American Airlines - paid $ 100 online to hold reservation - didn't intend to put ticket on card - payment confustion and problems

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on August 5, 2002:

From:

RE: American Airlines - paid $ 100 online to hold reservation - didn't intend to put ticket on card - payment confustion and problems

In July I went online into the American Airlines website. I made a reservation to flry from to Miami to Atlanta on July 10th returning July 15th. I was asked to give a credit card to hold the reservation and I did. This was for the reservation only.

I purchased the round trip ticket at my travel agent in July and paid cash. I flew July 10th from Miami to Atlanta and then had to change my return flight to July 16th. I called to make the change and was told that I had to pay $100 at the airport for the change. When I got to the airport, there was a lot of confusion. The manager was called twice by the person tacking my ticket.

First I was told I had to pay $100 then I was told I had to pay nothing. Assuming this was the case, I took the ticket I was given and then proceeded to board the plane. Now, my brother called me and told me that American Airlines had charged to his credit card the amount of $174.00. Which is the price for a round trip ticket to Atlanta. I informed my brother of the problem, Of course he is very upset.

I feel American Airlines totally misrepresented their business and failed to inform me of what was happening at the counter when I checked in at Atlanta Airport. I was not authorized to use my brother's credit card

only for the original reservation which I paid for in cash at my travel agent.

I frankly do not understand how his number was just used to make the change and He and I very abusively charged $174.00 for the full round trip fare. I feel we deserve a full reimbursement due to the fact that I was totally unimformed at the American Airlines counter in Atlanta by the employee and the manager at the site.

Iraida R. Brouwer