4 Round Trip Tickets to Los Angeles Early January-Unable to Use-HELP

robo99 on 19/10/2024 - 16:14

Los Angeles return in January-unable to use-HELP !!!

We have 4 tickets from Sydney to Los Angeles departing early in January school holidays, 16 nights in USA, which we are now unable to use (a very long story) for 2 adults & 2 kids.

I got onto our travel agent, who said that as tickets are non-refundable, the only thing that she said could be done, was to try to sell them or give them away, as the airline allows a name change for $150/person up until few days before departure.

We paid around $7000 about 6 months ago (think it was $2000 for each adult & $1500 for each child) & we would obviously like to get as much back as possible. We have travel insurance, but that won't cover any loss, name change or cancellation.

The price included the credit card fee, 2 checked bags & food, drinks & seat selection.

The travel agent also said the childrens tickets could be converted to adults tickets by paying the difference between child & adult fare, but if tickets used by 1 adult & 3 children, there's no refund for child using adult ticket.

HELP !!!!!

Does anyone have any suggestions of how to sell them, if the travel agent can't sell them ?

The agent said they would send out an email to their thousands of email subscribers & if they sold them for us they would charge us a small fee, but they want us to put a selling price on the tickets & be prepared to sell any number of them from one to four tickets. They suggested asking 10% less than we paid or near offer & to be very negotiable, as the closer it gets to departure date, the less likely we are likely to sell them for anything like we paid. She also said airlines don't allow name changes, but luckily ours does. If we sold them, they could handle the funds & process any credit card payments & as the tickets have already been paid for, full payment wouldn't be needed straight away, so if someone wanted a ticket or tickets, they could pay them off over a few months.

One of our relatives said they would give us some frequent flyer points for the tickets, but we really need the cash.

Travel

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  • fantombloo on 19/10/2024 - 21:02
    +62

    Just my own opinion but as a buyer I wouldn't bother with a 10% discount for the risks and possible hassle associated with buying from someone in your position - i'd just buy them "new" from regular sources. Might start feeling interested for a 25% discount but even then would be a hard sell. OTOH if I saw a 50% discount my eyes would be wide open. Probably not want you want to hear but I can't think I'm alone in thinking like this.

    • MS Paint on 19/10/2024 - 21:16
      +4

      You are not alone

      Michael Jackson c.1995

      • gromit on 21/10/2024 - 08:59
        +13

        You are searching for a buyer in a very small market of those that need 2xadult and 2x kids and want to travel on those days on that route and haven't already bought tickets. If agent doesn't find you a buyer you need to accept you are going to have to take a much much bigger hit given tickets have been on sale even this month for half your asking price for that time period.

        • V2L on 21/10/2024 - 13:36
          +3

          better off marketing it as a lie flat seat for 4 seats for one person tbh..

  • MS Paint on 19/10/2024 - 16:34
    +34

    (a very long story)

    I'm free for the next hour so feel free to elaborate.

    • robo99 on 19/10/2024 - 16:38
      -5

      financial

      • Papa Huggies on 21/10/2024 - 16:52
        +40

        Wow I don't know what to do with the rest of the 59m 59s I set aside.

  • MS Paint on 19/10/2024 - 17:47
    +31

    I know you wish to minimise your loss but my tip is to sell them at a bargain price now. I would aim for $3500 and I bet they will sell inside a week.

    It's just like selling a car. Sellers set big prices, have high hopes, they "know what they've got" but they don't get any bites. They eventually sell at the realistic price that they should have listed from the start.

    $3500 now is better than $0 in 8 weeks time. Time is not on your side for potential buyers to organise an international holiday.

      • MS Paint on 19/10/2024 - 20:05
        +55

        Your target audience is miniscule. You need to win them over quickly. Up to you though.

        • robo99 on 19/10/2024 - 20:07

          yes but not sure where to advertise them if agent doesn't come up with anyone. They also said they'd mention it to other agents.

          • pwnd on 21/10/2024 - 14:37
            +12

            @robo99: your agent has minimal incentive to sell these tickets again. they already sold the tickets. to you.

          • MS Paint on 19/10/2024 - 20:12
            +3

            @robo99: I think Gumtree allows airline ticket sales (but their audience is nearly dead) and I'm sure Facebook marketplace doesn't allow such items.

            • robo99 on 19/10/2024 - 20:18
              -1

              @MS Paint: umm. Maybe will offer agent, more than their small fee & they can send it around to more places ?

