Ripped off by Alpha Flight Guru

[Hvr]

An addition to my posting: Alpha Flight Guru have come to the party and arranged a full refund for us.Our original healthy and happy opinion of them remains, as when I posted a review on plus.google which said:
"We were skeptical at first because of the huge savings we were going to make compared to other quotes, but we know now it was genuine and have had exceptional service from our agent. Very happy couple. Will use again for sure."

I think this was a situation of unfortunate events.....a change at last minute in flight whilst we were in transit with no communication device.....one can ask no more than a complete refund for the additional ticket and we are thus still in savings on fares of over $2,000. I jumped the gun with my complaint and apologize to Alpha Flight Guru.

Please do let us know when (if) the refund arrives.

And would you really use them again?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I think this was a situation of unfortunate events.....a change at last minute in flight whilst we were in transit with no communication device.....one can ask no more than a complete refund for the additional ticket and we are thus still in savings on fares of over $2,000. I jumped the gun with my complaint and apologize to Alpha Flight Guru.

Just playing devils advocate for a minute - it may appear that you received 'savings of $2K' compared to a published retail fare that would earn full frequent flyer points and status credits however that's not comparing apples with apples.

I would estimate the net cost to AFG was probably 2.5K per person for which you've been charged 5K per person. I wouldn't be too quick with your all is forgiven stance & would encourage you to purchase your own miles & do it yourself or you can even pay companies to book your award travel sometimes for around $150.00 per ticket which is a fraction of the cost AFG will charge you.

it would be great if AFG is reading this if they could respond directly and tell us (well me... dunno if anyone else is interested ) exactly how this all works, where the airfares are coming from, what terms and conditions apply etc etc.

I would be interested as well because appears they purchase points under the guise of 'companies sell off unwanted/unused points' which I think is an urban myth they use to somehow try to legitimise the whole deal.

Who are all these companies out there who sell these points so willingly are how to they acquire them to begin with?

I believe AFG tickets are award redemption tickets that they make a mint on as they are only knocking off about 2K from what the advertised J price is at the time hence the 'save thousands of dollars' bit.

If you do it yourself through US DM or Avianca. Life Miles it would cost you approx $2,500.00 so if AFG are charging about 5K return to Europe they are quite conceivably making about 2.5K in commission as well.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Markis: a registered seller of travel does not make them a legitimate travel agent.

 

[markis10]

Markis: a registered seller of travel does not make them a legitimate travel agent.

It does in the eyes of California law where there is no "travel agent" definition but in fact is called a seller of travel, which just like here requires registration which is not possible unless your also part of the compensation fund, TCRC > Home.

Thats probably a lot more legitimate than say buying a ticket of any NT agency, where there are no such compensation fund memberships required.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

It does in the eyes of California law where there is no "travel agent" definition but in fact is called a seller of travel, which just like here requires registration which is not possible unless your also part of the compensation fund, TCRC > Home.

Thats probably a lot more legitimate than say buying a ticket of any NT agency, where there are no such compensation fund memberships required.

I find it hilarious you would say that a travel agent in NT selling normal airfares booked through a GDS is less legitimate than an online scam operation fraudulently selling tickets they KNOW they are not allowed to sell. But as always Markis, there is little point in arguing with you.

 

[markis10]

I find it hilarious you would say that a travel agent in NT selling normal airfares booked through a GDS is less legitimate than an online scam operation fraudulently selling tickets they KNOW they are not allowed to sell. But as always Markis, there is little point in arguing with you.

I am not sure the customers of Travelscene American Express in Darwin are laughing:

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2012/02/09/287811_ntnews.html

Its up to governments to regulate and protect customers, the illegitimate would seem to find it harder in California than the NT, as always cavet emptor.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I am not sure the customers of Travelscene American Express in Darwin are laughing:

Travel agent sought after money missing | News | NT News | Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia | ntnews.com.au

Its up to governments to regulate and protect customers, the illegitimate would seem to find it harder in California than the NT, as always cavet emptor.

I know you LOVE to prove your point but seriously this has nothing to do with the post. The fact is AFG are a dodgy operator and what happened to some customers in Darwin at another completely unrelated travel agency is totally irrelevant.

 

[NM]

An addition to my posting: Alpha Flight Guru have come to the party and arranged a full refund for us.Our original healthy and happy opinion of them remains, as when I posted a review on plus.google which said:
"We were skeptical at first because of the huge savings we were going to make compared to other quotes, but we know now it was genuine and have had exceptional service from our agent. Very happy couple. Will use again for sure."

