'an issue I have had recently with JetBlue Airlines and Opodo travel agent. They are a bad combination' At a guess, having booking with Opodo rather than JetBlue operations was the source of some of your difficulties.

'Arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare.' Did you complete check in at least two and a half or three hours prior to departure?

'Whilst in the security line ... I was informed by phone that I would not be boarded because the plane could not wait for me.' Had you stopped at the bag drop desk for document check and to complete the check in process, or did you use a boarding pass on your phone and go straight to security?

'Lots of phone calls followed to both the agent and the airline as neither accepted responsibility for my situation.' That's surprising. Although you booked with one of the less than reliable third party booking sites, on departure day control of the ticket should have been with B6 and they should have dealt with rebooking, at least for the tATL sector.

What Opodo had booked for the rest of the trip you don't say, but was it a through ticket or separate tickets? Did B6 put you on the next available flight and provide duty of care whilst waiting for that flight?

'Later I was told that I was not due compensation as my booking had been made in 'cash' (it wasn't - it was made via a debit card)' A debit card is linked to your bank account and as such it was essentially a cash transaction. If you were rebooked with duty of care, what compensation would you expect?

There's a great deal missing here, and it's impossible to know what truly happened. I suspect the chances of you receiving an apology from Opodo are about the same as the odds I will do the Grouse Grind this weekend, ie zero.

This is a troll post surely.... you didn't make it to the gate in time but blame everyone but yourself? Sure....

Did the airline cause security to be slow? No, so why do they owe you anything?

Did you arrive at the airport three hours before departure as is normally requested? I am guessing no. So again why does the airline owe you anything?

"Whilst in the security line ... I was informed by phone that I would not be boarded because the plane could not wait for me."

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This is the first time I've heard of either an airline or online travel agency personally calling a passenger in the security line about their flight. Usually, you'd just find the boarding gate closed if you're not there a certain number of minutes before departure, and the airline or OTA could possibly care less.

Another thing to think of would be how about the hundred more or so other passengers who managed to make the flight?

You just didn't leave enough time to complete the necessary procedures leading you to miss your flight. You have to be at the gate no later than 20 mins prior to departure. Not being there isn't something that you can claim a refund for. Other passengers made it ok.

I've also never heard of anyone being phoned while at the airport to be informed they would miss their flight.

Graham M... I'm astonished at what you have shared in your post... JetBlue informed you that you were going to miss their flight?

If true, I like that. On Sunday at AMS I saw the JetBlue flight boarding for a Boston flight and had a look at some YouTube reviews. I am seriously tempted to fly their Mint Suite which offers great value for a trans Atlantic business class seat.

Now while I cannot see what Opodo did wrong, I will stick to my policy of avoiding them.

Best of luck with prime membership cancellation as I suspect that this will be another sting in the tail for you.

I am guessing the OP called JetBlue to ask them to hold his flight since he was still in the security line. He didn't say JetBlue called him, just he was "informed by phone".

It’s not Opodo & JetBlue that’s a bad combination. It’s you & travel that doesn’t seem to be a good fit, according to what you’ve written.

When did you get your ESTA? When did you add your API to your booking?

Better luck next time, arrive at the airport at the correct time. Security lines can be very long during summer, esp at Gatwick.

And here’s JetBlue’s U.K. freephone number for reservations, no need to call B6 in the US when there’s a local number. This will route your call to B6 in the US. I think you took the instruction to call B6 in the US rather too literally.

0808 234 9058

“At a guess, having booking with Opodo rather than JetBlue operations was the source of some of your difficulties.”

The mind boggles as to how anyone can think the OPs difficulties could be as a result of booking thru an agent vs booking with JetBlue’s “operations”.

"Arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare."

What time did you arrive at the airport and what time was your flight?

"Got my ESTA for transit in the States"

Did you actually do this at the airport, or had you already done that? Is this why you couldn't check in online previously?

"Lots of phone calls followed to both the agent and the airline as neither accepted responsibility for my situation."

I don't see how the agent would be responsible for any of this. They wouldn't have had anything to do with the long security line, the check-in for the airline, your ESTA, or what time you arrived at the airport.