Early flight payments from UK

[Slicko]

Just some advice please.

As a UK cruiser, I have today been contacted by my travel agent to say that the airline flying us into New York in September is "now asking for earlier flight payment". It was due to be paid to the Agent on 20th May - now they want £470 today. Has anyone else had a call like this? Is this due to airlines or Agents having little cash in the current climate? And can they rightfully do it? Enough questions - you get the drift.

Thanks in advance - hope you're all well.

[FlyerTalker]

Much depends on the actual ticket you are trying to purchase.  Is this a consolidator ticket that is being resold by your travel agent, is it a ticket direct from the airline, is it part of a package?  Those facts, plus the fare rules of your ticket, determine just what the specifics are for payments, refunds and the like.  There is no one blanket answer.

 

One thing to remember...until such time as you actually pay for a ticket, you have nothing more than a reservation.  Which can be cancelled, modified or whatever.