7 On Your Side helps get couple reimbursed for paid-in-full honeymoon never booked by agent
MILLER PLACE, New York (WABC) -- Weddings and honeymoons are planned months if not years in advance and most of the time paid for upfront.
A Long Island couple wanted to use a local business to book their honeymoon figuring a travel agent would know all the special places.
But, days before departure, they say the agent took the money and didn't book the trip.
"It was overwhelming. I think that he took what was supposed to be meant, you know, one of the best days of our life," said Christina Badami, a newlywed.
The Suffolk County couple found love the second time around, but days before their dream boots, jeans, and vests wedding, there was a honeymoon nightmare.
"We were going to Tuscany, so excited. It was the Sunday before the wedding, we found the trip was never booked," Christina said.
Their long-planned trip to Tuscany to celebrate the summer wedding was never booked by a local travel agent they paid for flights, hotels, and excursions last spring.
"I would never run my business like this, someone pays for a service, you hold up your end of the bargain," said Nick Badami, a newlywed.
The week of their trip Christina and Nick wondered why they didn't get boarding passes when they tried to check in.
"When I entered the flight number we received notification no flight was found," she said.
Nick and Christina say they paid their agent in full $10,000, but then in May, they found their trip was canceled because of lack of payment.
"I was frustrated and upset," she said.
They immediately went to their agency Crafty Getaways in Miller Place.
"He had nothing a blank stare on his face and did nothing to help us," Nick said.
"He had no words and I was loud and angry, I was upset, and it was making me more angry he had no information to give us," Christina said.
They had to scramble and rebook the entire trip last minute.
"Well, by the time we were able to book it, the flights were significantly higher," he said.
When they couldn't get Crafty to reimburse the package price, they called 7 On Your Side.
7 On Your Side paid a visit to the travel agency owner.
He told us he had no comment about what went wrong, but processed the credit card refund within the hour for $10,000.
"We were able to enjoy our honeymoon as we had planned," they said. "He gave us the full amount. We went to Tuscany! Thank you 7 On Your Side!"
They were lucky to be able to rebook the whole Italy trip. Even the resort felt bad. When they learned what happened the resort made sure they got their accommodations.
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