Travel company accused of charging customers extra fees after booking

CHARLOTTE — It’s important to do your research when booking a trip through a travel company.

Recently, a company has been accused of offering deals to customers and then trying to squeeze more money out of them.

Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke delved into why the Better Business Bureau has issued an alert about this.

Flight Mover is a travel website that boasts about its low airfares and customer service. This is what attracted customers, like Joe Ferrazza.

“I found this company and was like, ‘Oh, these ticket prices look great,’” Ferrazza said.

Ferrazza said his round-trip airfare for a trip from New York to Cincinnati during the Christmas holiday was advised at being just over $300, so he booked it.

“I went to purchase the ticket and received an email a few minutes later that I needed to call this company, which I then did,” Ferrazza elaborated.

ALSO READ: Charlotte airport’s $241M Concourse A expansion officially opens

He said that the company then told him his flight didn’t include a carry-on bag or even a personal item. And to bring luggage, he would need to upgrade, setting the new price at nearly $900.

“Well, the first thing I thought was, ‘How can they not include a personal item and a carry-on bag?’” Ferrazza said.

To make matters worse, Ferrazza claims customer service tried to strong-arm him into acceptance.

“The guy said to me, ‘Well, you’re going to pay for this anyway,’” Ferrazza explained.

Another customer said she agreed to pay for an upgrade after a similar phone call, but she felt like it was a bait-and-switch move by Flight Mover.

Flight Mover currently has an F rating with the Better Business Bureau and an actual alert notifying complaints.

“The common theme that we see in complaints and reviews is that consumers are not getting the travel combinations or the tickets that they expected,” said Holly Salmons with the Better Business Bureau.

ALSO READ: Avelo Airlines announces more routes, jobs at Concord Airport

Salmons said many of those complaints involved extra fees and terms the customers didn’t feel were fully disclosed.

On Google a customer complained that they were sold a standby ticket, writing “For the love of God, please do not book anything with this company.”

Advice Ferrazza said he certainly plans to follow.

“I told them, I said, ‘Well, I’m not paying for this, and I will inform the Better Business Bureau, and I’m going to alert my bank,’” Ferrazza continued.

Ferrazza ended up not having to pay and he then re-booked with another company.

FligthMover, however, has not responded to requests for comment.

VIDEO: Charlotte airport’s $241M Concourse A expansion set to open