Hundreds of Filipino domestic helpers have had their plans to return home for Christmas thrown into disarray, after a travel agency failed to pay for pre-booked airline tickets booked through their firm.
The fiasco emerged on Sunday and has caused scenes of chaos at Hong Kong International Airport.
More than 300 passengers attempting to check-in for flights to the Philippines have been turned away as their tickets were not confirmed because no payment was received, according to the Sun newspaper.
A mob of affected individuals descended on the office of PEYA travel agency, the company they had used to book the tickets, demanding a refund.
According to the Sun, the agency, located in Central’s World-Wide House, is blaming the situation on a technical glitch.
Irate Filipinos, as well as some of their employers, were far from satisfied with the explanation, with some having booked tickets months ago.
Many customers fear the company is experiencing financial troubles, the SCMP wrote.
Filipinos speaking to the Sun expressed anguish about being stranded in Hong Kong as Christmas approached.
“This should be my first Christmas vacation [in] more than six years and my children are anticipating it,” the woman from Bacolod told the newspaper in tears.
The company released a statement on its Facebook page apologizing and saying it would take responsibility for the situation. People, however, were not sympathetic.
“There is a special place in hell for people like you. Cheating your own people,” one commenter wrote.
According to the Sun, the company’s sales director, Arnold Grospe, facing the angry crowd alone at World-Wide house, reportedly vowed to refund customers after the New Year.
The Philippine Consulate yesterday posted on its Facebook page saying it was “deeply concerned” about the unissued and unconfirmed bookings.
Urging calm, it warned people not to use the agency until the issue was resolved.
