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Consumers report that a New York-based travel booking service is allegedly misrepresenting itself in the name of legitimate airlines and cruise lines and overcharging customers. The Better Business Bureau Serving Metro New York is alerting consumers about Flightsassist, whose website claims it is a company formed to “provide the best possible fares to its clients and serve passengers with the best customer service.” But complaints to BBB tell a different story.
“Complainants reported that their vacations were ruined, or that they lost money because Flightsassist presented themselves as various well-established travel booking services,” said Claire Rosenzweig, President & CEO of the Metro New York BBB®. “Consumers alleged that they’ve lost hundreds, even thousands of dollars in funds they thought were being applied toward their travel costs. Before you book, check with BBB.org to see what others have reported about their experience with any travel company.”
Many consumers told BBB that they encountered Flightsassist after seeking to confirm or reschedule their flights or cruise bookings, often after conducting an online search of the name of the company they wanted to contact. Most of these consumers claimed that Flightsassist convinced them to think they were talking to well-known airline or cruise company representatives. Some consumers said Flightsassist pushed them to pay extra fees or higher prices for their existing bookings and, sometimes, to book flights that didn’t exist.
Consumers seeking refunds from Flightsassist reported difficulty obtaining any redress from the company. Complainants said they lost anywhere from $500 to thousands of dollars in payments that they thought were covering travel costs or which allegedly turned out to be duplicative fees. Some consumers claimed that Flightsassist spoofed the telephone numbers of established airlines or cruise companies.
At the time of this alert, Flightsassist has an F rating with BBB: 55 consumer complaints have been filed against it in the last 12 months, 109 complaints have been filed in the last three years, and 74 of these have not received a response.
BBB has received complaints on Flightsassist from consumers residing in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Flightsassist lists an address in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. According to their website, they began operating in 2021.
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