Mandarin world holidays scam/fraud

[virtualchick]

Paid in full for a ticket to australia in Nov 2010 for $1,500. May the lady serving me issued me a FAKE reservation number and said all I had to do was present it at the airport to board. Arrived at the airport at 7am this morning for my 9am flight and found that the ticket was not issued. My money is gone. Will be making a police report. Mandarin World Holidays was located at Lucky Plaza #03-01 but has closed down and moved out since 30 DEC 2010.
Went there a few days to change my flight leg from Perth-Brisbane to Perth-Melbourne but found them gone.

Am now scrambling for an alternative flight otherwise all my other flights in Australia (side trip to Hobart) will be gone too.

 

[shOUTloud]

Paid in full for a ticket to australia in Nov 2010 for $1,500. May the lady serving me issued me a FAKE reservation number and said all I had to do was present it at the airport to board. Arrived at the airport at 7am this morning for my 9am flight and found that the ticket was not issued. My money is gone. Will be making a police report. Mandarin World Holidays was located at Lucky Plaza #03-01 but has closed down and moved out since 30 DEC 2010.
Went there a few days to change my flight leg from Perth-Brisbane to Perth-Melbourne but found them gone.

Am now scrambling for an alternative flight otherwise all my other flights in Australia (side trip to Hobart) will be gone too.

Nowadays everyone buy tickets online. Still buy from a third party? Does not make sense

 

[johnny333]

Nowadays everyone buy tickets online. Still buy from a third party? Does not make sense

Buying from brick mortar business usually means convenience & security of dealing with a live person. Nowadays business in Spore from Spas to travel are struggling.

Expect to see more of such cases.

 

[Ramseth]

Paid in full for a ticket to australia in Nov 2010 for $1,500. May the lady serving me issued me a FAKE reservation number and said all I had to do was present it at the airport to board. Arrived at the airport at 7am this morning for my 9am flight and found that the ticket was not issued. My money is gone. Will be making a police report. Mandarin World Holidays was located at Lucky Plaza #03-01 but has closed down and moved out since 30 DEC 2010.
Went there a few days to change my flight leg from Perth-Brisbane to Perth-Melbourne but found them gone.

Am now scrambling for an alternative flight otherwise all my other flights in Australia (side trip to Hobart) will be gone too.

So sad to hear that. I thought you're happily onboard the flight by now. Try Qantas or Jetstar direct a.s.a.p. to save your side trip tickets.

 

[hahaho]

You could have bought a ticket online from Jetstar or Air Asia
for much lower price.

Travel agents are all going kaput due to online ticket sales.

 

[Leongsam]

Paid in full for a ticket to australia in Nov 2010 for $1,500. May the lady serving me issued me a FAKE reservation number

Why one earth you'd bother with any travel agent in this day and age is beyond me. You can tailor your own itinerary and make all your bookings on the internet and save yourself a ton of money.

Never trust any organisation associated with the words "Mandarin", "China", "PRC" etc. There's a 99.9% probability that's it's FAKE. Surely you should know by now what the Chinese are like.

 

[Rimururu]

Why one earth you'd bother with any travel agent in this day and age is beyond me. You can tailor your own itinerary and make all your bookings on the internet and save yourself a ton of money.

Never trust any organisation associated with the words "Mandarin", "China", "PRC" etc. There's a 99.9% probability that's it's FAKE. Surely you should know by now what the Chinese are like.

This post is going to attract the PRC hawks.

 

[Jabba the Hutt]

Hohohoho...

Welcome to the real world. Some foreign talents have indeed brought their 'talent' over.

China #1
Malaysia #2

 

[Leongsam]

Buying from brick mortar business usually means convenience & security of dealing with a live person.

It's the other way round nowadays. I trust the website of an airline more than some "Ah Lian" behind a dodgy looking counter with the word "Mandarin" over the doorway.

 

[virtualchick]

I am old-world. I like using travel agent because they know which airlines go which countries, so I don't have to try different airlines like SIA, Garuda and Qantas to see which offer me the best rates. Also sometimes online you get irritating messages like, full for these 3 days, pls try again. Also the travel agent service fee is typically only $30 to $50, for that you get their experience, and maybe agents get cheaper air-tickets so the end result is the same.

An update: I rearranged my itinery, cost me $1900 due to last minute travelling. It is not just the cost of the air-ticket, but that everything else eg accomodation, domestic airticket, tours are planned and prepaid in advance too.

 

[Leongsam]

I am old-world. I like using travel agent because they know which airlines go which countries,

There must be a sinkie equivalent of www.expedia.co.nz

All you need to do is enter your itinerary and ALL the available flights from all the airlines plying the route will be displayed.

The travel agents go through exactly the same process nowadays with a profit motive in mind. They'll recommend what gives them the biggest cut. If you do it yourself, you'll do a much better job because nobody cares more about saving you money than YOURSELF!:p

 

[Coolsaint77]

I am old-world. I like using travel agent because they know which airlines go which countries, so I don't have to try different airlines like SIA, Garuda and Qantas to see which offer me the best rates. Also sometimes online you get irritating messages like, full for these 3 days, pls try again. Also the travel agent service fee is typically only $30 to $50, for that you get their experience, and maybe agents get cheaper air-tickets so the end result is the same.

An update: I rearranged my itinery, cost me $1900 due to last minute travelling. It is not just the cost of the air-ticket, but that everything else eg accomodation, domestic airticket, tours are planned and prepaid in advance too.

Sorry to hear of your plight. But good lesson learnt, and you will move to "new-world" henceforth. Even if you chose to use a travel agent, use a reliable and profitable one, New Shan is an example.

 

[hahaho]

Sorry to hear of your plight. But good lesson learnt, and you will move to "new-world" henceforth. Even if you chose to use a travel agent, use a reliable and profitable one, New Shan is an example.

Lots of travel agents are losing business like crazy, due to online
purchasing. Their cash flows are suspect and one never know till
the last minute when they will close shop. Then it is too late.

Go for online purchase. Safe and secure.
Unless the airline close down.
Also very convenient and flexible .