Fly365 - Gone!

[Sabot]

Who even uses an agency in 2020?

 

[SOPOOR]

Offtopic I know, but stories like this make me think how safe is it book a hotel via agoda/booking.com etc.
as ive never even given it a second thought when booking a hotel with them

obviously the chances of these companies folding are far lower

 

[Pushka]

Offtopic I know, but stories like this make me think how safe is it book a hotel via agoda/booking.com etc.
as ive never even given it a second thought when booking a hotel with them

obviously the chances of these companies folding are far lower

I usually select those where I don’t pay until
arrival. So far, and I use booking.com a lot, I’ve not had any issues.

 

[ozfflyer]

Who even uses an agency in 2020?

saw figure of 65% of airline bookings in Australia made via agents. May have been referring to international flights only.

Agents often have deals online can't even get close to.

Am sure the Flight Centres of this world are offered deals to push 1 airline or 1 route & either given exclusive to low fare or allocations at low price.

Big difference in searching for flights & talking to someone who might say, instead of flying A to B with airline C, if you flew A to B via D with airline E, you'll save $1000 each. Might involve a stopover at D, but with that $1000 more than pays for a few nights stop. Happened to us when going to USA a few years ago.

 

[ozfflyer]

I usually select those where I don’t pay until
arrival. So far, and I use booking.com a lot, I’ve not had any issues.

then you pay much more. Prepaid non-refundable rates are almost always much cheaper (through a wholesaler)

Nothing to say any OTA couldn't go under. Bookings for all travel businesses seem to be taking a big nose dive right now. It's all about overheads & if they have to continue to pay staff when things slow down.

 

[p--and--t]

saw figure of 65% of airline bookings in Australia made via agents.

Lots of mums & dads & infrequent flyers go to Fright Centre, get fooled by the multiple brands and dubious "low price assurances" and don't read the T&Cs on fees and charges. Possibly also a bit of "too big to fail" thinking as well.

 

[Pushka]

then you pay much more. Prepaid non-refundable rates are almost always much cheaper (through a wholesaler)

Nothing to say any OTA couldn't go under. Bookings for all travel businesses seem to be taking a big nose dive right now. It's all about overheads & if they have to continue to pay staff when things slow down.

Of course. However given what is going to happen with our July trip in Europe the one booking I did that was non refundable (in Italy) is likely going to be the one I’ll end up not going to. So I’ve blown my dough. However likely the prices will drop on the refundable ones so I’ll catch up then.

 

[ozfflyer]

Lots of mums & dads & infrequent flyers go to Fright Centre, get fooled by the multiple brands and dubious "low price assurances" and don't read the T&Cs on fees and charges. Possibly also a bit of "too big to fail" thinking as well.

Flight Centre is they get some low priced deal from an airline, aren't going to advertise it, unless they get an exclusive & they're there to make money like everyone else & will push it if good margin to be made.

 

[Happy Dude]

Absolutely true and I suspect many will have to fight through the first BS refusal that any bank may offer. I’m going to have a chat with the son and DIL and make sure they fight any refusal to the max. Until it’s in your bank it’s not there!

According to some posters on the Bestjet Fiasco FB page (which I followed even though I wasn't an affected customer), the banks can and did withdraw refunds, generally when Bestjet claimed the tickets had been paid for. Many banks paid a refund at the start of the process with the caveat that it's not final. Getting evidence from the airlines that a ticket was valid or had even been paid for, in order to demonstrate Bestjet was lying, was either problematic or not possible.

Cancelling valid tickets without informing the traveller, and collecting the refund as a last ditch cash grab, was also very common in the Bestjet situation.

It's easy to conclude that, due to the striking similarities, there may be a link between Bestjet and Fly365.

 

[SOPOOR]

According to some posters on the Bestjet Fiasco FB page (which I followed even though I wasn't an affected customer), the banks can and did withdraw refunds, generally when Bestjet claimed the tickets had been paid for. Many banks paid a refund at the start of the process with the caveat that it's not final. Getting evidence from the airlines that a ticket was valid or had even been paid for, in order to demonstrate Bestjet was lying, was either problematic or not possible.

Cancelling valid tickets without informing the traveller, and collecting the refund as a last ditch cash grab, was also very common in the Bestjet situation.

It's easy to conclude that, due to the striking similarities, there may be a link between Bestjet and Fly365.

If they have issued you tickets and deliberately refunded tickets for cash
that is absolutely disgusting behaviour and I think there should be a criminal or fraud implications

 

[ozfflyer]

airlines don't refund non-refundable fares & think most of the bestjet/fly365 fares sold would be non-refundable..

Generally only times airlines refund non-refundable fares is when someone dies

 

[p--and--t]

According to some posters on the Bestjet Fiasco FB page (which I followed even though I wasn't an affected customer), the banks can and did withdraw refunds, generally when Bestjet claimed the tickets had been paid for. Many banks paid a refund at the start of the process with the caveat that it's not final. Getting evidence from the airlines that a ticket was valid or had even been paid for, in order to demonstrate Bestjet was lying, was either problematic or not possible.

Cancelling valid tickets without informing the traveller, and collecting the refund as a last ditch cash grab, was also very common in the Bestjet situation.

It's easy to conclude that, due to the striking similarities, there may be a link between Bestjet and Fly365.

From the Guardian....

The company’s [Bestjet] former general manager, Scott Mayne, is also a director of Fly365, according to documents lodged with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.

 

[Happy Dude]

From the Guardian....

The company’s [Bestjet] former general manager, Scott Mayne, is also a director of Fly365, according to documents lodged with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.

Time for a new line of work Mr Mayne.

 

[Pushka]

Time for a new line of work Mr Mayne.

Cracking rocks open as a prisoner comes to mind.

 

[ozfflyer]

Cracking rocks open as a prisoner comes to mind.

unfortunately there's no law about being an incompetent money manager


even Flight Centre with their high margins are finding things tough.

Maybe they'll close shops & get more working from home to reduce overheads.

in todays Bris courier mail

Flight Centre records sharp fall in profit as airline war rages
As the nation’s largest travel agency records a steep fall in profit, it tips the coronavirus epidemic will have a long-lasting affect on the industry.

Category: | The Courier Mail

www.couriermail.com.au

net profit for 6 months to Dec down 74%

 

[SOPOOR]

unfortunately there's no law about being an incompetent money manager


even Flight Centre with their high margins are finding things tough.

Maybe they'll close shops & get more working from home to reduce overheads.

in todays Bris courier mail

Flight Centre records sharp fall in profit as airline war rages
As the nation’s largest travel agency records a steep fall in profit, it tips the coronavirus epidemic will have a long-lasting affect on the industry.

Category: | The Courier Mail

www.couriermail.com.au

net profit for 6 months to Dec down 74%

good! I find flight centres past and historical behaviour apalling, and I am surprised they are still around

 

[DC3]

.. I find flight centres past and historical behaviour apalling, and I am surprised they are still around

Unfortunately, many out there just don’t get it.

 

[ozfflyer]

good! I find flight centres past and historical behaviour apalling, and I am surprised they are still around

they are so big now, they'll be around for long time. They demand & get huge commissions from suppliers inc airlines, so they can discount & still make money, so small guy has to be better with service.

 

[Matt_01]

When payments are made by credit cards, the merchant bank retains a percentage of every payment in case of refund. CBA is apparently the merchants card provider and they are being rather difficult to deal with. It is the claimants bank who has to deal with them. ANZ customers however have already received refunds. Westpac is refusing some stating they have to wait until the day of the flight. It seems it’s a case of HUACA or threaten escalation if the banks are fiddling with people’s claims. ING were ok to deal with so far.

I also thought it was part of the by-laws with MasterCard, Visa and Amex. From memory it comes under One of the clauses that covers the Non-delivery of Goods and Services. If customers have the appropriate paperwork provided by the administrators banks will normally refund in a timely manner.

 

[ozfflyer]

I also thought it was part of the by-laws with MasterCard, Visa and Amex. From memory it comes under One of the clauses that covers the Non-delivery of Goods and Services. If customers have the appropriate paperwork provided by the administrators banks will normally refund in a timely manner.

but bank has to watch out for scammers who got their flights & still ask for refund or those who's credit card was used but they didn't fly