Because her late father loved professional football, Mantua resident Tammie Brittan decided to spend part of her inheritance on a one-day whirlwind trip to Jacksonville Sunday with her husband, Steven Wooton, to see the Eagles play New England in Super Bowl XXXIX.
They would have been much better off if they had stayed home and watched the Eagles' 24-21 loss on TV. To hear them tell it, they went to hell and back in 24 hours.
The couple paid a Florida tour company a staggering $7,200 for a package that included two last-row "upgraded" seats ("We could have jumped off the stadium," Tammie says of how high up they were) and a 610 WIP Radio celebrity party that featured cold food, $8 beers, and no WIP personalities - through no fault of WIP. Their Pan-Am charter departed Philadelphia International late and returned late.
But what most infuriated the Mantua couple and others on the trip was that no one from the tour company ever appeared to offer assistance and answer questions. The travelers were left to figure things out for themselves.
"All I wanted was to go home and let it be over," Tammie says. "I never thought I'd feel that way. The experience was so horrible my husband and I got into a fight."
The Times made repeated Tuesday calls to the tour company, USA Sports Tours (also USA Sports.biz) in St. Petersburg, Fla., but received no call backs. A receptionist said a company spokesperson, Tom Hastings, would return a call after 2 p.m. Tuesday. When he didn't, the Times placed another call and was told Hastings would call back on Wednesday. He didn't.
When the Times tried again Wednesday, the phone was answered by Adam Hawk of Dream Vacations International, which has shared office space with USA Sports Tours since November. Hawk said Hastings had "packed his bags" and left. Hawk also said he had taken "dozens" of angry calls Wednesday from media and USA Sports Tours customers about the Super Bowl Sunday problems.
A bookkeeper for USA Sports Tours, Amy Couch, told the Philadelphia Daily News that customers who paid with credit cards would get refunds this week. She also said a ticketbroker not associated with her company failed to deliver tickets and skipped town.
http://www.nj.com/news/gloucester/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1108026911144400.xml
They would have been much better off if they had stayed home and watched the Eagles' 24-21 loss on TV. To hear them tell it, they went to hell and back in 24 hours.
The couple paid a Florida tour company a staggering $7,200 for a package that included two last-row "upgraded" seats ("We could have jumped off the stadium," Tammie says of how high up they were) and a 610 WIP Radio celebrity party that featured cold food, $8 beers, and no WIP personalities - through no fault of WIP. Their Pan-Am charter departed Philadelphia International late and returned late.
But what most infuriated the Mantua couple and others on the trip was that no one from the tour company ever appeared to offer assistance and answer questions. The travelers were left to figure things out for themselves.
"All I wanted was to go home and let it be over," Tammie says. "I never thought I'd feel that way. The experience was so horrible my husband and I got into a fight."
The Times made repeated Tuesday calls to the tour company, USA Sports Tours (also USA Sports.biz) in St. Petersburg, Fla., but received no call backs. A receptionist said a company spokesperson, Tom Hastings, would return a call after 2 p.m. Tuesday. When he didn't, the Times placed another call and was told Hastings would call back on Wednesday. He didn't.
When the Times tried again Wednesday, the phone was answered by Adam Hawk of Dream Vacations International, which has shared office space with USA Sports Tours since November. Hawk said Hastings had "packed his bags" and left. Hawk also said he had taken "dozens" of angry calls Wednesday from media and USA Sports Tours customers about the Super Bowl Sunday problems.
A bookkeeper for USA Sports Tours, Amy Couch, told the Philadelphia Daily News that customers who paid with credit cards would get refunds this week. She also said a ticketbroker not associated with her company failed to deliver tickets and skipped town.
http://www.nj.com/news/gloucester/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1108026911144400.xml