Is Expedia the worst online travel agency to deal with?

[r0bs]

I booked a return BUSINESS class flight from Brisbane (BNE) to FRANKFURT (FRA) on Etihad for the velocity points )

I paid and got confirmation.

About four days later I receive this email from Expedia https://www.dropbox.com/s/q01f68wpuaoocc6/Ask for change.JPG?dl=0 asking if I'll accept a K (economy) class flight for one segment, 6.5 hrs from Frankfurt to Abu Dhabi(AUH). Of course the answer is HELL NO!.(I note they don't have a "Don't Accept" button.

So I ring Expedia and they tell me I actually booked K class when I bought my ticket. I showed them that the confirmation says "D" class (I'm guessing Discount Business). I also send them the email asking me to accept the "K" class flight.

They tell me that it is Etihad's fault and that they have "dumped" me from "D" class to "K" class and that there is nothing I can do. I tell them to go and find out what is wrong with their system as I booked a Business Class flight the whole way and back (AUD$7750.00)

It takes them 3 days to get back to me about what they are going to do.

They ring me and tell me that I will have to pay AUD$1200.00 more if I want to do that leg in Business and that I better hurry up as there is only one seat left.

I tell them that I want to cancel the booking.

They tell me that there is a $200 cancellation fee as well as a $50 fee for talking to them.

I tell them they are dreaming as the Airline/Expedia didn't honour the Business Class booking I made with them and tried to palm off a Economy seat for one leg.

They tell me that they will get back to the Airline and ask.

I wait another three days... no call.

I ring expedia (they don't appear to have any way to contact them via email....)

By this time i'm completely frustrated so I try and Cancel via their phone service which mysteriously can't find my Itinerary number, so I eventually get to talk to a real person.

Go through the whole rigmarole again. Again I'm told that they will have to speak to the airline. I tell them I will hold.

They eventually (20 mins later) come back and say that thy won't budge and that they WILL be charging me a $200 cancellation fee.

I tell them I'll see them in court (which I fully intend to do).

They then tell me that they will cancel the flight and deduct the $200 fee.

They tell me that they will send a confirmation email for the cancelled flight.

24 hours later, no cancellation email so I ring them again.

They tell me the flight is cancelled and that I can expect my refund within 8 WEEKS!!!! WTF???

Let me tell you that I am normally a very mild-mannered person, but this company really takes the cake.

I will follow through with legal action (anyone want to donate some pro-bono time??)

They are nothing but scam merchants.

I subsequently booked the exact same flights (but returning straight to BNE rather than through MEL) for $8010 with a reputable local travel agent.

MORAL OF THE STORY, DON'T EVER DEAL WITH EXPEDIA.COM.AU (or EXPEDIA in general). IMHO THEY ARE SCUM.

 

[yohy?!]

awful and a testament to not using some of these online jokers,

have you raised a dispute with your credit card provider to chargeback the first booking?

 

[docjames]

Agree I'd be speaking to your credit card provider.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Can you not do a chargeback via your credit card company as you paid for a J service and that's not what was going to be delivered eg Y on part of the journey. If you get no joy here then I would calmly post of the Expedia Facebook page asking them to Expedite the refund in full as you should not be liable for any cancellation charges when they can't deliver the product you paid for.

Make sure you keep a diary of who you spoke to, the date and what was said as you will need this info later to recount back to them parrot fashion.

I know it's a bit late now as you've already cancelled the booking but did you try calling EY direct to sort anything out ie booking an alternate flight in J or to find out why you'd been bumped from J to Y?

Who was the merchant that appeared on your credit card statement - Expedia or Etihad?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just wondering... can't seem to see it anywhere... did you call Etihad to ask them why they had downgraded the segment? While EY can't touch the booking (as in make changes to it), they can tell you it was downgraded.

It may have been, for example, that Expedia incorrectly booked you (there were no seats in business class when they took your payment). Or it could have been a change initiated by EY.

Either way, you will be covered by Australian consumer laws, which means a full refund if a product doesn't meet the description, or is not fit for purpose (and if the seller doesn't fix it!).

There shouldn't need to be a $200 cancellation fee.

(edit: sorry - just noticed OBB asked the same question regarding contacting EY. That would have been the second thing I'd have done!)

 

[Comoman]

I have noticed with getting fare quotes for business class with Expedia that they like doing "mixed fare class" bookings. IE 1 segment in economy and 1 in business. Can catch you out if not on the ball.

Very dodgy behaviour....

 

[Alanslegal]

I don't get how OTA actually exists? I mean, I might use their search engines to compare various airline prices and when I spot the flights I want, I head straight to the airlines own website and complete the booking there.

