Why You Should NOT Book flights with Booking.com or GoToGate.com

[RB001]

... I now only book direct or just recently started making one or two bookings through Qantas hotels but only as an exception (Not sure who they use).
Caveat Emptor

Expedia

 

[CaptJCool]

Word of caution about making any bookings within this group of companies. I made a booking through Agoda for an overnight transit at Sama² KLIA. The booking failed because of a payment glitch. I then booked through Priceline (not knowing they are sister companies) and all went through and comfirmation received with the future date final payment will be deducted. A little later, I received an email from Agoda confirming my reservation. I thought the first attempt had somehow gone through & I had a double booking. I promptly cancelled the Agoda booking using the link in the email. Payment date came and Priceline charged my card. A few days before arrival, I rang the hotel to inform them I was arriving mid afternoon not the after 9pm in the original booking. The hotel informed me my booking was cancelled by Agoda back on the date I booked. I said yes but there should be an active booking through Priceline. There wasn't. I contacted Priceline and they replied to contact Agoda instead. After much throughing and froing, it appears the Priceline booking was actually given to Agoda to arrange. and when I cancelled, it was the same booking. I asked why then did they still deducted the payment weeks after the cancellation. They accepted it was a system error. They said they will cancel the original authorisation and that will trigger a refund. The refund never arrived. I chased up multiple times and kept getting fobbed off by Priceline to Agoda who in turn told me to contact Priceline. I got nowhere. I finally sent them a long scathing email running through the whole episode and telling them they are thieves blaming each other to avoid reponsiblility.
Their final response to me was the original authorisation has been cancelled. That's it. No refund after 8 months. That became a very expensive transit, I had to book a suite (only rooms available) plus the loss of the orginal. I now only book direct or just recently started making one or two bookings through Qantas hotels but only as an exception (Not sure who they use).
Caveat Emptor

Qantas hotels are a shopfront for Expedia