Passengers Compelled to Take Detours Around the World Due to Airline Ticketing Glitch

A group of students and teachers learned a hard lesson when they discovered that having an airline reservation does not guarantee holding a confirmed airline ticket.

After concluding a study tour in Japan, a group of 31 students and their teachers found themselves stranded at Osaka’s Kansai International Airport (KIX).

Dr. Trevor Boffone, one of the teachers, took to TikTok to document the group’s ordeal.

In his video, Boffone explained that they had wrapped up an amazing tour of Japan organized by EF Tours, a travel agency specializing in educational trips. Trouble began when the group attempted to check in at Osaka Airport on August 11, 2023, for their return flight to Houston.

@official_dr_boffone
I’ve been stranded in Japan for 48 hours with 31 students and teachers. We are finally able to go home but we have to fly around the world for 42 hours. Osaka > Bangkok > Munich > Charlotte > Houston. It’s gonna be an adventure, folks! #japantrip #japantravel #travelproblems #AmericanAirlines #eftours #japanairlines #aroundtheworld #aroundtheworldchallenge

Reservation Confusion
Their return flight started with a leg from Osaka to Tokyo on Japan Airlines, followed by Tokyo to Houston via Dallas on American Airlines.

According to Boffone, agents at Osaka Airport informed the group that they held reservations but not confirmed bookings. While the Tokyo onward segments were intact, the Osaka to Tokyo leg lacked a confirmed ticket.

Buffone explained, “We had a booking, we paid for it, but American Airlines, evidently, did not send the information to Japan Airlines.”

Both airlines shifted blame, and the travel agent, EF Tours, blamed the airlines.

The group missed the flight to Tokyo, causing subsequent segments to be canceled.

Unsatisfactory Offer
American Airlines offered the group the next available flight, a staggering 13 days later than their original departure date. With no provisions for food, accommodation, or compensation, the group rejected the offer.

A Roundabout Journey Home
Eventually, EF Tours intervened, arranging a return trip for the group two days later. Due to seat availability and proximity to the departure date, creating an itinerary for 31 people proved challenging.

One group’s route became: Osaka-Bangkok (nine-hour layover)- Munich – Charlotte, North Carolina – Houston. Another group followed a similar circuitous path: Osaka-Bangkok-Paris–Dallas-Houston.

After spending two days at Osaka Airport, both routes were exhausting.

Buffone, maintaining a positive spirit, shared TikTok videos of his time at Bangkok Airport and his enjoyment of Pad Thai noodles during the layover. However, exhaustion soon set in.

Buffone posted updates as he traveled, including a Munich pretzel break and finally arriving in Houston after 50 hours.

Lessons Learned
This incident, based on comments on Buffone’s posts, is not an isolated case. Many travelers have experienced similar situations where booking a flight yields a confirmation number or Passenger Name Record (PNR) but not a confirmed ticket.

Passengers should look for an electronic ticket number as confirmation of a secured seat.