Complaint Review: Universal Travel & Tours

Company posed as a legitimate advertiser through the Atlanta Journal and Constitution for at least a year. Scheme included collecting fares from customers for upscale airline, then they change reservations for a bare-bones airline, indicating the agent didn't charge appropriate price the first time.

I purchased domestic and international trip. Company avoided purchasing tickets until 72hrs of first leg of trip, mainly because I called them constantly for weeks, fearing they were either a fraud or had other credibility problems.

Called Atlanta Journal and Constitution (since they carried their ad) for help. Newspaper rep for the travel section was concerned but seemed somewhat helpless. She called the suspect agency and left a msg but call was not returned.

At the end, my tickets was purchased but once I returned from overseas, I learned at the airline counter at LAX that the final part of my trip had been cancelled. Company had later called and canceled that part of the trip, collected the money along with unknown funds of other people, closed their bank account in Connecticut (yes - a different state), disconnected their phones and disappeared.

I had to investigate and learn all of these things myself because no other agency seemed to be able to help me under the conditions. I've sent formal complaints to appropriate consumer agencies in New York and Atlanta area.

James
Ellenwood, Georgia
U.S.A.