Unquestionably the worst experience with any company I have had over the past 30 years is with a Travel Booking Agency by the name of Vayama (owned by Airtrade, International) .   After countless hours of trying to make minor changes  to a couple of tickets (due to a family crisis), I can't help but wonder if "Vayama" isn't a foreign word that means "cheat the American customer any way you can".  LOL  Why do our leaders and organizations who are supposed to be looking out for our welfare allow companies like this to use scamming tactics to cheat the American people of their hard earned income?  What did Vayama do that is sooo bad ?  Glad you asked: I don't think I can count all the tactics they have used to try and cheat me and my family but I will try to name a few:

1.  First, at times it is very difficult to understand the person on the other line--poor English skills and pronounciation (at times it appers to be intentional to frustrate the customer and cause further delays -- I am 99% certain of this and you will be too once you read their "rules" which are designed to take advantage of the customer--in this case "delay" pockets them considerable more money)

2.  Second, they intentionally put the ticket on JAL (Japan Airline) stock instead of United Airline stock knowing if either were contacted by the disadvantaged customer neither would be able to help.  That is a tactic that is not supposed to be able to happen.  How can you use the ticket stock of the wrong airline (in this case JAL) and not have to correct it?  More scamming tactics--possibly?  UA seemed more than willing to help since the inernational flight does begin with them but unethical Vayama "incorrectly" charged the ticket to Japan Airlines who claimed they could do nothing about it.  I repeatedly told JAL that my cc statement showed that the ticket price was credited to JAL.

I pleaded with JAL to help me and finally one agent set up a 3-way conference call with Vayama (presumably allies to take advantage of seemingly helpless customers) and resulted in nothing but a few kinds words while JAL agent listened.  At other times the agents laughed out loud at my dismay of having to pay up to $450 to make minor changes to our tickets due to a family crisis. 

3.  After a week of haggling with Vayama, still nothing -- only more delay tactics.  Finally they did agree to cancel one ticket at my request only to find out instead of being charged for one adult ticket and one infant ticket (no changes whatsoever to these two tickets) it nows shows me being charged for two adult tickets.  Also, I can't go online and see my travel itinerary (this again is a tactic on their part).  I originally bought 4 international tickets through Vayama but I would be willing to pay 20%-30% more any day not to deal with a company like this.  But the truth is I could have purchased tickets only a few weeks prior to departure thru a reputable airline for $250 less than the tickets bought through "scam artist" Vayama -- they deducted the amount for 4 tickets from my account back in Feb. with the flight scheduled to leave May 30 !  That should tell you something about this company. They are only interested in themselves not the customer.  While this privately held firm amasses wealth at the expense of her unsuspecting customers, airlines and travel search sites in alliance with this evil company continue to pay their "scamming tactic" games to the consumer's disgust.  This is only half the story -- in reality it is much worse that I have been able to convey in writing.  One final example:  it took 1hr 25 min on the phone to get one ticket cancelled (due to a family crisis).

I will never do business with VAYAMA again and will warn as many people as possible about their unethical and possibly illegal tactics.

If you want to try to communicate with people who do NOT have a command of the English language and you like being cheated out of your money then by all means go with VAYAMA.
The search engines who allow searches through the Vayama site should cancel any agreements they have with this miserable failure of a company !

Signed,

Just one of Vayama's harassed customers