We booked tickets with Booking.com, details as follows:
Booking.com Customer reference: 40-[protected]
Booking details:
Etihad Airways Sydney (SYD) to Johannesburg (JNB)
Wed 23 Aug · 15:05 - Thu 24 Aug · 08:05 Booking reference: 634Q4H
Etihad Airways Johannesburg (JNB) to Sydney (SYD)
Wed 6 Sept · 09:35 - Fri 8 Sept · 06:20 Booking reference: 634Q4H
Traveller details:
AUD1,774.80 per ticket
Malcolm Wayne Petersen
Sannet Petersen
Mariska Priem
Mackenzie Malcolm Petersen
Spencer James Petersen
When we tried to book a hotel for our stay over in Abu Dabhi on the way back to Australia, it showed that Malcolm Petersen's name was not on the Etihad Itinerary. After numerous phone calls Booking.com refused to take responsibility for the error and told us that Etihad cancelled it. I went between Etihad and Booking.com for days and discovered that it was Booking.com that overbooked the flights and then cancelled Malcolm's ticked WITHOUT notifying us. We would have arrived in Sydney with no idea that there was no seat for him as he was still appearing on Booking.com's itinerary - even after all our phone calls. Booking.com REFUSED to admit their mistake, even right at the end they told me that we cancelled it but could provide no proof. We had no choice but to book a ticket with Etihad for the price of $2631.18, the price difference being $856.38.
Our reason for travelling was to see my mother that was very ill and could possibly have passed on. Furthermore we travelled with two disabled children - one being severely disabled. The way they sent me from pillar to post, denying and responsibility for the actions was absolutely disgusting and caused extra stress and tears to this difficult situation we were already facing.
Booking.com made sure that non of this information was sent by email avoiding responsibility. All calls were hopefully recorded. Etihad assured me that their calls were recorded and the Etihad operated even spoke to the operator at Booking.com at one stage.
Desired outcome: We would like compensation for the difference between the ticket originally bought from Booking.com and the ticket forced to purchase from Etihad which comes to $856.38