Travel agent held for fleecing frequent flyers

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, August 20

A 34-year-old travel agency owner in Delhi has been arrested for allegedly siphoning mileage points from the fliers of British Airways and using it to get tickets from it and other international airlines, besides free hotel stays abroad, said the police. 

The accused, identified as Damanpreet Singh owns a travel agency in central Delhi's Jhandewalan area and used to accumulate and redeem mileage points (Avios) of frequent flyers using multiple fake accounts and then sell the tickets to his clientele.

In a statement, the British Airways said "We are assisting the police in India with an investigation into alleged fraudulent activity."

According to the police, 32-year-old Singh allegedly used to keep tab on clients who were loyal to British Airways as it would give 'mileage points' to such flyers on the basis of distance travelled in a particular year.

Those points could again be collectively used as currency for buying fresh tickets pertaining to the same company.