Hong Kong travel agency owner arrested after hundreds of customers left stranded
The co-owner of a Hong Kong travel agency has being arrested after money was taken for hundreds of bookings but flights never materialised.
That left up to 600 mostly Filipino customers stranded in Hong Kong just before Christma.
Rhea Donna Boyce, 39, was arrested on Christmas Day and is facing conspiracy to defraud charges.
Boyce runs Peya Travel which took money from Filipino domestic workers for flights home for Christmas, leading to angry scenes at Hong Kong airport as scores of customers found their bookings didn’t exist.
The travel agency’s office also became under siege by angry customers seeking answers last week, who were given the impression the agency is in financial difficulties.
Eventually all travellers managed to get on flights thanks to tireless work by Philippines consulate staff to buy up remaining seats on their behalf and successfully persuaded some airlines to deploy larger aircraft.
Many customers had paid up to HKD4,300 (US$550) for the return flights.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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