Travel Scams Continue to Plague Web: FLIGHTHUB and JUSTFLY Scams

       Well, now it has become commonplace to find large internet sites promoting scams.  This week, the Mayor was searching known sites, eg. kayak, looking for fares for planned trips.  After searching and considering information listings, the Mayor selected a posted fare and was directed to a website by the company FlightHub.  The Mayor then went through the ticket  purchase steps, providing details of personal information required, credit card number, phone numbers, etc.  The process was completed in a few minutes.
      An email was received acknowledging the itinerary on selected dates on the selected airlines.  A few hours later, another email was received advising that an urgent response was necessary to access new information.  This email was in turn followed by another with the same content.  It became necessary to contact the FlightHub call center, located somewhere in eastern Canada(really?).  I was informed that the airline had cancelled the flight and new reservations were necessary at this time.  After questioning these conditions, I was offered a new search that could produce suitable results for my selected destination.   When the offerings were made known, it was apparent that significant price increases were part of the equation.  I told the agent(scam artist) that this was unacceptable and ended the conversation.
       The Mayor then began a new search and found the same flight information with the same price on a new site-Justfly.  This is part of the FlightHub family.  The reservation code was not recognized by the airline in question and it became apparent that these companies are no more than bait-and-switch boiler rooms preying on unsuspecting travelers.  This company has stranded thousands of passengers worldwide and have been sued by state attorneys general.  Kayak and its brethren support these scammers because they are paying handsomely for the ad space linked to formerly legitimate sites.  These travel sites are now degrading to become part of the "Craigs'List" phenomena  where respectable offerings become obliterated by scammers and thieves who dominate  the sites and drive out legal/legitimate clients.  In their quest for profits in the short term, these companies compromise integrity for profit-not an unusual condition(see Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, et al).
      So-be suspicious of all so-called aggregators : those travel companies that used to buy tickets at discounts from airlines and resell them and pocket a small profit.  Now they have been stymied by the airlines themselves and have found a substitute business instead:  BAIT-AND-SWITCH.
Do not do any business with FLIGHTHUB of JUSTFLY-they are scammers.  There are more sites doing the same.  The airlines are looking the other way, trying instead to limit comfort animals and over-sized luggage.  Why do anything more with all flights full and the FAA worried about the 737 MAX debacle.
Travel On.