AIRLINE BOOKING SCAM
Complaint
CHRISTINA
Country: United States
CHEAPOAIR.COM is definitely a very poor company and I strongly urge ANYONE reading this to NOT use there "service".
On July 9th I went to CheapOair.com to purchase a ticket and was provided with a Reservation ID and a booking number. Now, I also went directly to the airline's website to verify the prices, and they were accurate, BUT Cheapoair was offering a $10 instant coupon so I figured I would purchase the ticket through them and not directly with the airline itself.
A few hours go by and I did not receive my ticket so I called them. I was on hold for 15 minutes and then was "disconnected". I then called back and after another 30 minutes was told by a representative that they were "processing' it and I should have a ticket shortly. A few hours later I call back. I waited 30 minutes on hold and once the representative asked me "do you really need a morning flight"? At this point, I'm thinking something is obviously wrong. Apparently, they were unable to offer me the ticket that I had purchased and booked. I requested to speak to a manager and was transferred to SHAW. He would not provide a last name. He basically kept giving the run around and tried to continuously blame the airlines. I told him that if I had NOT used the CheapOAir service and directly booked with the airline that I would have had a ticket so what reason do I have to use his service ever again if they can't provide what they advertise and promote? He did not have an answer. I made him give me a written confirmation that I would not be charged. I also requested the name of a superior. He declined to give me any names so that I could formally complain and told me to send a generic email to their feedback@cheapair.com. I gave him ample notice that I was going to post my story anywhere I could to warn other consumers that this website does not provide the services it charges to the customer!!!!!!
On July 9th I went to CheapOair.com to purchase a ticket and was provided with a Reservation ID and a booking number. Now, I also went directly to the airline's website to verify the prices, and they were accurate, BUT Cheapoair was offering a $10 instant coupon so I figured I would purchase the ticket through them and not directly with the airline itself.
A few hours go by and I did not receive my ticket so I called them. I was on hold for 15 minutes and then was "disconnected". I then called back and after another 30 minutes was told by a representative that they were "processing' it and I should have a ticket shortly. A few hours later I call back. I waited 30 minutes on hold and once the representative asked me "do you really need a morning flight"? At this point, I'm thinking something is obviously wrong. Apparently, they were unable to offer me the ticket that I had purchased and booked. I requested to speak to a manager and was transferred to SHAW. He would not provide a last name. He basically kept giving the run around and tried to continuously blame the airlines. I told him that if I had NOT used the CheapOAir service and directly booked with the airline that I would have had a ticket so what reason do I have to use his service ever again if they can't provide what they advertise and promote? He did not have an answer. I made him give me a written confirmation that I would not be charged. I also requested the name of a superior. He declined to give me any names so that I could formally complain and told me to send a generic email to their feedback@cheapair.com. I gave him ample notice that I was going to post my story anywhere I could to warn other consumers that this website does not provide the services it charges to the customer!!!!!!
Comments
if you would like me to look into it email:
randrews@cheapoair.com
provide the booking number and place blog in the subject line.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them as booking agents - I am currently researching them again for more upcoming trips. Book with confidence.....
Adele Dewar
I booked (CheapOair Booking # 5937747) round trip:
From: Houston Intercontinental, US (IAH)
To: Shanghai Pu Dong, CN (PVG) Depart:
Sun, Jun 05, 2011
7:30 am - 6:45 pm (+1 day) (1 Stop)
Return: Sun, Jul 03, 2011
2:50 pm - 11:15 pm (1 Stop) Flight MU583
Notice the Return Flight MU583 Departure time 2:50pm. But actually it's 1:00pm. So I missed it when I got to PVG at 12:40pm, July 3, 2011. So I have to stay and wait for next day flight and costed me $200. I requested CheapOair to pay that cost for me. I called their Customer Service (866-636-9088) at 7/14/2011, eventually Foster talked with me, he said it's not CheapOair fault since the flight MU583 just changed their departure time on July 1st, 2011. After talking with Foster I searched and found out that the Departure time of MU583 was 1:00pm, June 30, 2011
even one year ago it's departure time was 1:20pm, July 3, 2010
I have all material here from my research work.
Today (7/22/2011) I tried to talk with CheapOAir, spent hours to wait/hold and dial again and again since hang up by CheapOAir Customer Service several times (hope just accidently disconnected). Now I don't know where and whom I could report this issue.
Hope to get some info here to help me out.
Thanks
We are very sorry for the inconvenience the schedule change has caused!
Regards,
CheapOair.com
Customer Support
randrews@cheapoair.com
place your 7 digit booking number and Blog in the subject line.
Regards,
CheapOair.com
Customer Support
I called their customer service line and was told that their site had some technical difficulties and did not update in time. How is this my fault? Instead of charging me the extra and punishing me for your site's inadequacies why not go straight to the cause of the problem and get the money lost from them.
After speaking with customer service I was told that someone would call me back within the hour. Two hours later when no one had called me back I called them back. Received the same line - "No I can't transfer you to a supervisor, no I don't have the manager's number, someone will call you". As I write this it is coming up to 3 hours and no response from Cheapoair. The more I speak with their customer service team the less I am impressed with their business etiquette. I sincerely hope that they get their act together and start behaving with a little more respect and professionalism.