Dispute a refund refusal

[loobloke]

Hi guys,

Last September I booked a flight on Jetstar. A few months later during November, I called up to query a transit question in SIN. I was told that the flight I was booked on had been cancelled ... but they had lacked to inform me (I wonder would would have happened when I rocked up at SIN).

So anyways, the consultant said I had two options, a refund or a rebook. And she just threw all these times and dates at me over the phone. Lost in numbers, I agreed on a flight, then realized that I had a connecting flight on VB thus the new time would no longer be convenient. So I asked for a refund instead, confirmed with the agent multiple times whether I would get a full refund (and told yes multiple times) and only then did I proceed to cancel the flight.

Few months later, I'm wondering why the credit card charge hasn't been refunded.
Call up, and I am brushed off with a Flooding in QLD sorry refund department is busy.
Call up the next month after no refund, and given a new excuse that the refund wasn't filed properly by the CSR, so they had to redo it and I would be at the bottom of the list, and they can't help it.
Call up after another month, and I get brushed off with NZ earthquake.
Call up again, then this time told I am required to fax a copy of my DJ itinerary to JQ (why wasn't I told this the first 5 calls???) I demand to speak to a supervisor and they again confirm that once I fax this itinerary through, they will refund it ASAP no problems.
Call up again a few weeks later, CSR says finance department will email me once the refund is processed.

So still no refund call up again .. now I'm told the refund was denied because there was a flight I could have changed to and the grounds for refund wasn't valid..... Wow.

Demand to escalate this issue. Told that I would get a call back from Guest Services in 24-48 hours, who are the only people who can deal with this.
1 week later ... no call.
Call back the Customer Center, (note, this was the worse CSR out of the lot) and she scolded me for being impatient and then told me to wait and hung up on me.
Several days later, still no callback.
Call up once more to request it again, this time speaking to a supervisor who says she will personally be on the case, I'm currently waiting on my 3rd call back from Guest Services. 1 week later (today) I'm still waiting.

Now I'm on the phone to the call center yet again. Now I'm being told the actual wait time for callback is 10 working days .. but hang on .. it's been over 10 days already. Oh well she will send another call back request through for me again.

I want to know what my options are, I want to keep pursuing this issue until it is resolved to my satisfaction. I believe I have given them more than ample opportunity to process this refund.
Where/How can I bring this issue up outside of Jetstar?

Do I have the right to demand compensation for the time wasted, money wasted waiting on hold and the sheer frustration waiting for this issue to be dealt with?

 

[samiam]

Did you pay via credit card? If so, your card issuer may be prepared to do a chargeback, if you raise a dispute with this transaction, and provide the card issuer with sufficient information and evidence (similar to that contained in your post).

I have used this chargeback process (via Amex) for an internet provider who did not simply fail to refund me for a service that I no longer required (and had cancelled), but stopped responding to my queries, despite promising they would return calls after my case had been "escalated to a supervisor".

I did not claim for wasted time and effort on my behalf; having the money refunded by my card issuer was satisfaction enough.

 

[Undercover Brother]

PM Simon Westaway with the details an see if he will follow up. Jetstar customer service has always been below par in my experience unfortunatley.

 

[Moopere]

You have been more than reasonable in contacting the defaulting company. I'd have reached for the phone and done a chargeback of my card long before. Be aware that there is usually a time limit on chargebacks ... I think 18 months (may be wrong). Don't let this go on any longer.

You watch your phone ring the moment the chargeback occurs and JQ wants to get paid or yell at you for the chargeback

You've done the right thing and diarised your contact with the company. I'd be surprised if the card company so much as raised an eyebrow.

 

[thewinchester]

My suggestions to resolve (in order) are as follows:

1. If paid by credit card - contact your bank now and file a chargeback as already suggested,
2. Contact your local consumer affairs agency, and
3. Prepare to file a small claims court case for the amount.

With respect to Undercover Brother, I think sending a PM to Simon might be a little worthless. While identified as an official rep, if his company hasn't got its act together by now.... well why bother.