Family dream trip shattered

Alex de Vos
The collapse of a travel agent has shattered the hopes of a Geelong family planning the trip of a lifetime.
The family’s father, who did not want to be identified, said he was “devastated” when he discovered Moorabool Street’s iJourney had closed without warning.
The man expected he would never recoup a $1200 deposit he paid earlier this year on flights to America – a trip he had been planning for 30 years.
“I went into the store to make changes to my itinerary and the store was closed,” he told the Independent.
“There was a sign in the window that said the business had closed due to a death in the family.”
The man said he later called the shopfront’s property manager who confirmed the business had gone into liquidation.
“I wanted to take the kids to Disneyland – it was a dream of mine,” he said.
The man said he called the airline, which told him his seats had been booked but the tickets had not been paid for.
A Consumer Affairs spokesperson said iJourney shut its doors on October 14.
“Angsana Travel, trading as iJourney, was placed in external administration,” the spokesperson said.
“Under the Travel Agents Act 1986, businesses placed in external administration automatically have their travel agent’s licence cancelled.”
The spokesperson urged customers who paid money to iJourney without receiving documents for their trips to contact the Travel Compensation Fund.
The Independent was unable to contact the owner of iJourney over the past week.