      • TilacVIP on 21/10/2024 - 08:32
        +21

        With all due respect, you're dreaming if you think you're getting anywhere near that figure

      • V2L on 21/10/2024 - 13:32
        +13

        less 10%? and take risks with name change/scams at a date not of your choosing? travelling with 2 kids usually require months of planning in advance, a family of 4 don't get to make any last min trips often. I wouldn't consider it for anything less than 50% of best available price on the dates of my choosing which may be less than what you paid for it

  • TEER3X on 21/10/2024 - 12:50
    +22

    10% discount? Mate you've got to be joking

    So many risks involved with this it's laughable

    You'd be lucky to get 50% back

    • V2L on 21/10/2024 - 13:43
      +1

      absolutely. no one will pay $5k for a ticket for surge pricing unless it's for an emergency, and then they need specific dates. those who can afford to pay it will have the money and wouldn't consider this due to the hassle. so how much the tickets cost now is irrelevant.

      • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 14:35
        -7

        where did you get $5k from ? We've been offered $5k for 4 tickets. Trying to get it up a bit.

        • V2L on 21/10/2024 - 14:57
          +5

          you said the same ticket is 4800 now in an earlier post for the same dates now? I'd take the 5k for those tickets in a heartbeat. commiserations on the loss, had to rebook tickets for parents recently and lost 80% of the fare so can relate

          • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 15:12
            -7

            @V2L: agent says there are fares on hawaiian for around $2k but their flights land in LA late at night & coming home at 7am, which means need to pay for 2 nights accommodation, but can't do anything day of arrival or depart.

            Ours arrive am 1st day & late evening departure coming home.

            Also with ours can get qantas points & extra checked bag & seating.

    • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 14:34
      -2

      we'd like to get 90% of what we paid, months ago. Since then the price has gone up a lot. Had an offer for 2 adults & 2 kids for $5000 & we're negotiating at present.

      • capslock janitor on 21/10/2024 - 14:38
        +2

        when did you receive that offer

        • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 14:45

          this am, through the agent. She says she thinks she can get it up a bit. We have $300 accommodation booked which is non-refundable. She says she can probably use that to bump up the offer. Easy to change names or add names to an accommodation booking I guess.

          • MS Paint on 21/10/2024 - 14:52
            +23

            @robo99: Just accept the offer immediately.

            • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 14:55
              -6

              @MS Paint: no, we told them we'd take $6k & they or the agent can have the $300 accom.

              So costs of $600 (4 name changes) & about $100 credit card fees, would give us $5300 which we can live with. Agents says she'll easily sell the $300 accommodation & we said she can keep any proceeds.

              Just in they offered $5500.

              • MS Paint on 21/10/2024 - 14:57
                +28

                @robo99: Then just accept that offer immediately

  • thousandsuns on 21/10/2024 - 07:37
    +17

    Let's put this into perspective. You stuffed up by getting non-refundable tickets. Fair enough, emergencies cam occur or issues can come up.
    You are panicking to sell your tickets yet you do not want to be negotiable and reduce them to a price where someone would actually be genuinely interested.

    Why on earth would anyone here take a 10% discount and buy the tickets from you through agent, etc. When they have flexibility to buy directly from the airlines or have their own choice or carrier and dates, etc.?

    If you are that desperate to get something out of them rather than nothing, put them out with a decent discount which gives someone incentive to buy from a stranger and 3rd party instead of through the airlines. Mind you, your selling point of ot being peak time, etc is all pointless. No buyer cares about any of that, they only care about the value of trip. Take the loss and lower it a reasonable price where someone will even consider it. Nobody is dumb enough to take them off you at a mere 10% off. Then again there some shmucks and you may get lucky.

    Hard luck for you. You'll have to learn to deal with scarifices and at the end of the day you can't always win in life.

    • samfisher5986 on 21/10/2024 - 10:56
      +3

      non refundable tickets is normal for most people, I wouldn't say they stuffed up.

      The biggest issue is spending $7000 on a trip with two kids, who does that? Just take them to your nearest beach city and pay a hotel.

      • thousandsuns on 21/10/2024 - 11:00
        +1

        Agreed. $7k on a non-refundable trip booked with an agent seems like the silly idea here.

      • MrFrugalSpend on 21/10/2024 - 13:05
        +1

        Cost of things in school holidays in Australia - sometimes (perhaps not at the price OP paid), international travel in January when not a big holiday season for the northern hemisphere can present better value. I took mine to Japan last year at Christmas school holidays on Jetstar sale fares that just caught the edge of the holiday period, stayed at AirBNB type accommodation… Apart from the rail passes, it was not much more expensive than a decent beach holiday / hotel and certainly better value for experiencing some different culture.

        • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 15:44

          $7k is not expensive for early Jan for 2 adults & 2 kids syd lax syd

          • samfisher5986 on 21/10/2024 - 15:59
            +1

            @robo99: Early January is new years… thats a bad decision.

            April 2025 School Holidays. $4779 Sydney to LAX. Two Adults, Two Kids

            You've overpaid by 2k just to go during the most expensive time of year.

            • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 16:05
              -2

              @samfisher5986: no we haven't. We want to go in early Jan. Late dec was around the same airfares, but accommodation was much more expensive. Can't do what we want to do in April, plus the plan was to meet up with other families.

              Just look on skyscanner 12-25 april & cheapest was air canada via brisbane & vancouver through some dodgy eu travel mob, or $6200 through air canada or flight center. What dates were you looking at & with which airlines ? Not jetstar I hope ?

              • samfisher5986 on 21/10/2024 - 16:21
                +1

                @robo99: April 3 to 21 but now I'm thinking Sydney probably has different school holidays to QLD.

                That was with Fiji Airways but United is only $300 more.

                • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 16:25

                  @samfisher5986: yes nsw school holidays 12-27 April (including anzac day) for most schools. Catch is a much narrower window than dec-jan, most families want to go right at start ie. 12 or 13 April & come home 24 or 25 April (which means arriving 26 or 27 April)

      • TEER3X on 21/10/2024 - 12:51

        I spent way more than that but traveled for a month. Sometimes you really don't have a choice.

        • samfisher5986 on 21/10/2024 - 13:06

          You spent $7000 on plane tickets? I mean you certainly can but you don't need to if you buy the right flights.

          • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 15:42

            @samfisher5986: school holidays. Have a look online & see what airlines are asking for flights syd to lax early jan back few weeks later for 2 adults & 2 kids. The only airline around that price now, excluding part of the way with jetstar, requiring nights in hawaii or via some chinese airline taking 40 hours, in hawaiian & theor timings are awful. Arrive la late at night, come home at 7am, which means paying for 2 nights accommodation, but can't do anything arrival or departure days.

          • TEER3X on 21/10/2024 - 21:21

            @samfisher5986: No, expenses including accommodation.

      • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 17:01

        we'd like to go every year before kids get too old. The main reason we can't go this year is financial & we're never going to ask anyone to loan us money. Banks weren't keen as new house already has a big mortgage & not much equity.

    • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 16:59

      there is interest. We have not set a price. we'd like 10% off what we paid. Not much left now at anything like what we paid. Cos anything in january school holidays is way more expensive now. I've said we'd take $6k & cover the name change fees of $600 & credit card fees of about $100.

      Not desperate yet. Might be if haven't sold them by xmas. Agent did say, she's sold some name change tickets in mid Dec for Jan flights in the past, when nothing left on most airlines.

  • 91rs on 20/10/2024 - 22:06
    +13

    I'd be wanting 50% off and even then its high risk on the buyer given how often concert tickets are sold/resold/reissued or don't exist as a comparison.
    I also don't trust travel agents to get anything right, they're in the middle to make their cut and don't care if it goes bad is my experience with corp travel agents.
    I'd also want 110% clarification on the name change section if its to another person or just a variation due to incorrect APIS data.
    Or just go yourself and leave the wife and kids at home, surely you can afford to do that?!?

    • 91rs on 20/10/2024 - 22:09
      +5

      People might also be wary given what's happening in Nov and the handover in January.

      • AustriaBargain on 21/10/2024 - 07:25
        +1

        Biden got almost twice as many votes as Trump got in CA, not much chance of a civil war affecting California right away.

        • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 16:54
          -2

          trump will tighten up borders

      • V2L on 21/10/2024 - 15:30
        +1

        another open day at capitol building?

  • Nutrino on 20/10/2024 - 12:00
    +12

    I think the problem is that anyone who is buying the tickets would want all the 'i' and 't's crossed before handing over any money. Personally if i was buying the tickets, i would have trust issues.

    i would want all the names changed and itenery ALL sorted before i hand over 1c.

    • sumyungguy on 20/10/2024 - 12:02
      +4

      I wouldn't have any issues with this transaction because there's a professional & independent third party involved, OP's TA

      • onetwothreefour on 20/10/2024 - 14:12
        +16

        Unless this TA is the OP's cousin and they are in on the scam together. Too risky for me.

