RIPOFF ALERT! Sorry for the thread derail, but this is an abhorrent and scummy scam on the part of the travel agent.
Don't most travel agents allow you to pay in instalments without charging interest? Why not just do that instead? When I flew to South Africa for my sister's wedding years ago (me, husband, two kids) we paid a deposit and then I paid it off over about 6 months. And no, there was no interest involved. The only downside was if the airfares had gone up (they didn't) we would have had to pay the higher price.
Primm, you were snookered. You thought you were financing your trip, but you had unwittingly given your travel agent a free financial option on the price of air travel.
Let's demonstrate with an illustrative story. And for you sci-fi buffs, it features an alternative universe!
Market price of 4 tickets to South Africa departing in 6 months is (for example) $3,000.
"Welcome to Scammy Al's Travel! Yes m'am, we'd sure be happy to part with these here tickets for $3,000. We won't even charge you interest like some of those thieven' banks! Only catch is, if the price for these beauties goes up, we'll have to charge you the difference. It's only fair, you know."
Fast forward 6 months....
Market price of tickets has climbed to $3,600. Scammy Al purchases the tickets for $3,600 and delivers them to the customer.
"Well shucks, looks like you cowpokes owe us six hundred more big ones. But there ain't no shame in honoring a fair deal, like my grandpappy always used to say. Leastaways there ain't no interest involved in this here transaction."
Fast forward 6 months and change over to an alternate universe....
Market price of tickets has fallen to $2,400. Scammy Al purchases them for $2,400.
"Well, just like we promised, here's 4 tickets to South Africa. I see you folks have paid me exactly $3,000 over the last 6 months so we're all square. My word is oak and I always honor a deal. Mighty fine doing business with you folks!"
<Door closes behind Primm and Scammy Al fans out $600 in crisp $100 bills>
"Yeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw!!!!!!!"