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Online Travel Agency Reimburses Consumers Affected by COVID-19-Related Travel Cancellations

  • Florida AG Ashley Moody reached a settlement with online travel agency BookIt Operating LLC, the operator of BookIt.com, (“BookIt”) to resolve allegations that it knowingly collecting money from consumers for travel made impossible by COVID-19 in violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Practices Act and the Florida Sellers of Travel Act.
  • The complaint alleged that BookIt suspended its business in March 2020 and stopped paying hotels and resorts for paid-for reservations, and refused to issue refunds to thousands of customers. Instead, BookIt allegedly used the money it collected for its own operating expenses.
  • Under the terms of the consent judgment, BookIt will pay over $448,000 to the AG’s office for consumer restitution, has reimbursed $6.7 million to customers, will fully refund customers for canceled reservations under certain circumstances, and will provide clear and conspicuous disclosures to consumers about its insurance and cancellation policies, among other things.
  • As previously reported, in December 2020, Massachusetts AG Maura Healey reached a settlement with BookIt in which BookIt agreed to pay over $550,000 in refunds to hundreds of affected customers.