        • robo99 on 20/10/2024 - 17:32
          -5

          why would it be risky ?

          • onetwothreefour on 20/10/2024 - 18:55
            +10

            @robo99:

            Unless this TA is the OP's cousin and they are in on the scam together.

      • ArjaytheGuy on 20/10/2024 - 23:45

        Except in the OPs own words

        "Anyone can sell airline tickets apparently. Was told there has been no travel agents licencing in Australia for over 10 years. Regards name changes, it depends on the airline according to our travel agent. Our airline allows it luckily. We didn't know in advance."

        So…. how "professinal" does a TA need to be?

        • sumyungguy on 21/10/2024 - 00:06
          +1

          I'm not telling you what to do. I would be happy to transact if I wanted the tickets because I'd be able to meet in-person with OP and their TA to make sure everything is legit. But if you wouldn't do it, you do you.

          • supersabroso on 21/10/2024 - 01:49

            @sumyungguy: Exactly, if everyone was street smart, Australians wouldn't lose $2.7 billion dollars to scams every year! Do your due diligence people!

    • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 16:52
      -1

      payment by credit card is safe. No tickets arrive then, get a full refund from bank/credit card co.

    • robo99 on 20/10/2024 - 17:31
      -5

      that would work as long as the purchaser paid the $150 name change fees.

      • nigel deborah on 21/10/2024 - 00:05
        +5

        Accepting a partial sum like that just makes it sound even more scammy honestly.

        You're going to have an extremely difficult time shifting these unless via TA or to family. It'd need to be someone trusting and be a bargain.

  • Section2 on 23/10/2024 - 12:16
    +12

    here is the deal on gumtree: https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/sydney-city/bus-train-plane/…

    Screenshot for record purposes: https://ibb.co/C9TsBvp

    • Randolph Duke on 23/10/2024 - 12:32
      +5

      Hahahaha

      There's no name change involved, as only a deposit has been paid, so no name on the booking yet.

      🤦‍♂️

      No coincidence “Robert” is selling on Gumtree and “robo99” is the poster here. Maybe this is all just an elaborate fantasy haha

      • robo99 on 23/10/2024 - 13:08
        -4

        last time I looked, I haven't had a sex change

      • robo99 on 23/10/2024 - 12:47
        -6

        our tickets were issued in our names & the dates were different.

        • Randolph Duke on 23/10/2024 - 13:09
          +6

          Same number of days, same emphasis on inclusions, same emphasis on arrival & departure times, same offer to pay off in instalments…

          • kolorijo on 23/10/2024 - 13:13
            +4

            @Randolph Duke: A very sensible conclusion lol

          • MrFunSocks on 23/10/2024 - 16:31
            +3

            @Randolph Duke: Also OP gave the same talk of credit cards being the most secure way of paying as the snoworld website haha

    • kolorijo on 23/10/2024 - 12:56
      +5

      Now everything make sense lol, good detective work

      • robo99 on 23/10/2024 - 13:07
        -4

        what makes sense ? Not a lot of sensible comments here. Some people still saying can't change names, when we did or our travel agent did for us.

        • kolorijo on 23/10/2024 - 13:12
          +7

          Don't worry mate. I have come to the conclusion and it is a sensible one lol.

          • robo99 on 23/10/2024 - 13:16
            -4

            @kolorijo: doesn't sound very sensible. Not sure about the attitude. Doesn't seem to be any expert comments here.

            • kolorijo on 23/10/2024 - 13:21
              +5

              @robo99: Not to you, but to anyone else here it does lol.

    • MrFunSocks on 23/10/2024 - 16:45
      +3

      The business that Robo here definitely doesn’t work for who he claims has been doing business for over 30 years, who on their own website seem to get confused if it’s 20 or 30 years, was only registered with an ABN in 2020, and only registered for gst last year lol

      https://www.auscompanies.com/en/33639723809/SNOWORLDCOMAU-PT…

      • robo99 on 23/10/2024 - 17:18

        I don't work for anyone. Don't think they do domestic travel, so don't think they need to be registered for gst, at least not for sales.

        • gromit on 23/10/2024 - 18:10

          of course they do, does matter what you are selling, if you are Australian based and doing any significant amount of business (i.e. more than $75k a year, you must be registered for GST and any business needs an ABN regardless of the amount they do.

      • robo99 on 23/10/2024 - 17:20

        think they virtually closed during covid. Their post covid prices were insanely low. Think they bought 1000s of seats. Made online fares look just stupid.

