diff --git a/retrieval_service/datastore/providers/spanner_postgres.py b/retrieval_service/datastore/providers/spanner_postgres.py
index c35af8c2..8ebdd347 100644
--- a/retrieval_service/datastore/providers/spanner_postgres.py
+++ b/retrieval_service/datastore/providers/spanner_postgres.py
@@ -828,9 +828,6 @@ async def validate_ticket(
         departure_airport: str,
         departure_time: str,
     ) -> tuple[Optional[models.Flight], Optional[str]]:
-        departure_time_datetime = datetime.datetime.strptime(
-            departure_time, "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"
-        )
         with self.__database.snapshot() as snapshot:
             # Spread SQL query for readability
             results = snapshot.execute_sql(
@@ -845,7 +842,7 @@ async def validate_ticket(
                     "p1": airline,
                     "p2": flight_number,
                     "p3": departure_airport,
-                    "p4": departure_time_datetime,
+                    "p4": departure_time,
                 },
                 param_types={
                     "p1": param_types.STRING,
@@ -865,6 +862,8 @@ async def validate_ticket(
             for a in results
         ]
 
+        if not flights:
+            return None, None
         return flights[0], None
 
     async def insert_ticket(
diff --git a/retrieval_service/datastore/providers/spanner_postgres_test.py b/retrieval_service/datastore/providers/spanner_postgres_test.py
index 1c043d79..0dcd7648 100644
--- a/retrieval_service/datastore/providers/spanner_postgres_test.py
+++ b/retrieval_service/datastore/providers/spanner_postgres_test.py
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ async def test_policies_search(
             departure_gate="C38",
             arrival_gate="D30",
         ),
-        'SELECT *<br/>FROM flights<br/>WHERE airline ILIKE UA<br/><div class="indent"></div>AND flight_number ILIKE 1158<br/><div class="indent"></div>AND departure_airport ILIKE SFO<br/><div class="indent"></div>AND departure_time = 2024-01-01 05:57:00',
+        None,
     ),
     pytest.param(
         {