I was an adult - after christening it had never been used except on his passport). Has anyone ever temporarily changed their name solely to be able to utilise a $15,000 RTW ticket and changed it back afterwards?

 

[11sjw]

I wonder what the resolution will be. I have to say given that one party has $2000 sunk costs and the other the ability to cancel the tickets and crystallise the friends loss, from a negotiating point of view there should be room for a resolution.

This made me think though. A few people have bought extremely expensive tickets and worked out that they used their girlfriends official middle name rather than first or whatever (I didn't know my father's name was a nickname until I was an adult - after christening it had never been used except on his passport). Has anyone ever temporarily changed their name solely to be able to utilise a $15,000 RTW ticket and changed it back afterwards?

Ask Ron "Man of World Peace" Artest or Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson.

 

[anat0l]

The point alot of you are overlooking that the OP made was their mention that it was a sale fare and no refunds allowed.

What that means is payment form is irrelevant as there's no refund forthcoming.

All value of the tickets can be used as a credit towards a flight of equal or higher value with QF in the name of the pax only.

The OP is well within their right to cancel the flights since they paid for them and can prove that, they don't need to the pax permission to do so especially given the pax in question never paid for the ticket in the first place.

I suppose since it is a sale fare then name changes are also prohibited? (Unless you could use the credit for a multi-person booking, which I would guess might also be impossible)

In that case the OP would be in an unpleasant rut, as they would be unable to get any of those funds back.

They could "change" the date of the booking to one very soon and put bogus contact information so that it makes the "friends" look like they no-showed and hence the tickets will forfeit. But that doesn't help the OP get any money back; that's just revenge.


Speaking of revenge, it's all well and good some of these ideas (yes, don't try and annoy any of us), but I'm a little bit reserved about more coming back. I'd secure your assets carefully. After all, you don't want your car ending up being sold on eBay for $1, for example..........

 

[BAM1748]

All value of the tickets can be used as a credit towards a flight of equal or higher value with QF in the name of the pax only.

Equal or higher value, sounds like if you cancel them (even if you don't recoup your funds) they will never be able to buy a ticket of equal or higher value. Satisfaction of sorts.

Matt

 

[rechoboam]

Equal or higher value, sounds like if you cancel them (even if you don't recoup your funds) they will never be able to buy a ticket of equal or higher value. Satisfaction of sorts.

Matt

I don't think these ideas are all that helpful (no offense) when the OP is 2 grand out and presumably some kind of solution can be found. Even if the other party paid 500 bucks and got their tickets the OP would be better off than the status quo, plus the 'friend' has two tickets for 500 more rather than no tickets and 2000 sunk.

 

[drmikki]

I'd definitely be doing what someone suggested a few pages (!) ago and putting pressure on the one person that has paid already - other than the OP she's the other person likely to lose 2K if her mother doesn't sort herself out, and perhaps has more leverage and less anger to use to persuade her mother to pay up.

If no luck on that, I'd be speaking to my solicitor/Legal aid and the small claims tribunal. Any revenge ideas might be satisfying, but ultimately lower you below her morally and probably will jeopardise any genuine legal avenues for recourse. Perhaps stick to the revenge ideas in your head for emotional satisfaction, and more legitimate channels for financial reimbursement?

Thanks for sharing the story as well, OP - reminds us all that some people are not really friends, and we should feel very lucky for true friends! I've booked flights for friends lots of times (although usually travelling together) and am feeling very grateful now that noone has done this to me.

 

[dk4]

At this stage, if I were the OP, I would send a "letter of demand" to the person who directly promised to pay (e.g. Sample letters of demand - LawAssist : Lawlink NSW) (Adding the cost of sending by "registered mail" to the total amount owing.)

If the time period expires without payment, it is a very simple procedure (in most states) to make an appointment to speak with the registrar at the small claims court/tribunal, at which time you would tender your evidence of claim & letter. If the registrar thinks that you have a valid case, you will be issued with a written summons to serve the "former friend" with a hearing date, your court costs will now be added to the amount owing, and interest chargeable from that date onwards. (You do not need to involve lawyers.)

Then three things might happen -
- they pay up (or you reach an agreement to pay - personally I wouldn't accept an installment plan, as they will inevitably miss a payment and you have to go through this whole process again), and you advise the registrar that you have reached a settlement prior to the court date.
- they (and you) turn up at court, and your case will be heard
- they don't turn up at court (and you do), and the court orders the sheriff to seize property from their home to the value of the outstanding debt (which goes to auction, and you are paid what you are owed).

A letter of demand serves two purposes. First, it warns the debtor of your intention to commence legal proceedings unless payment is made and gives the debtor one more opportunity to pay. Secondly, the letter is a document which may be tendered in evidence during court proceedings as written proof of your claim of the debt owed and your attempt to settle the matter (which goes to auction, and you are paid the amounts outstanding).

http://www.artslaw.com.au/info-sheets/info-sheet/debt-recovery-letter-of-demand/

 

[Oneworldplus2]

what a dog thing to do..

Yeah, they wouldn't be my 'friend' anymore......

So I would cancel, and then deduct any cancellation fees, booking fees etc from the $2000.

And do this.

 

[markis10]

I am guessing at 2K per pax it a ticket to the UK or US, both have no refund clauses on their sale fares. Unlike JQ, QF also dont permit name changes.

 

[Stephen65]

If they are friends of your wife can't your wife sort it out? Wouldn't the mother who is the friend of the wife want to fix things up?

If you can't cancel for a refund then I would be tempted to play hardball e.g. changing the dates and simply telling them you have cancelled with no refund. That way you might still be $2000 out of pocket but at least they will have suffered too.

 

[Travel Guru]

In reality as sensible as the small claims court option is, your period of negotiating power really expires they moment they've used the flights, I'd be doing what others have said and putting pressure on the person who's paid letting them know in no uncertain terms that you'll be cancelling the flight booking if it's not paid (and stick to your word if you say so).

I know if a client stiffed me for a 2k flight (let alone a "friend"), there's no way they'd be getting on that plane, i'd rather lose the ticket than give them the satisfaction of flying on me.

TG