We purchased a ticket at Mandarin World Travel at Lucky Plaza Singapore. Our ticket says it's confirmed to depart on 3rd July from Singapore to Surabaya. When we arrived at airport on the departure date, we were denied to board and was asked to wait until last passenger. At 9 PM, we were denied to board again and we had to find our own place to stay. The travel agent's staff whom before 9 PM could still be reached didn't answer our calls. The next day, we went to the travel agent again to file a report. Another staff attended us and told us that by today (July 4th 2010), we should be able to depart. Her name was May. She told us that we could get reimbursement for costs incured. She told us we must go to airport 3 hours early before departure and we did. To anticipate the chance that we may not board, we asked May what if we couldn't board again, could they provide us place to stay and she said yes. By 9 PM, we were again denied to board by China Airlines. We tried to call May and she had left office and didn't even bother to know what happen to us as passengers.
The next day July 5th, we came again to this travel agent and none of the staffs would respond to us. May said DON'T TALK TO ME, TALK TO HER (addressing to her colleague named ROSE whom we bought the ticket from).
They also refused to reimbursed what they promised.

Then we went to China Airlines office at Tong Building and we were explained what actually happened was the travel agent didn't to the airline once they receive payment from us. They tried to confirm on the next day but it was already fully booked. It was clearly the mistake from the travel agent but they refuse to responsible and let us unattended in Singapore.

We feel this travel agent should be shut down or to replace the irresponsible persons because these people tarnish the image if Singaporeans as a whole. For us as tourists, we certainly have bad impression of visiting Singapore.


Below is response from China Airlines to us :

From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Sent: Mon, July 5, 2010 11:55:48 AM
Subject: Re: 轉寄： NEED HELP - LEFT UNATTENDED IN SINGAPORE IGNORED BY TRAVEL AGENT & CHINA AIRLINES


Dear Miss Fenty

Thanks to your feedback ! As my explanation to you during our meet-up this
morning in my office that Mandarin World Travel
in lucky plaza is not our China Airlines appointed ticket sales agent .

Your original booking 03 July on CI751/03July from Singapore to Surabaya
was auto cancelled by our reservation office due agent
failed to comply with the ticketing deadline set at 1200/02July.

Agent re-booked you for 03July later but unfortunately the flight in
over-booked heavily unable to reinstate and also unable to accept
you on-board for 03 July . And the agent just simply protect you on the
next day 04 July on Business class but with economy class
ticket issued, hence our airport office is unable to accept you on-board
for 04 July on economy class due to flight fully booked.

For your information we'll write officially to Mandarin World Travel to
question them and investigate below.

1. Why Mandarin World travel commit to you that 03 July Singapore to
Surabaya is confirm but in actual you're still on waiting-list?

2. Re-booking on 04 July on business class but issued as economy class
ticket and without informing you the actual booking situation.

After received your complain this morning we immediately secured two
confirmed seats for you on 05 July till we met in my office.

Nevertheless wishing you a pleasant trip by China Airlines to Surabaya
today!

Thanks/Brgds

Allan Liew
Passenger Sales Manager
China Airlines Ltd.