The Dunedin woman is disappointed and angry with the way her agency, Christchurch-based Runway Model Management, "let her down'' in getting her to the international Fresh Faces contest.
"It's just been an absolute nightmare,'' Miss Levings (27) said.
"It was extremely stressful to say the least [and] it put me off modelling as a result. You do feel like you're letting people down.''
Miss Levings was set to leave Christchurch airport on a one-way ticket to Barcelona on Saturday but she was told at check-in she needed to have a return ticket to be able to board.
Miss Levings bought the Christchurch to Barcelona ticket herself as she was told she would only be sponsored one way.
Miss Levings said the agency advised her it would have a return ticket organised before she left but an hour before the flight she had had no word from director Marie Rea, despite numerous attempts to contact her.
"She [Ms Rea] wouldn't return my calls. She would only Facebook me. She spent basically an hour stalling me and saying the sponsor was on the line.''
By that stage, Miss Levings' flight was set to leave and she missed it, electing not to buy the return ticket.
Another New Zealand model, Alexander Weber, of Christchurch, used the agency and was in Barcelona competing.
His sponsor, seemingly, was fine.
"Everything sort of seemed to fall into place for [Alex]. I thought ‘Oh well, I will give her the benefit of the doubt'.''
Miss Levings wanted to make sure this did not happen to anyone else and warned people to make thorough checks.
A Runway Model Management contact number was not active when the Otago Daily Times called last night.
A second number went straight to voicemail.
The ODT received an email from the agency on Saturday, shortly after Miss Levings missed her flight, which said the sponsor would "reimburse'' Miss Levings when the ticket was refunded.
"This is very stressful. I am very disappointed in this outcome,'' the email read.
It said the sponsor had inadvertently booked another flight to Barcelona instead of a return flight.
Miss Levings has modelled in Beijing and Thailand.
