I just read an article on CNN written by Christopher Elliott regarding a family that asked for help in waiving an airline/consolidator penalty of $535 each ($2,675 total for 5).
The story had a nice ending, as Mr. Elliott was able to get the client a full refund, but not all stories end this way.
Clients need to be aware of penalties. When we book reservations for our clients, not only do we provide them with a confirmation, but also the Terms and Conditions for each supplier, as cancellation penalties vary. At times, there are 5 to 10 pages for the client to read over, but all of this is done prior to booking the reservation.
Furthermore as the article mentions, if there is any chance you may have to cancel your trip, a consolidator is not the way to go when booking airline tickets, as their penalties are usually higher than booking with the airline directly.
Final thoughts…no one can anticipate or predict the future. Be prepared and have piece of mind, by purchasing travel insurance for every trip! Suppliers such as Travel Guard & Access America offer add-ons to several of their plans that allow you to cancel for work reasons or even cancel for “any reason” and receive up to 75% of your penalties back. Make sure and speak to a travel professional on the best coverage to protect your investment.
Click here to read the article.
