Poor customer service, scamming
Complaint
Timothy S. Sepesy
Country: United States
Having read some of the complaints on this site, I am convinced people are being taken advantage of by Cheapoair. I've booked many flights on competitive sites without complaint. Fares and fees were as stated and were better or equal to what I could find on the actual airline sites. However this is not true with my Cheapoair experience. I too was contacted by email after going through the tedious process of booking a round trip flight, the email stating that the fare was no longer available for 2 or 3 different airlines. on the third try i thought i was successful in getting my flight booked, but received an email the following morning stating that the price requested for my itinerary had changed. The first attempt was in the $900 range, the second went up to $1125, and the third if I chose not to cancel was $1153. I was given the option in the email to cancel, forward a copy of the email to tkt@CheapOair.com to confirm authorization of the new suggested flight option, or call customer service for personal assistance. I chose to call customer service. I had trouble getting through but finally reached a customer service rep whose name I can't remember. After she confirmed the flights I had selected she transferred me to another customer service rep and I was immediately cut off. Again I had to wait to get through, explained what had happened to a woman named valentina, and she at least took my phone number to call me back in case we were disconnected. As I was talking to her, again I was disconnected. We are now nearly 40 minutes into the process. Not realizing I had been disconnected, another rep called back on my home phone (I was still holding for Valentina on this line) and confirmed the increased fare and flights. he stated that I would receive a confirmation email with ticket numbers in the next 30 mins. Having just hung up convinced my dilemma was over, I received another call on my cell phone form who I thought was valentiona, stating that she had confirmed the new price and fare. This whole process took nearly an hour. I felt very uneasy about what transpired, thinking I may be double booked, double charged,or both. I did receive email confirmation shortly thereafter at the new $1155 price. At this point I was wondering if I had been scammed into ever increasing fare prices. So I checked the Spirit Airlines site for the flights and fares for the trip I had just secured with CheapOair and found that the same flights are posted on their site for $727.56 a full 40% cheaper than what CheapOair stated was the best price!
Comments
CheapOair Corporate Inc, Office
213 West 35th Street, S 1301
New York, New York 10001
Claim # 6265416 (What happened to this)?
Gentlemen:
Please note the following detailed letter below, I am filing a complaint with you, American Airlines and the Travel
1. I originally booked a flight with you on October 3, 2016 using my credit card with American Airlines, Booking #37931578. You charged me $414.10 (but credit was only $345.20? Where did the $68.90 go to?
2. I had to call and cancel this flight (with a Waldo at CheapOair) on 11/8/16 as my family was in an upheaval over personal affairs and it was not a good time for me to go home.
3. I was sent an Email on 11/8/16 from CheapOair telling me that I could re-book this flight before the next year by 10/3/1016. I did not note that it stated with American Airlines again.
4. At this time I had a $345.20 credit with American Airlines? What happened to the $414.10 ?
5. April 17, 2017........now at this point I am ready to go back home thinking that if I book WAY AHEAD of time I'd get a good rate for July 2017. So I call CheapOair to book again before the 10/03/17 original date of issue on April 17, 2017. I wanted to reschedule my flight for July 14-27 to give me ample time to visit everyone I needed to see. My family, my 93 year old father and friends. At 70 years old and a grandma living on Social Security only, I needed to get home.
6. Now at this point with CheapOair on the phone they started looking into flights, I had stated I needed (2) two weeks to visit. They come back with a United Airlines
Flight from July 14-23.....not 2 weeks, gave me 8 days of visiting time, impossible. Thinking I had 2 weeks that I asked for I left everything in place. My girlfriend emails me and states that I did not have enough time to visit with
everyone. I thought at 70 years old that CheapOair had honored my request for 2 weeks.
7. On top of having less than 2 weeks CheapOair booked this flight with United Airlines (charged me another $255.60) instead of American Airlines, causing me to loose the original $345.20 credit given me by not going through American Airlines again. Not going back after a year to read this, CheapOair KNEW that it had to be booked with American Airlines, so why United???
8. At this point I am so confused and feel I have lost my mind that I have to let you know that I am very upset with your service as well as others that have conveyed their annoyance with you.
9. As of this date 6/15/17 I am re-booked with United Airlines Confirmation # ODLLT4.
10. I also found out that you, CheapOair charged my credit card $89.46 for your services? I was under the impression that the airlines paid you. You don't ever quite explain your policies. Exp: the extra insurance I took out that I thought would cover cancellations, that is why I took it out!
11. I am requesting a credit for $345.20 sent to my original credit card you used or a check sent to the below address. This ticket so far has cost me: $414.10 + $255.60 + $89.46 = $756.16 . I may have missed a few charges here. (United Airlines waived the $200 you were going to charge me as I explained my plight with you, that would have made this ticket $956.16. I am also paying Boutique Air $118.00 to get to Albuquerque and will have to rent a car in Virginia for a few days. Over $1200.00 for one trip to Virginia!
12. I do not believe I am out of order here, I want my $345.20 refunded immediately.
Please contact me immediately as I could use this money for this long awaited family reunion. I will carry this matter further if I am not refunded.
Sincerely,
Christine H. Mann
31 Cedar lane
Mimbres, New Mexico 88049 ph. 575-536-9336 or carvermann101@aol.com
cc: Federal Trade Commission Note (sent copy to Cheapoair Corp. Inc.Office, 213 W. 35th Street
Washington, D.C. S 1301, NY, NY 10001 <<letter returned)!
Who do you complain too, I want, need my $345 back now 7/31/17