Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200806/20080626/article_364606.htm
City's first hearing of electronic ticket fraud
Created: 2008-6-26 0:44:54
Author:Angela Xu
CHINA Eastern Airlines and one of its ticket agencies are being sued by a Shanghai citizen who says they refunded tickets he had bought to another person.
The Pudong New Area People's Court has accepted the case, the city's first involving electronic air ticket fraud, judges said. The plaintiff, Zhang Rongjing, wants compensation of 2,850 yuan (US$415) and a public apology in a newspaper.
Zhang said he received a flyer advertising air tickets in January. He called to book return tickets between Shanghai and Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, through the Shanghai Yinqiao Scientific Start-up Investment Management Co Ltd, an agent for China Eastern.
Zhang received confirmation on January 6. He paid after checking the China Eastern Website.
But a few days later when Zhang checked the Website again, the system showed his tickets had been refunded. The phone number on his flyer no longer answered and Zhang suspected that someone who knew him had asked for a refund and taken the money.
Zhang has accused the defendants with breach of contract because they made the refund without looking at his identification card or his agreement. According to Chinese civil aviation regulations travelers can ask for a refund if they have proper tickets and identification.
China Eastern said it will wait for the court's verdict now that the case has been accepted.
The agency director surnamed Zhai said hidden dangers existed because Zhang had bought the air tickets through a number on the flyer - illegal agencies tended to distribute these flyers to attract consumers.
The key to the case would be to find the person who dealt with ticket sale procedures. Otherwise, the plaintiff could not prove the agency had made the refund illegally, Zhang pointed out.
The Pudong New Area People's Court has accepted the case, the city's first involving electronic air ticket fraud, judges said. The plaintiff, Zhang Rongjing, wants compensation of 2,850 yuan (US$415) and a public apology in a newspaper.
Zhang said he received a flyer advertising air tickets in January. He called to book return tickets between Shanghai and Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, through the Shanghai Yinqiao Scientific Start-up Investment Management Co Ltd, an agent for China Eastern.
Zhang received confirmation on January 6. He paid after checking the China Eastern Website.
But a few days later when Zhang checked the Website again, the system showed his tickets had been refunded. The phone number on his flyer no longer answered and Zhang suspected that someone who knew him had asked for a refund and taken the money.
Zhang has accused the defendants with breach of contract because they made the refund without looking at his identification card or his agreement. According to Chinese civil aviation regulations travelers can ask for a refund if they have proper tickets and identification.
China Eastern said it will wait for the court's verdict now that the case has been accepted.
The agency director surnamed Zhai said hidden dangers existed because Zhang had bought the air tickets through a number on the flyer - illegal agencies tended to distribute these flyers to attract consumers.
The key to the case would be to find the person who dealt with ticket sale procedures. Otherwise, the plaintiff could not prove the agency had made the refund illegally, Zhang pointed out.
Copyright © 2001-2009 Shanghai Daily Publishing House