I think this was a situation of unfortunate events.....a change at last minute in flight whilst we were in transit with no communication device.....one can ask no more than a complete refund for the additional ticket and we are thus still in savings on fares of over $2,000. I jumped the gun with my complaint and apologize to Alpha Flight Guru.

Hi wysewuns

Thanks for the follow-up post. One question, if I may? Was this followup a requirement for you to receive the refund from AFG? Hmm, i suppose if it was, you won't be able to tell us. It just seems a complete turn-around given your initial post on the topic, including refusal to compensate.

You mention that they have "arranged a full refund ...". Is this a refund of your original payment to them, or a refund of a last-minute business class fare you paid for your flight when the original ticket was cancelled?

 

[phily]

An addition to my posting: Alpha Flight Guru have come to the party and arranged a full refund for us. Our original healthy and happy opinion of them remains, as when I posted a review on plus.google which said: "We were skeptical at first because of the huge savings we were going to make compared to other quotes, but we know now it was genuine and have had exceptional service from our agent. Very happy couple. Will use again for sure."

Have you actually received the full refund yet? If not, then I and others here will remain sceptical. Please let us know when you receive your full refund.

 

[syorston]

Fly Luxury for Less and Alpha flight Guru

Hi,

Does anyone have experience with these companies? Any recommendations or advice?

Sometimes I feel tempted to give them a try but I wonder what the airlines think?

Any ideas?

Thanks, SY

 

[Cynicor]

Re: Fly Luxury for Less and Alpha flight Guru

Did you not read the thread? Do a search on the site too, but the sentiment is almost unanimous- stay away!

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Gosh, I remember a couple fo years ago inquring with them for a flight.

They couldn't quite do what I wanted then kept ringing me to try and get me to agree to the flight.

Very glad they couldn't do what I wanted.

 

[eric2011]

Re: Fly Luxury for Less and Alpha flight Guru

Hi,

Does anyone have experience with these companies? Any recommendations or advice?

Sometimes I feel tempted to give them a try but I wonder what the airlines think?

Any ideas?

Thanks, SY

In a word.......Don't

 

[eric2011]

Gosh, I remember a couple fo years ago inquring with them for a flight.

They couldn't quite do what I wanted then kept ringing me to try and get me to agree to the flight.

Very glad they couldn't do what I wanted.

I was lucky and didn't give them my phone number however they got my email address and that's bad enough. Sad thing is that its my real, normal one and not one of the dodgy ones I use for this sort of thing where it doesn't matter if you need to burn the address and start a new one

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

This is making me a little paranoid I might get into trouble for using my LM account to book flights for 3 friends to go to Korea with me.

Flights are in Y so hopefully not. Was quite surprised at how many J seats were available - easy to get 5 on the same flight with OZ, but just a few too many points.

 

[C&C]

Alpha Flight Guru changed our flight details whilst we were already in transit (after having sent an email the day before to wish us a happy flight), 15 hours before take-off. Our android had already been cancelled because we were returning from 12 months abroad. When we were told at check-in our tickets were invalid, we tried to call AFG but couldn't get anyone so had no choice but to buy last minute (expensive) new Business Class tickets. Alpha Flight guru will not honour a refund, saying that they had already issued new tickets. Is it not possible for a travel agent to leave a message at a Check-in counter in such a situation?

 

[C&C]

Avoid Alpha Flight Guru.
The manager Kate Reece is rude and seems incapable of following simple requests.
Despite her claims that she had 4 consultants working on my business class flights to Europe she would either miss a leg of the journey or book flights to locations we had not asked for. Finally we went to a travel agent who gave us exactly what we wanted for a price which matched AFG.

 

[phily]

One must expect trouble like this with Alpha Flight Guru. They buy points from people, contrary to T&Cs, and book an award flight for you. Airlines are aware of these schemes, can identify such tickets, and cancel them.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Avoid Alpha Flight Guru.
The manager Kate Reece is rude and seems incapable of following simple requests.
Despite her claims that she had 4 consultants working on my business class flights to Europe she would either miss a leg of the journey or book flights to locations we had not asked for. Finally we went to a travel agent who gave us exactly what we wanted for a price which matched AFG.

Lol. Sounds like they're using the new Lifemiles booking tool (for those not familiar, the engine returns totally random city pairs... you might search MEL-LHR and it gives you LAX-MEX in the results)

 

[bad]

AFG has been calling me wanting my business. Looking at the thread above the one flight I had went without a hitch. Cheaper? Maybe not all that much.