Air Canada took my money but no booking ??

[wendlle]

I was using the Air Canada Australia website and booked some flights for almost $4K

At the end after I put in my VISA code that was text to me I got an error code on their website.

Money has been taken from my CC but I called Air Canada and they have no record of my booking - nothing!

Money isn't pending it has been charged.

Air Canada have no idea what to do.

I am not someone who has unlimited funds, this money I really need and I also need to book the flights.

I'm currently on hold with the CC company.

anyone had this issue before??

I did a google search and found this!! OMG this is the EXACT same error I got. Now I am extremely worried.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/retiree-on-the-hook-for-flight-he-unknowingly-booked-1.4906073

 

[Matt_01]

Contacting the CC provider should result in the best outcome. If it is a MC or Visa you should have protection under the non delivery of goods and services clauses.

 

[wendlle]

Contacting the CC provider should result in the best outcome. If it is a MC or Visa you should have protection under the non delivery of goods and services clauses.

Bank said they have definitely released the funds, they said I have to wait 5-10 days to see if that money “drops off” and after that I’ll have to file claims etc that could take months!

I don’t have this kind of money and I need to book flights

 

[ZigZagWanderer]

Bank said they have definitely released the funds, they said I have to wait 5-10 days to see if that money “drops off” and after that I’ll have to file claims etc that could take months!

I don’t have this kind of money and I need to book flights

Most banks will hold the money in escrow for disputes, and you shouldn't be charged interest. If you have enough credit, you should be able to book another flight (probably with another airline?).

I'm surprised at the delay. My bank normally stops payments for non-receipt of service immediately. There should be no dispute from the airline.

 

[Hvr]

Fingers crossed Air Canada don't send you loonie trying to get your money back.

 

[wendlle]

Bank said they have to wait 5-10 days to see if it "drop off" first.
I don't have money to purchase other flights, I save really hard to travel and rarely have surplus funds so will have to wait until this money comes back before I can book again.
I won't be going with Air Canada - I'll have to find an alternative which isn't easy for the flights I want and budget.

 

[Matt_01]

I don't have money to purchase other flights, I save really hard to travel and rarely have surplus funds so will have to wait until this money comes back before I can book again.

As @ZigZagWanderer mentioned if you dispute the charge you money is held in escrow. This will not affect the credit limit or the funds you have available and you will not be charged interest and will not have to make payment (for the AC charge) while the dispute is ongoing.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

When you say the bank says to wait and see if ‘it drops off’, what do they mean? A purchase doesn’t usually ‘drop off’, only a pending transaction would. A pending transaction still means the funds have been ‘released’ or secured for the vendor. But it doesn’t mean they have been taken.

Air Canada couldn’t find anything with your dates and flight number? If there’s nothing there then I’d say you can file a dispute straightaway with the bank if it actually appears as a charge by Air Canada.

The other thing you might be able to do is see if they have a number or email for web support. I couldn’t find anything on their site but maybe their reservations department has a contact?

 

[wendlle]

When you say the bank says to wait and see if ‘it drops off’, what do they mean? A purchase doesn’t usually ‘drop off’, only a pending transaction would. A pending transaction still means the funds have been ‘released’ or secured for the vendor. But it doesn’t mean they have been taken.

Air Canada couldn’t find anything with your dates and flight number? If there’s nothing there then I’d say you can file a dispute straightaway with the bank if it actually appears as a charge by Air Canada.

The other thing you might be able to do is see if they have a number or email for web support. I couldn’t find anything on their site but maybe their reservations department has a contact?

It's just their policy they said. It's not "pending" it's been charged.

I ended up doing my own dispute last night but the issue is they want some sort of proof - but I have nothing! That's the problem, AC have no record of anything so how can I give the bank something.

There is no email for support, they got rid of everything a few months ago apparently after getting too many complaints, they just removed it from the website. They also no longer reply to FB messages or tweets just using a bot to answer inane questions instead.

 

[ZigZagWanderer]

It should be up to the recipient of the funds to prove that the funds were correctly taken. It's not your responsibility to prove otherwise. Go back to your bank with this argument, I would.

 

[Thibault]

On your transaction statement or banking app - are you able to see your ticket number or PNR if the transaction shows as settled ?

Otherwise it should really ‘drop’ from your credit card activity statement.

I’ve found that ANZ and CITI are the slowest to drop pending transactions or credit returned orders.

If you booked directly via AMEX, it evens gives you the segments and booking class when you click on more details.

 

[Vic]

It's just their policy they said. It's not "pending" it's been charged.

I ended up doing my own dispute last night but the issue is they want some sort of proof - but I have nothing! That's the problem, AC have no record of anything so how can I give the bank something.

There is no email for support, they got rid of everything a few months ago apparently after getting too many complaints, they just removed it from the website. They also no longer reply to FB messages or tweets just using a bot to answer inane questions instead.

If they credit card has been charged then the fact that there is no airline ticket should be enough to dispute the charges. I've only ever had to fill in a form to dispute charges, where I say the service/good was not provided. I've never been asked to provide proof. The bank then goes to the vendor to dispute the charge, and it is up to the vendor to prove the service/goods have been provided.

 

[wendlle]

If they credit card has been charged then the fact that there is no airline ticket should be enough to dispute the charges. I've only ever had to fill in a form to dispute charges, where I say the service/good was not provided. I've never been asked to provide proof. The bank then goes to the vendor to dispute the charge, and it is up to the vendor to prove the service/goods have been provided.

how long did it take? Because I disputed the funds on Monday and haven't heard anything

 

[Matt_01]

how long did it take? Because I disputed the funds on Monday and haven't heard anything

It will depend on how long the vendor has to respond to the CC issuer IME it does not happen in a week. As your money is in escrow your balance should not be affected. Normally the funds remain remain in escrow until the matter is resolved and for some charge backs I have done in the past there will be some type of official notification on your statement which is normally backdated to the original transaction. I have only had issues once which I will post about separately and are very different circumstances. Even in that case as the consumer I was not charged as you are normally covered by the CC providers protection by-laws (which I believe they are either insured for or self insured for).

Edit. I also forgot to mention is the time frame in which you dispute the charge. Depending on the CC provider, if it is before the statement is issued you should not have to pay the charge. If disputed post statement issue you may be required to make payment however on subsequent statements the charge amount is rolled over as a credit until the matter is resolved or the credit amount is exhausted.

 

[Matt_01]

If they credit card has been charged then the fact that there is no airline ticket should be enough to dispute the charges. I've only ever had to fill in a form to dispute charges, where I say the service/good was not provided. I've never been asked to provide proof. The bank then goes to the vendor to dispute the charge, and it is up to the vendor to prove the service/goods have been provided.

This has been my experience as well, the only two unusual situations when I have put in a dispute and have had to wait for reimbursement was when an organisation bust and the second was VA1. For the first it was a curtain, blind and shutter supplier so long lead times and around a 30% deposit required. The company went bust, I disputed the charge and was informed I had to wait for the receiver/ liquidator to be appointed. Once appointed I was sent the paperwork asking if I would like the money sent back to my CC, bank deposit or cheque, selected my prefered option and within a few days the money was in my nominated bank account.

The only other challenge was when VA1 went into administration which from what understand is different receivership/ liquidation. I had a number of flights with VA which had been booked and paid for well before covid and going into administration which was just a pain in arss. Going into receivership/ liquidation would have been a far easy outcome but the administrators had a different view. So I just waited for the flights to be cancelled and then put in a dispute. The administrators fought the dispute and after around 60 days which was the required time period, AMEX provided me with the reasons why my dispute was not accepted. The evidence provided by the VA1 administrators was that I had purchased a non refundable tickets and as I had ticked the 'I understand' tick button I was not entitled to a refund.

The administrators had given an undertaking/ promise that all monies paid for flights would be refunded but this turned out to be only under their watch. Somewhere in the T&Cs document there was also also a clause about changes beyond our control which they also put forward. What worked in my favour was there was some clause or a statement on the internet that was worded along the lines of 'if we make changes or cancel a flight' a full refund will be provided. Once this was provided to AMEX full refunds we given to the bank account of my choice. IME the CC provider will find in their customers favour.

Here ends my dissertation/ rant.

 

[wendlle]

What I mean is the bank haven't responded to my dispute. I've heard nothing from them at all about what happened and anything else they need from me.
Ugh I'm so over it, I just want the cash in my account so I can book the tickets.

 

[Vic]

how long did it take? Because I disputed the funds on Monday and haven't heard anything

Amex have been super quick.
Jetstar credit card was a few months. This was for fraudulent activity, like rates on a house I don't own, a parking ticket for a car I don't own, Jetstar even made me declare twice that the charges where false. And the clown who use my card for rates tried to use it again when the rates bill was refudned. But the charges just sat there, I never had to pay anything. Eventually the amounts were refunded onto my account. No hassle

What I mean is the bank haven't responded to my dispute. I've heard nothing from them at all about what happened and anything else they need from me.
Ugh I'm so over it, I just want the cash in my account so I can book the tickets.

Ok, sorry, I don't get what you mean by wanting the cash in your account. If it is a credit card, a true credit card, your money is still in your account. It's credit. Money should not have left your account.
Did you use a debit card?

 

[serfty]

If it is a credit card, a true credit card, your money is still in your account. It's credit. Money should not have left your account.

I suspect its a credit card and a preauthorisation has blocked access to a significant part of the remaining credit limit, so much so there is not enough of the limit left to purchase the desired travel.

 

[Matt_01]

I suspect its a credit card and a preauthorisation has blocked access to a significant part of the remaining credit limit, so much so there is not enough of the limit left to purchase the desired travel.

True however IME once a dispute is raised any charge be it pre authorisation or actual is removed (set aside or escrow) and will/ should not impact the overall credit limit.

 

[serfty]

True however IME once a dispute is raised any charge be it pre authorisation or actual is removed (set aside or escrow) and will/ should not impact the overall credit limit.

I suspect that "pre authorisation or actual is removed (set aside or escrow" has not occurred.