EXCLUSIVE: Families infuriated after local travel agency goes out of business

Jim Dolan Image
Thursday, June 29, 2017
EXCLUSIVE: Families infuriated after travel agency goes out of business
Jim Dolan has more from New Springville.

NEW SPRINGVILLE, Staten Island (WABC) -- Customers have spent a lot of time knocking on the door of Worldwide Travel Services in Jamaica over the last week - apparently not all of the customers were satisfied.

"I'm going to Bangladesh - depressed and frustrated," said MD Kamal.

Kamal is one of many people in Queens who paid for airline tickets, most of them to Bangladesh through Worldwide Travel Services, a travel agency that has been operating for 20 years. The website says it is owned by Nazmal Huda.

Nath Chandra got to the airport to travel, and was told his reservation he paid for had been canceled. He spoke to 7 on your Side's Nina Pineda.

No one answered at the home of Huda on Staten Island Wednesday night. In a text message exchange with a customer whose ticket was canceled, Huda appears to acknowledge the problem, writing "Just give me some time. I don't have the money right now, but in the process of arranging it." He hasn't so far.

When angry customers who fear Huda stole their money showed up at the agency, police had to be called. The police were not too much help - they said each customer had to take their matter to civil court.

Eyewitness News tried several times to reach Huda to find out what happened to the tickets customers thought they bought, and what happened to their money. He has not yet responded.