    • SwarlesBarkley on 23/10/2024 - 16:06
      +2

      From OP: "No I believe what some self appointed expert says online, rather than a travel agents who's been doing it for 30 plus years & is trying to help us."

      From TA's website: "We've been helping groups of up to 300 go skiing since the early 1980s."

      lolz keep denying it OP

    • MrFunSocks on 23/10/2024 - 16:28
      +2

      Great find! So as expected, OP is a fraud and is trying to promote his travel agent company, but in doing so has completely obliterated his and his companies reputation.

      Love to see it :)

    • robo99 on 23/10/2024 - 12:47
      -6

      our tickets were on different dates

  • Cheapskate Paul on 19/10/2024 - 19:18
    +9

    According to this document:

    https://www.airlinesticketpolicy.com/name-correction-policy/…

    Fiji Airways do NOT allow name changes, only minor name corrections.

    • TALL1one on 19/10/2024 - 19:37
      +3

      Correct,

      Fiji Airways Name Correction/Change Policy

      All name changes are not permitted on tickets issued by Fiji Airways. For major name changes, such as name or surname changes, passengers must cancel the original booking and book a new ticket with the correct name. This process may include cancellation fees and price differences.

      • robo99 on 19/10/2024 - 19:57
        +5

        here it is. Think we had 2 or 3 days to pay from when flights were booked.

        >

        CHANGES

        (j) Name change:
        Before ticketing: permitted free of charge
        After ticketing: permitted at AUD150.00 per person up to departure

        • knasty on 20/10/2024 - 20:30
          +22

          I hope OP is correct but my understanding is that there are 2 types of name change. A minor change (eg a slight misspelled name but the person is the same) is what the name change fee is for ie. A minor change. Actual name changes ie. To a different person is not allowed.

          Remember that airline rules still hold ie
          A travel 'agent' is agent of the service provider -they don't make up the rules by themselves.

          • MrFunSocks on 21/10/2024 - 10:54
            +11

            @knasty: OP is 100% wrong, I can guarantee it. I've done years and years of dev work in the past for airlines and travel agents and still have friends in the industries. You can not sell airline tickets or transfer them to other people via a name change, not on any airline.

            The only option OP has to recover any money is to cancel the booking and pay the cancellation fees, which will likely be in the hundreds of dollars per person. OP will still likely get about $5k back from that $7k.

            • knasty on 21/10/2024 - 10:56
              +1

              @MrFunSocks: Ha I just agreed with you in the prior thread. Agree with what you said but OP stated that it's a non refundable fare class.

            • V2L on 21/10/2024 - 13:33
              +1

              @MrFunSocks: depends on ticketing conditions - sounds like no refund possible

              travel insurance? but we'd have to hear the long story

      • robo99 on 19/10/2024 - 19:54
        -4

        wrong. Agent has it in writing from airline. She sent it to us. Will see if I can find it.

    • sumyungguy on 19/10/2024 - 19:44
      +3

      OP is being advised by TA actual. Unlikely some random web page is relevant in this case.

    • MS Paint on 19/10/2024 - 19:39
      +1

      Oucccchhh!!!

      issued by Fiji Airways.

      Or were they technically issued by the travel agent?

      • robo99 on 19/10/2024 - 19:58
        -1

        luckily the travel agent was right.

    • robo99 on 19/10/2024 - 19:59
      -1

      luckily the travel agent was correct.

      • sumyungguy on 19/10/2024 - 20:03
        +1

        Good job booking via a TA. If you had booked direct the name changes wouldn't be permitted

        • robo99 on 19/10/2024 - 20:08
          -1

          doubt there would be any difference, but gather there are so many different fares, than those shown online.

          • sumyungguy on 19/10/2024 - 20:24
            +3

            @robo99: Agents can access more options than customers booking direct via airlines websites… and I think if you had chosen Qantas you may have done your money

            • MrFunSocks on 21/10/2024 - 11:00

              @sumyungguy: Agents don't have access to make up rules though. Airline tickets are not transferrable, ever. Name changes are not passenger changes. The only option OP has other than losing $7k by just not flying is to cancel the tickets and get probably $5k back after the cancellation fees are taken out.

              • robo99 on 21/10/2024 - 14:53
                -2

                @MrFunSocks: if an agent has a contract with an airline, they probably negotiate on things like name changes, checked baggage. I know our fares include an extra bag, which wasn't included on the more expensive online fare.

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