HONG KONG: Have you ever imagined booking a flight, only to be told at the check-in counter that there was no record of it? That is what happened to one Hong Kong customer, and a general manager at the airline has been arrested, suspected of tampering with the booking system.
Hong Kong customs officers arrested the 45-year-old manager on Friday on suspicion of violating the Trade Descriptions Ordinance. While customs officials did not name the airline involved, it was believed to be Hong Kong Express, the city’s only budget carrier. The airline has yet respond to a request for verification. Customs began investigating after a tip-off regarding a problematic return ticket between Hong Kong and Ningbo, Zhejiang province.
The passenger had booked on the airline’s website, with payment completed and reservation confirmed. But during check-in on the day of departure, the customer was not allowed to board because airline staff could not find the booking. The arrested manager was released on bail pending further investigation. Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any trader who applies a false trade description to a service supplied to a consumer is liable to a maximum fine of HK$500,000 and five years’ imprisonment.
