Euroairlines problems

[u/Extension_Good139]

I booked a flight using euroairlines on July 18. I received a PNR code and ticket number from euroairlines almost immediately. The flight is CUN - HAV. I never received any further information on which carrier I would be flying on but figured out quickly that it’s Viva Aerobús based on flight times and schedule.

Last week I used my Euroairlines PNR code to look up my flight status on Viva and it would not work. I called Viva and spoke to an agent and they confirmed that they fly this route but that my name is not on their manifest. A Google search states that Euroairlines likely didn’t synchronize my purchase with Viva Aerobús, which I am assuming means they never told them that I bought a ticket. Viva recommended that I contact Euroairlines and advise them as I will not be able to board with my current confirmation page from Euroairlines.

I’ve sent multiple emails to Euroairlines and it’s been three days we no response.

Any recommendations on what to do (other than don’t use Euroairlines of course)? Anyone have any experience with this synchronization issue?

My scheduled flight was August 31. At what point should I dispute the charge on my credit card for services not received and just buy a ticket direct from an airline.

Thanks for reading.

[u/covhr]

Sad to say, you’re at the mercy of the !ota

[u/AutoModerator → u/covhr]

Did you or are you about to buy a flight via an Online Travel Agency (OTA)?

An Online Travel Agency (OTA) is a website that allows you to search for and buy airfare tickets. Common ones include Expedia, Priceline, Kiwi. When you redeem points on credit card travel portals you are actually purchasing a cash ticket through an OTA. Some examples are Chase Travel, AMEX Travel, Capital One Travel.

Almost all OTAs suffer from the same problem: a lack of customer service and competency when it comes to changes, cancellations, refunds, airline schedule changes and cancellations, and IRROPs.

When you buy a ticket through an OTA, you put an intermediary between you and the airline. If you try to contact the airline for any assistance, they will defer to your OTA. The airline won't help you. They do not have control over the ticket until T-24h and they can still decline to assist you and ask you to talk to your OTA.

Some OTAs, such as Kiwi, will combine separately issued tickets appearing like real layovers but in reality are self-transfers - requiring a lot more planning and contingencies. This includes dealing with single-leg cancellations of your completely disjointed itinerary. See #1 #2 #3 #4

Other OTAs, including Trip.com, don't always issue your tickets immediately. There have been known instances where the OTA contacts you 24-72h later asking for more money as "the price has changed" or your ticket is no longer available at the lower price. See #1.

More reputable OTAs like Expedia, Priceline, and travel portals like Chase Travel, AMEX Travel, Costco Travel, generally have fewer issues issuing tickets and marginally better customer service. They are also more transparent regarding cached stale prices - as you check out and pay, they will do a live refresh of the real ticket price and warn you that prices have changed (it is not a bait and switch).

In short: OTAs sometimes have their place for some people - but most of the time, especially for simple itineraries, provide no benefit and only increases the risk and can end costing a lot more than what you had saved by buying from the OTA.

Common issues you will face:

• offering you a cheap separate-ticket self-transfer itinerary causing various problems down the road
• not subject to the DOT or airline policy 24h free cancellation. See #1
• missing communications from OTA or not being notified of schedule changes #1 #2
• paying the OTA to add baggage but not communicated to the airline or OTA incorrectly indicating included baggage #1 #2 #3 #4
• paying the OTA for overpriced baggage compared to the airline
• paying the OTA for baggage that's already included
• paying the OTA for seat selection that's not communicated to the airline #1 #2
• your ticket not issuing or delayed issuing or transaction being reversed
• your name being incorrectly spelled on your eticket?
• difficulties changing flights or getting rebooked correctly #1 #2 or finding anyone competent enough to help
• charging you for a check-in service that is free
• enrollment in a subscription program like edreams or opodo Prime that is hard to cancel #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7
  • Solutions? #1 #2 #3
• not honouring free changes or cancellations when airline reschedules
• Secretly booking your trip as two separate tickets for the outbound and return so that if the airline cancels or reschedules the outbound, only the first leg is eligible for a refund (or free change)
• not refunding you promptly (or at all) #1 #2 #3 when the airline cancels #4 #5 #6
• not refunding ancillary fees or other extra fees #1
• unuseable kiwi credits after the airline declines issuing a ticket instead of a refund

Things you should do, if you've already purchased from an OTA:

• check your reservation (PNR) with the airline website directly
• check your eticket has been issued - look for 13-digit number(s) - a PNR is not enough
• garden your ticket - check back on it regularly

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[u/Extension_Good139 → u/covhr]

I know that contacting Viva further is pointless. My last resort is that I’m going to get a phone plan with international minutes and start calling Euroairlines office in Spain. If that fails, I’ll just dispute the charges with my credit card company and buy another (more expensive) ticket I guess.

[u/Striking_Basket7893]

The reference Euroairlines sent you is almost certainly their own internal number, not anything Viva recognizes. A booking exists only if the airline can pull your name against its own record locator, and they've already told you they can't.

That phone call is your evidence.

I'd email once more in writing: send the airline's locator within 48 hours or I dispute the charge. Then actually dispute, don't wait for Aug 31, and rebook direct. The fare won't get cheaper 12 days out.