I recently bought some tickets to see the singer Usher at the O2 (or North Greenwich Arena if you followed the Olympics). The tickets were quite expensive and there was a similarly over-priced booking fee.
It turns out that Usher decided that being a judge on the USA version of The Voice was more important than singing to his fans in the UK (I don’t consider myself a fan, see My Music). So he has postponed his tour over here.
Ticketmaster, through whom I purchased the tickets, were really good at contacting me about the postponement of the event. I received a text, mobile phone message, home phone message and an email. I have also been refunded the price of the tickets. However, they have kept the booking fee! As far as I can tell I have not actually booked any tickets because they don’t exist anymore and so I should get a full refund.
I do know it is probably in the T&Cs somewhere about them keeping the booking fee. What do they care? If I want to see a band in the future I’m still going to use them. It’s win-win for Ticketmaster.
"Nothing but the rain"