• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home » Law In Travel » American Airlines Lawsuit Targets Scam Travel Agencies
American AirlinesLaw In Travel

American Airlines Lawsuit Targets Scam Travel Agencies

Matthew Klint Posted onAugust 28, 2023November 13, 2023 6 Comments

people standing in a line at an airport

Scam travel agencies should be shut down, with their owners publicly beaten and jailed. I am happy to see American Airlines crack down on such scam travel agencies via a new lawsuit, even if it comes at the expense of a more legitimate one.

New Lawsuit From American Airlines Goes After Scam Travel Agencies

I’ve written before about the scams of certain unscrupulous travel agencies. They take out Google ads, rank highly in search results, pretend to be the actual airline, then defraud consumers by charging than ridiculous amounts of money for things that are actually free, like flight changes, seat assignments, special meal requests, and wheelchair access.

I’ve chastised Google for not doing more to crack down on this and now American Airlines is suing a prominent travel agency for failing to control the conduct of its agents. Per Skift:

American Airlines has sued airline ticket consolidator U.S.A. Gateway — which does business as GTT Travel — alleging that GTT duped travelers into thinking they were booking direct with American, and then gouged them with exorbitant fares and fees.

GTT is a fairly prominent airline ticket consolidator that works closely with many airlines, including American Airlines. The problem is not in GTT’s errors of commission, but in its errors of omission: it has failed to control the travel agencies that sell its inventory. These are some of the very same agencies that rip off consumers by fraudulently posing as the airline.

American Airlines alleges:

GTT and its sub-agents have been engaging in extremely deceptive practices solely to profit GTT and at a cost to travelers. GTT is overcharging and hiding charges from customers and engaging in prohibited ticketing practices. Such actions are harmful and unfair to consumers, misrepresent American Airlines, and violate numerous clauses of GTT’s contracts with our airline.

That not only includes the fraudulent practices I referenced above, but even things like selling hidden city tickets to unknowing clients, not telling them, and charging them the full price while pocketing the difference.

The lawsuit claims:

  • GTT fails to monitor the activities of its sub-agencies
  • GTT refuses to share their details with AA even though it has a contractual obligation to do so

If true, I am quite sympathetic to American Airlines and hope that other airlines join the lawsuit.

CONCLUSION

No one should get scammed by deceptive travel agencies pretending to be the airline and then engaging in fraudulent ticketing practices. If I don’t control my employees, I get held responsible. It seems to me the same principle applies here. Hopefully, GTT will get the message very quickly and better hold its sub-agents in line.

(H/T: View From The Wing)

Get Daily Updates

Join our mailing list for a daily summary of posts! We never sell your info.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Previous Article My “Celebrity” Captain On United Airlines
Next Article Air France Shreds Checked Bag…

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • American Airlines Flagship Lounge Philadelphia

    Premium Progress: American Airlines Flagship Lounge Opens In Philadelphia (PHL)

    May 24, 2025
  • Trump Qatar 747-8

    Gift Or Grift? Trump Bets On Qatari 747-8 For Air Force One

    May 22, 2025
  • Newark Airport Flight Caps

    How the FAA Is Determining Which Carriers Must Reduce Service At Newark

    May 21, 2025

6 Comments

  1. Bobo Bolinski Reply
    August 28, 2023 at 4:17 pm

    Careful. Many people would also label those who provide “travel consulting services” to book travel for strangers (for a fee) using their frequent flyer miles as “scam travel agencies,” too. Their owners should be publicly beaten and jailed, as well? Hmmm.

    Pot, meet kettle. People who live in glass houses…

    • derek Reply
      August 28, 2023 at 5:26 pm

      The difference is disclosure. A travel agency should not call themselves American Airlines. If they disclose, then fine. They could answer the phone as “Distressed Flyers Travel Agency, May I help you?”

      • Kamala Reply
        August 28, 2023 at 10:20 pm

        Are you not troubled by Matthew’s boorish, and quite frankly, deplorable, behavior?

  2. tom bradley Reply
    August 28, 2023 at 6:11 pm

    “publicly beaten”….
    this ain’t nazi germany buddy…

  3. Matthew Klint Reply
    August 28, 2023 at 10:27 pm

    What foolish comments from Kamala and Bobo Bolinski:

    I don’t purport to be the airline – I make it very clear that the service I provide is working (often against the airline or credit card company) to maximize the use of miles and points. I do charge for my time, but there are no hidden fees.

    Idiotic comparison. Troll much Bobo?

  4. Jerry Reply
    August 29, 2023 at 4:38 am

    You and the 8th amendment, man…

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for May

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Capital One Venture X Business Card
Earn 150,000 Miles Sign Up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 100,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • Motion Sickness Uber
    I Used To Get So Much Done In Ubers. Now I Just Try Not To Puke. May 24, 2025
  • American Airlines Flagship Lounge Philadelphia
    Premium Progress: American Airlines Flagship Lounge Opens In Philadelphia (PHL) May 24, 2025
  • United Flight Attendants Tentative Deal
    At Long Last, United Airlines Reaches Tentative Labor Deal With Flight Attendants May 24, 2025
  • Aegean Airlines Feast
    A Feast Fit For A King On Aegean Airlines May 23, 2025

Categories

Popular Posts

  • a room with a table and benches
    Where To Smoke At Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) April 26, 2025
  • United Airlines Polaris Lounge Chicago Review
    Review: United Polaris Lounge Chicago (ORD) May 1, 2025
  • United Airlines Refresh Polaris Lounge Chicago
    First Look: United Airlines Reopens Renovated Polaris Lounge In Chicago (ORD) April 29, 2025
  • a hand holding a blue card
    Chase Sapphire Preferred 100K Bonus Offer Ending Soon May 2, 2025

Archives

May 2025
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Apr    

As seen on:

facebook twitter instagram rss
Privacy Policy © Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.