A Bedford couple's dream honeymoon nearly turned into a nightmare when they learned the airline tickets they paid for on a discount website were never purchased.
Taylor and Stephanie Smith married on Dec. 7 in Las Vegas. Both avid scuba divers -- that's how they met -- they had planned to leave Saturday on their honeymoon diving in the beautiful waters off Thailand.
They said they purchased airline tickets on the discount website CheapOair.com, paid their $2,000 fares and even received a confirmation email – complete with seat assignments.
But on Tuesday, when Taylor Smith happened to call to check on the reservations, the couple got a surprise. The tickets were never purchased. They were not listed on the flights.
"Luckily he called or we would have shown up at the airport and wouldn't have had a flight to get on,” Stephanie Smith said.
They say they called the website to try to resolve the problem and waited hours on hold before finally talking to a supervisor.
"They said basically, 'We can refund the money, and then you can find your own way to Thailand,” Taylor Smith said.
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But the ticket price had more than doubled since August and was more than they could afford. The Smiths had already reserved their hotel and scuba trip in Thailand – money that was non-refundable.
"I couldn't believe it,” Stephanie Smith said. “I was like, 'This is not something that happens every day.' There is no way this is happening to us right now."
The couple said they called and sent emails to CheapOair but nobody would help.
They contemplated canceling the trip.
They also contacted NBC 5. Soon after a reporter called CheapOair, a top manager phoned the Smiths, apologized and agreed to re-book them at the original price.
"It worked out in the end, but man,” Taylor Smith said.
American Airlines, which didn't have anything to do with the website’s mistake, also quickly rebooked them on the first leg of their trip from DFW International Airport to California. The flight to Thailand was on Air China.
A spokeswoman for the website said the company takes complaints seriously and hoped the couple had a "fantastic" trip.
Now, the Smiths say it'll be a honeymoon to remember.
"Oh my gosh, I'm ecstatic,” Stephanie Smith said.
