Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle

Family Left Stranded When Expedia Booking Goes Wrong

by Richard D'Ambrosio / July 10, 2017
Family Left Stranded When Expedia Booking Goes Wrong

Photo: Viaggio Routard


A Washington state family learned how easy it is to find themselves stranded when online travel agent reservations go awry, when a resort overbooked them through Expedia.

Holly Parsons told ABC News in Seattle that she booked a three-night, $874-stay in a condominium at the WorldMark Seventh Mountain Resort in Bend, OR, four months in advance. A few weeks before the getaway, Parsons said she received an email saying that her reservation was cancelled due to overbooking. She was offered no refund at that time.

Expedia told the ABC News affiliate that since the cancellation was “caused by external factors beyond the direct control of Expedia," a policy listed in the company’s terms and conditions, Expedia had “no liability and will make no refund.”

Parsons told ABC that she spent about 6 ½ hours over three days on the phone with Expedia customer service before they offered her $500 in Expedia vouchers and three nights in a Holiday Inn Express near her destination, a lacrosse tournament where one of her sons was competing.

She called her Expedia customer service experience “awful,” “dealing with multiple, multiple people and repeating myself,” and considered the vouchers and offer to do business with Expedia again “a ripoff.”

"I wasn't receiving cash in return. I'm receiving vouchers to do business with an entity that I'm not sure that I ever would want to do — or ever would recommend to do — business with ever again," Parsons said.

Expedia told the ABC News affiliate that "We apologize for the inconvenience and frustration Holly Parsons experienced and can confirm our team contacted her to successfully resolve this case. At Expedia, we strive to provide the highest level of customer service, and any time there is an issue with an Expedia booking, we recommend that our customers contact our excellent customer service team."

In an ABC News Good Morning America segment about the story, ABC News pointed out that Expedia and the lodging industry are only obligated by “practice” to rebook overbooked clients, and that there are no laws protecting consumers from these situations.

  18
  11
Related Articles
How a Bad OTA Booking Led to a Woman Spending the Night Outside LaGuardia
OTA Lastminute.com's CEO and COO Arrested in COVID Fraud Probe
Booking Travel Through Costco Might Be About to Get More Expensive
Trivago Hit With Massive Fine from Australian Federal Court Because of “Misleading” Conduct
Consumers Are More Likely to Skip Going to Concerts or the Movies than Forgo Travel
OTA Operator Fined $2.6 Million for ‘Dishonest and Predatory’ Behavior
How Personal Can an Online Agency Be? Aussie’s Luxury Escapes Counts the Ways
Three Online Booking Horror Stories That Show Why You Should Always Use a Travel Agent
Expedia Talks Partnerships with Marriott and United
Expedia Becomes Exclusive Distributor of Marriott Wholesale Rates

MOST VIEWED

  1. All U.S. Flights Grounded Due to FAA Computer Outage
  2. FAA Closes Three U.S. Airports Over National Security Risk
  3. Norwegian Cruise Line Brings Back COVID-19 Requirements
  4. Forbes Says ‘You Need a Travel Advisor in 2023’
  5. What’s New in Travel Agent FAM Trips
  6. U.S. Embassy Issues Security Alert for Mexico After Cancun Taxi Protests

MOST EMAILED

  1. Forbes Says ‘You Need a Travel Advisor in 2023’
  2. All U.S. Flights Grounded Due to FAA Computer Outage
  3. Visitors to the U.K. Will Soon Need to Pay an Application Fee Prior to Travel
  4. Beverage Carry-On & Corkage Fee Policies by Cruise Line
  5. Tour Operators & Advisors Forced to Cancel Trips as Peru Shuts Down Machu Picchu
  6. Here Are the Automatic & Suggested Gratuity Policies for Each Major Cruise Line
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Intrepid Travel Launches Turkey and Syria Earthquake Appeal
Intrepid Travel Launches Turkey and Syria Earthquake Appeal

The death toll from the earthquakes on Monday is already over 11,000 and is expected to rise further. 

Read...
TTC Brands Launches Unified Loyalty Program
TTC Brands Launches Unified Loyalty Program

TTC's six tour brands will now share one loyalty program. 

Read...
ALG Vacations Wants Consumers to ‘Plan with a Pro’ in 2023
ALG Vacations Wants Consumers to ‘Plan with a Pro’ in 2023

Following "Year of the Travel Advisor" in 2021 and "Ask a Travel Advisor" in 2022, ALGV is back with a brand-new campaign for 2023. 

Read...
Journeysmiths Expands LATAM Offerings
Journeysmiths Expands LATAM Offerings

The new-to-the-U.S.-FIT operator will expand into five countries by the end of the year. 

Read...
Return to Japan: Intrepid Travel Leads Surge of New Tours
Return to Japan: Intrepid Travel Leads Surge of New Tours

Also, what visitors should know about travel to Japan. 

Read...
Audley Travel Names New President
Audley Travel Names New President

The new hire will take over as president and managing director of its U.S. business starting this May.

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
river cruise 2022
group outlook 2022
lux cruise outlook
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
Celebrate National Don’t Plan for Vacation Day with Delta Vacations
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News |Tours & Packages |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Well-Being Travel |Training & Events |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy