problem booking with Best flights

[lombard18]

I guess it's a good example of buyer beware and how saving $100 up front might just cost you alot more in the long run.

TG

yes, TG - I'd like to think I've learned my lesson - although it was a lot more than $100

 

[crow]

Dear TG,

Thank you for taking the time to write me a comprehensive reply.

We are on the same wavelength, as I already have done exactly as you have recommended.
AFTA are useless - they spoke to the supervisor at best flights, and emailed, but came up against a brick wall, as BF simply asserted that they would be standing by their 'updated' terms and conditions.
AFTA told me that they are not a regulatory body, so they can't enforce anything.
I told them they publicize on their website how important it is to choose an AFTA travel agent, as agents affiliated with AFTA are bound to comply with AFTA's code of ethics.....what a joke! I told the girl at AFTA that if they had any credibility at all, they should contact BF and threated them with suspension or expulsion.

Last year when I was ripped off by an agent I approached AFTA and they just ignored me.

They did not respond to my snail mail, email or phone calls however they discussed my complaint with the agent in question as the agent told me when they took delight in pointing out to me that it is no good complaining to AFTA as their code of ethics is not enforceable at law.

Their mission statement and code of ethics is a joke and their credo of "Value, Integrity, Protection" could not be further from the truth.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi all

I too had a run in with bestflights - they charged me a good $300 fee on top of the advertised cancellation fee. I phoned them and they refunded it for me next day (but it was a full fare ticket so they really had little room to argue any airline fees applied!)

Bestflights IS an excellent source of information for comparing fares. I don't think there is another site that lists all the economy and biz/first fares in easy to read drop-down tables.

That being said, I will always then book through someone like, (dare I say it...), Frightcentre, where they will match the fare, and you get face-to-face service. Or, of course, direct through the airlines.

regards

mel t

 

[lombard18]

Last year when I was ripped off by an agent I approached AFTA and they just ignored me.

They did not respond to my snail mail, email or phone calls however they discussed my complaint with the agent in question as the agent told me when they took delight in pointing out to me that it is no good complaining to AFTA as their code of ethics is not enforceable at law.

Their mission statement and code of ethics is a joke and their credo of "Value, Integrity, Protection" could not be further from the truth.

wow!! more and more I'm not feeling like Robinson Crusoe
are we living in some 3rd world country where anyone can do anything, or are there laws here?
it really looks like its all mirrors!!

 

[lombard18]

Hi all

I too had a run in with bestflights - they charged me a good $300 fee on top of the advertised cancellation fee. I phoned them and they refunded it for me next day (but it was a full fare ticket so they really had little room to argue any airline fees applied!)

Bestflights IS an excellent source of information for comparing fares. I don't think there is another site that lists all the economy and biz/first fares in easy to read drop-down tables.

That being said, I will always then book through someone like, (dare I say it...), Frightcentre, where they will match the fare, and you get face-to-face service. Or, of course, direct through the airlines.

regards

mel t

thanks mel,
my usual travel agent IS a Flight Centre.
I do similar to you. I do my own research, get my best prices and THEN 99.9% of the time they will beat it.....its just that on this occasion, they couldn't come close - that should have been a message for me.
Anyway, as long as we have learned the lesson NEVER to use best flights again.

 

[Travel Guru]

thanks mel,
my usual travel agent IS a Flight Centre.
I do similar to you. I do my own research, get my best prices and THEN 99.9% of the time they will beat it.....its just that on this occasion, they couldn't come close - that should have been a message for me.
Anyway, as long as we have learned the lesson NEVER to use best flights again.

If Flight Centre won't beat a price you've got, it should set off alarm bells to let you know something isn't right.

Flight Centre will beat another price even when it means losing money on the booking, UNLESS, they know you've been misquoted or something doesn't gel, but for any other package, they'll beat it and lose money on it if necessary (sometimes hundreds, even thousands) just to save their competitor getting the same and profit.

TG

 

[Dave Noble]

thanks mel,
my usual travel agent IS a Flight Centre.
I do similar to you. I do my own research, get my best prices and THEN 99.9% of the time they will beat it.....its just that on this occasion, they couldn't come close - that should have been a message for me.
Anyway, as long as we have learned the lesson NEVER to use best flights again.

Im a bit confused here. There was no issue with the booking other than their changing the cancellation policy on you ; it didn't suggest that the fare was no valid. If you hadn't wanted to cancel it sounds like you would have had a good deal

Dave

 

[lombard18]

Im a bit confused here. There was no issue with the booking other than their changing the cancellation policy on you ; it didn't suggest that the fare was no valid. If you hadn't wanted to cancel it sounds like you would have had a good deal

Dave

No Dave,

Either i didn't make myself clear, or you misunderstood.
THEY CHANGED THE CANCELLATION POLICY from a $ amount [a lot]...which I was prepared to wear, to a 100% CANCELLATION FEE.
They pulled this changed SIX MONTHS after I had paid.
The ORIGINAL terms and Conditions were given to me in writing - there was also no mention of them reserving the right to change the cancellation policy

 

[Dave Noble]

No Dave,

Either i didn't make myself clear, or you misunderstood.
THEY CHANGED THE CANCELLATION POLICY from a $ amount [a lot]...which I was prepared to wear, to a 100% CANCELLATION FEE.
They pulled this changed SIX MONTHS after I had paid.
The ORIGINAL terms and Conditions were given to me in writing - there was also no mention of them reserving the right to change the cancellation policy

I think that you are missing my point. You were indicating that the price should have set alarm bells off.... There is nothing to suggest that if you hadn't wanted to cancel but had travelled, that there would have been any issue.

Dave

 

[lombard18]

I think that you are missing my point. You were indicating that the price should have set alarm bells off.... There is nothing to suggest that if you hadn't wanted to cancel but had travelled, that there would have been any issue.

Dave

correct...but the point is, as it happened we did cancel+ it is unethical to go and change conditions on you after you have paid

 

[Travel Guru]

correct...but the point is, as it happened we did cancel+ it is unethical to go and change conditions on you after you have paid

Unethical and bordering on illegal I would have thought.

One party can't change the terms of a contract one the contract has been for intense and purposes signed and sealed.

Fight it all the way, the bad press alone should make it worth it, but I don't see how they have any chance of defending a court action, they're just betting that you won't.

TG

 

[lombard18]

Unethical and bordering on illegal I would have thought.

One party can't change the terms of a contract one the contract has been for intense and purposes signed and sealed.

Fight it all the way, the bad press alone should make it worth it, but I don't see how they have any chance of defending a court action, they're just betting that you won't.

TG

Thanks TG,
Thats what I would have thought.
But I have dealt extensively with AFTA - zero
I have dealt with Travelscene [their travel group]-nil
I have even put in an official complaint with the WA consumer dept-zilch
I have also [after warning them] listed them on the NotGoodenough website.
I have repotred them to Today-Tonight-silence and no reply
I am either coming up against brick walls and silence, or simply told to take them to court.
This is truly unbelievable

 

[jpk]

Given the high cancellation fees, can I ask why you didn't just change dates (less of a fee) to something much later when you may have been able to go? Or was that not just possible...

Change fees that high seem excessive.

 

[lombard18]

Given the high cancellation fees, can I ask why you didn't just change dates (less of a fee) to something much later when you may have been able to go? Or was that not just possible...

Change fees that high seem excessive.

well spotted jpk,

In fact this is the really silly part of it all.
There were the 3 of us booked.
We told them that we would be able to, in all probability, rebook for 2 of us, but the third, my son, is doing his final year next year, which makes it unlikely that he can travel overseas.
So, these, stupid people, are making all this fuss, are prepared to give themselves a bad reputation, all for a total amount of $349.
I'm sure you'll agree, this is almost irrelevant in the scheme of things, when you consider that the total booking was around $7g AND they already hit us for a change fee of $385 per ticket [=$1155], just to come back 4 days earlier....so how absolutely DUMB and GREEDY is it...all for $349.....
Yes, best flights, are NOT the best, but they sure ARE the dumbest!!

 

[Mal]

Yes, best flights, are NOT the best, but they sure ARE the dumbest!!

The reports of excessive change fees are quite common. Eventually consumers will realise just how much things cost when things go wrong with BestFlights and will stay away.

Until then, all people can do is to warn friends about them. Perhaps they'll realise eventually.

 

[Dave Noble]

I agree that trying to impose new terms is wrong , however on things like change and cancellation penalties, these are things that are agreed to when making the booking. If the change fees are too high then book elsewhere. It is up to people to check terms when making bookings and decide at the time if they are ok with them

If they impose fees as per the agreement, I see no grounds to have complaint

Dave

 

[lombard18]

The reports of excessive change fees are quite common. Eventually consumers will realise just how much things cost when things go wrong with BestFlights and will stay away.

Until then, all people can do is to warn friends about them. Perhaps they'll realise eventually.

no, the thing is, I knew what the cancellation fees were when I booked 7 months ago, and even though they were excessive, I went in with my eyes open, because I had no thoughts of cancelling...BUT THEY CHANGED THE CANCELLATION TERMS AFTER I BOOKED AND PAID

 

[lombard18]

I agree that trying to impose new terms is wrong , however on things like change and cancellation penalties, these are things that are agreed to when making the booking. If the change fees are too high then book elsewhere. It is up to people to check terms when making bookings and decide at the time if they are ok with them

If they impose fees as per the agreement, I see no grounds to have complaint

Dave

you are 100% correct, Dave.
I went into it with my eyes open, and I would have no grounds for complaint IF they would have honoured their terms 'as per the agreement', HOWEVER they have NOT honoured them and have decided to stick with their 'revised' terms, that they imposed UNILATERALLY, many months after I bought the tickets

 

[jgm]

Did you pay by credit card? If so, you may be able to dispute the transaction as "transaction amount differs" (they can't go into contract issues).

 

[lombard18]

beautiful...now we get this reply back from WA Consumer protection saying that since best flights claim they were given wrong information from their wholesaler, they are still not liable as they 'acted in good faith'.
Wow! I never realised that acting in good faith is a bonafide defence.
I should mention this to all the suicide bombers in the world that since they are acting 'in good faith' then thats okay.
So now best flights are just saying that since their wholesaler gave them the wrong information - which the wholesaler denies - then they have no responsibility
the whole thing stinks, and there is no regulatory board or authority to make them accountable