let me get this straight - the website actually said it couldn't accept the booking but still took the money!!? How long did it take to return it? Did you have to chase them for it? We've heard of sites taking bookings and then staff phoning back to say it can't be done but this is a new one - - which needs stopping!

I agree, steve... surely this is misrepresentation at at best, if not illegal?/

I thought that the Gov was "cracking down" on the high street advertising these "crowd pullers" that are never available when you get into the shop... on - line should be no different... but to ACTUALLY take the money?? - all wrong !!

ATB,J.

I've just had this experience with lastminute. Everything selected, all names entered, all credit card details entered including the password to authorise the payment. Clicked continue and after about 10 seconds it came back saying there was a problem with the flight booking system and the booking couldn't be completed - I don;t know if it's relevant but this was also a Monarch flight.

I called lastminute who advised my credit card company had received a request for payment as soon as I authorised the payment. As soon as the booking could not be authorised the request was withdrawn - this only took an hour. I called my credit card company who told me the request was showing which reduced my available balance, but it was not being charged against my account. I have since checked my credit card transactions online and the payment has never shown.

I did rebook successfully a few days later, so I suspect these are computer glitches rather than a deliberate attempt to defraud.

I used to work in software design, I never liked the word glitch! To me a glitch was when it displayed something in the wrong colour or got stuck or even went round in circles and never actually achieved anything. To have a situation where it fails to complete the transaction, knows it's failed to complete and still takes the money shows a serious flaw in design/testing.