 

[Cynicor]

If you book with airlines that have ancient or useless booking systems, then that is what you are stuck with. Try getting some JAL fares quickly and easily, without a phone call.

 

[Cynicor]

And Thai can suck too.

 

[robd]

I have noticed with getting fare quotes for business class with Expedia that they like doing "mixed fare class" bookings. IE 1 segment in economy and 1 in business. Can catch you out if not on the ball.

Very dodgy behaviour....

Like the QF site does?????

 

[TomVexille]

I don't get how OTA actually exists? I mean, I might use their search engines to compare various airline prices and when I spot the flights I want, I head straight to the airlines own website and complete the booking there.

Some airlines use them as their booking portal

 

[Blackswan]

I don't get how OTA actually exists? I mean, I might use their search engines to compare various airline prices and when I spot the flights I want, I head straight to the airlines own website and complete the booking there.

I booked flights with AB last week through Expedia, purely because it was $30 cheaper than booking through AB's website.

 

[CMA222]

MORAL OF THE STORY, DON'T EVER DEAL WITH EXPEDIA.COM.AU (or EXPEDIA in general). IMHO THEY ARE SCUM.

I rely on the experiences of fellow AFF's when making decisions related to businesses with whom I will deal. If Expedia thinks their reaction to your experience is the best they can do then I think all their advertising is wasted if they will not support what their site accepts as having been confirmed. Your experience will send me to somewhere I can rely upon.

 

[burmans]

I don't get how OTA actually exists? I mean, I might use their search engines to compare various airline prices and when I spot the flights I want, I head straight to the airlines own website and complete the booking there.

Its not unknown for OTA flights to be cheaper that the Airline itself, i.e. just last weekend I booked my Mother in law on a Air NZ flight ZQN to SYD, it was $297 on the Air NZ site but I only paid $249. Not sure how that works but that was the case.

Usually yes, I use skyscanner and if teh Airline is the same price go there but Im not going to turn down a significant discount without investigating.

 

[burmans]

Like the QF site does?????

QF site is totally dodgy, it tells me they have a Business Reward LHR to SYD, turns out LHR to MEL is in economy and its only the local sector in business!

 

[eric2011]

QF site is totally dodgy, it tells me they have a Business Reward LHR to SYD, turns out LHR to MEL is in economy and its only the local sector in business!

Yes, but at least it does tell you when you press that little question mark thingy

 

[RooFlyer]

To answer the OP's question: I'm not sure if they are the worst, but I avoid them and all similar portals, including hotel ones, like the plague (sorry OP, I know that's not very helpful to you :-| ). Like a LCC, they (the class of portals in general) are OK if everything works but if they don't, its a s&*$$# fight, with the pax usually losing.

I know everyone's budget and strategy is different, but I think you gotta weigh up the risks against the cost savings and ask before you book and ask yourself "what happens to me logistically and financially if it goes pear-shaped?".

 

[Alanslegal]

I booked flights with AB last week through Expedia, purely because it was $30 cheaper than booking through AB's website.

Some airlines use them as their booking portal

Its not unknown for OTA flights to be cheaper that the Airline itself, i.e. just last weekend I booked my Mother in law on a Air NZ flight ZQN to SYD, it was $297 on the Air NZ site but I only paid $249. Not sure how that works but that was the case.

Usually yes, I use skyscanner and if teh Airline is the same price go there but Im not going to turn down a significant discount without investigating.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[r0bs]

Thanks yohy?!,

I will do that immediately.

 

[kevinkhchan]

... but I avoid them and all similar portals, including hotel ones, like the plague (sorry OP, I know that's not very helpful to you :-| ). Like a LCC, they (the class of portals in general) are OK if everything works but if they don't, its a s&*$$# fight, with the pax usually losing.

I know everyone's budget and strategy is different, but I think you gotta weigh up the risks against the cost savings and ask before you book and ask yourself "what happens to me logistically and financially if it goes pear-shaped?".

I have to agree with RooFlyer. However I do tend to use these portals if I don't think it's going to get complicated. I booked my flights with TAs (after educating myself as to the going rate online) and appreciate their advice at this stage of my travel experience if I think it can potentially get complicated. An example is when we flew SYD-LAX-SFO and the original choice online would not have left me with enough transit time. Then again I booked my accommodation in SFO with Expedia at a hotel in very close proximity to Union Square for about 1/3 of the going rate and scored a generously sized corner room. It would probably have been a s&*t fight if I had to change anything but our schedule was locked down with no opportunity for change anyway. It was a great stay in a great room which enhanced the trip.