Cancelled flights and cost of hotel

scholes

My Parents booked flights and accommodation with a travel agent in September. As a result of an air controllers strike the airline cancelled the flight home so my parents had to get a taxi back to the hotel. They contacted the travel agent in ireland who they booked with and they organised a transfer to a larger city where they stayed for another 2 nights before flying home with another airline, all organised by the irish travel agent.

They have now received a bill from the travel agent looking for the money for the hotel and the travel agent has informed them that they were reimbursed by the airline that initially cancelled the flight so my parents only have to pay the balance for the hotel.

Do they have to pay this as they did not choose or want to have to stay in another hotel , they had no choice as the flight was cancelled. Their initial contract was with the travel agent?
Thanks to everyone just looking for some advice.

Caranica

Did they have travel insurance?

scholes

Caranica wrote: »

Did they have travel insurance?

Yep they do, but should the travel agent not be taking it up with the airline who cancelled the flight or themselves covering the cost. My parents had to contact the airline who in turn re imbursed the travel agent for the cost of the flights only. Now the travel agent is looking for the balance for the hotel they had to stay in which was organised by the travel agent.

Fred Swanson

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scholes

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Have you read the post, I am looking for advice. I never said it was the airlines problem!

Fred Swanson

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scholes

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Read the post . also they booked with a travel agent. Also the airline company cancelled the flight

scholes

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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There is nowhere in my post that I said the airline should pay for it by the way

Fred Swanson

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scholes

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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They already stayed in the hotel for a week.

They were in the airport coming home and were told the flight home was cancelled.

They got a taxi back to the hotel and stayed the night.

They contacted the travel agent who they booked with and they organised a transfer to another resort and 2 days in another hotel and an alternative flight home 2 days later.

The travel agent was re imbursed for the flight by the airline(who cancelled the flight initially) but the Travel agent now wants the money from my parents for the extra 3 nights in the hotel

The question I am asking is (should the travel agent not pay ) as they booked with a travel agent. Their contract was with the travel agent

Caranica

This is why you take out travel insurance, to cover costs when there's an unexpected change to plans. The travel insurance will cover this, nobody else.

scholes

Caranica wrote: »

This is why you take out travel insurance, to cover costs when there's an unexpected change to plans. The travel insurance will cover this, nobody else.

Ok thanks for this, I just thought that if you booked with a travel agent and you were stranded the onus is on the travel agent to get you home and pay the costs. In other words it should be their insurance and not yours.

So basically there is no advantage of booking with a travel agent?

Caranica

scholes wrote: »

Ok thanks for this, I just thought that if you booked with a travel agent and you were stranded the onus is on the travel agent to get you home and pay the costs. In other words it should be their insurance and not yours.

So basically there is no advantage of booking with a travel agent?

The advantage is a single booking and help if things go wrong. Help does not equal footing the bill.

scholes

Caranica wrote: »

The advantage is a single booking and help if things go wrong. Help does not equal footing the bill.

Ok thanks Carnica

ted1

Your parents should not have to pay anything. The travel agent should send the bill to the airline. Was it a registered bonded travel agent