Has anything similar happened to anyone out there I wonder?

My daughter, Laura, who lives in Madrid logged onto the Opodo site (which went automatically to their Spanish counterpart, Rumbo)and booked in April, a flight from Madrid to Birmingham in July to come home for my nephew's wedding. She paid with her (French, Euro) credit card on which she had ample credit. After paying on-line, she got a confirmation number on the screen for her British Airways flight, the only thing you need for check in along with your passport. She thought no more about it or the fact that she never subsequently received a follow up email to confirm like you normally do.

On 20th July, the day before the wedding, she went to check in at Madrid airport only to be told that her booking had been cancelled in April. She had a booking but it had been 'cancelled out'. She knew nothing of this. I got a very tearful phone call from the airport telling me she couldn't now come home for her cousin's wedding because the only tickets available, last minute, were over 5 times the price of the originals. Many expensive phone calls later in a short and frantic space of time (check in closing) I did what any mother would do in the circumstances and paid a ridiculous price for the new tickets to get my little darling, now completely wrung out with stress and frustration, home.

Now we have to tackle Rumbo and are getting nowhere fast.

British Airways, on the phone say 'a confirmation number is proof of booking' but they say that Rumbo did not follow up within a week with payment to them so the ticket was 'cancelled out'. Rumbo (who only apparently communicate in Spanish and Laura's Spanish is rudimentary) have sent copies of two emails they say they sent to Laura in April, the first one saying there is a problem with your credit card, please contact us and the second one saying your booking has been cancelled. She never received them. The 'resent' emails have no headers to indicate that they were sent before. They come as brand new, made yesterday, emails.

It would seem that their computer system had a major problem - she got a confirmation number, yet the credit card did not have any money taken off it (Laura did not notice this either!)- they sent out emails (so they say) and their computer system must be showing that they were sent but they never arrived in Laura's email box. She checks her junk mail box all the time so they did not go there either. I know Laura could be said to be partly to blame for not noticing she had not got a confirmation email or her account had not been debited but when you are a busy teacher you don't have time to check and double check and she was happy that she had all she thought she needed, a confirmation number. Laura has subsequently met someone who booked with Expedia and the exact same thing happened. Is this more common than we think and what chances have we got of proving that Rumbo are to blame?

Felicity, I am sure that these incidents happen sometimes....but there were enough "warning signals" that should have alerted your daughter to the possibility that all was not well.

1. No confirmation e-mail. If I don't see a confirmation e-mail within 24 hours, I am on the phone or sending a fax to find out why.

2. Nothing charged on my credit card. One of the great conveniences of the internet age is having instant access to account information for bank and credit cards. I check them every day or two as a matter of routine. I would know immediately that there was a problem if no charge showed up.

Also, it is hard to imagine that you wouldn't confirm with the airline at least once before the flight to check seat assignments, departure time, etc.

Internet mistakes do happen so one can't assume that all is well with checking--but I think the convenience of the electronic travel system far outweighs the occasional glitches.

Felicity, I'm so sorry for what your daughter (and you!) went thru...it must have been such a stressful day. I'm glad that she did make it to the wedding, and I wish you the best of luck with getting some satisfaction.

Jim, I think you listed some very good points. Maybe it's because I'm in Italy now, but I check my credit card and bank balances regulary, just to help me feel more in touch with things.

Additionally, whenever I book ANYTHING thru a third party, I always follow up with a phone call to the hotel, airline, whatever, just to make sure that I really am booked! Yes, I'm a cynic and a compulsive planner, but better safe than sorry.

I recently watched an interview with a security/fraud expert who strongly recommended checking your c.c. and bank accounts on line daily. I do this because I use my credit cards for business.... it is just part of my early morning routine.

This person suggested that we should cancel paper statements. Apparently identity theft often occurs when a mailed statement is stolen. The thief then calls the c.c. company to request a credit limit increase, then uses the card. If you rely on the monthly mailed statement it would be some time before you became aware of a problem.

Felicity - what a good Mum! Don't you just hate it when these things happen.