Elderly widow misses husband’s funeral due to airline ticket scam

Elderly widow misses husband’s funeral due to airline ticket scam

A Florida woman missed her husband’s funeral after falling victim to a sophisticated airline ticket scam. Joanne Stainer, 79, was set to fly from Orlando-Sanford International Airport to Wisconsin on June 1 to attend the burial of her husband, Joe. However, a last-minute scam derailed her plans.

After a medical emergency delayed her original flight, Stainer attempted to book a new ticket by calling what she thought was Allegiant Airlines. Instead, she reached scammers who charged her nearly $2,000 for a fraudulent ticket. The scammers even provided a fake boarding pass that initially fooled airport staff.

Despite checking her bags and being wheeled through TSA, Stainer was denied boarding when Allegiant’s system flagged her ticket as fraudulent just before takeoff. Her luggage made it to Wisconsin, but she did not.

Stainer’s case highlights the growing issue of travel scams. Allegiant Airlines confirmed that their system detected the scam too late due to the proximity of her booking to the flight time. TSA allowed Stainer through because the airline had issued an actual boarding pass.

Allegiant has advised travelers to book directly through the airline to avoid such scams. They have also apologized and noted that they are investigating the incident to prevent future occurrences.

Stainer, who had planned to honor her late husband at his funeral, was devastated by the ordeal. “I was so intent on being there to watch him be put in the ground. I owe him that,” she said.

Consumers are urged to verify contact details and booking platforms before making travel arrangements to avoid falling victim to similar scams.

Source: WFTV

Elderly widow misses husband’s funeral due to airline ticket scam