Hi
I booked a holiday last may for a trip to Disneyworld travelling on 23rd Feb (next week). This is actually our honeymoon, we thought we'd do something with the children rather than just the 2 of us going away.
Anyway, I paid a deposit in may of £750 and paid the balance sometime in September. now, since that date I have paid off and closed my credit card account.
So, fast forward to last week when I received the tickets, all good as expected other than they had my maiden name on my ticket. So I called and ask that they change it, which they did after a charge of £40. I was told the new ticket would be ready for me to collect at the airport on the morning of travel. I called the airline because I have a child with special needs to inform them and to book seats, all is going well.
Then, this morning I suddenly got an invoice saying I still owed £4100, I assumed this was just an error so I called them and they insisted that the payment hadn't been received. They asked for a statement to be faxed to them but because this account was closed months ago, and we've moved house since then (having a serious declutter) I don't have it. So, I called the credit card company who said they will re-issue the old statements but it will take 7-10 working days to get them. Of course that is too late because we are supposed to be flying next Saturday.
So, I called airtours again and told them I couldn't get a statement until after the holiday dates. They just kept insisting that they haven't had the payment. So, I asked if that is the case why did I get on invoice before today, why did I get nothing when the deadline (8 weeks prior to travel) was due, why did they issue tickets? They just fobbed me off with why did I not get a receipt when I paid? But, at the time I was planning a wedding for 150 people, selling a house and dealing with a child with special needs who was having health issues, so forgive me for not noticing I hadn't received a bloody email confirming receipt.
So, they have said that they will contact their legal department on Monday but they suspect they won't be able to do a thing until they get the statement. I have called the credit card company again who have said there is nothing they can do to process my request any quicker. So, here I am in limbo, probably not going on our holiday next week and upset as hell.
What are my rights (if I have any), can they really get away with leaving this issue until 7 days before travel, leaving me no time to deal with it?
Does anyone have any ideas at all?
Thanks for listening.
Did you pay credit card bill through your bank account, if so ask bank for statements that show that transaction.
I would demand to speak to a Senior manager at Airtours, and inform them that you are taking legal advice. Hope you get sorted
Jo
Ros has offered our members free impartial legal advice. Please note that Ros does not read or post on this board any contact to her must be made via :-
Tel :- 01922 621114
Good luck!
Thank you for that information I will contact her on monday
Has the booking reference changed at any point? Check your original reference number on your confirmation invoice against the reference on your tickets. Just wondering if booking was re-optioned/re-booked at some point and for some reason and the balance not moved from one booking reference to another.
As one of the other posters suggested, a call to a manager, perhaps in their Customer Services department on Monday (ask why tickets were issued if a balance of £4100 was due as this would not be normal policy) should resolve the problem.
Have you still got the tickets in your maiden name, if so could you not check with them, without mentioning the other problem if that holiday is fully paid?
Contacting Roz is probably your best bet but you could also try Watchdog and the media would probably run a story like this, either the local news or one of the papers.
All the best with getting it sorted, please let us know how you get on.
What a nightmare. I do hope you get it sorted. Try not to worry all weekend - I know that's easier said than done!! Denny
Silverpixie may have a point there regarding the changing of the name. I'm wondering if they've got themselves in a muddle here.
If it is a name change mix-up. They may have already been informed that your party is travelling but in your old name.
Post the name of the hotel and resort and we may be able to find an email address for you so you can check.
Then you could go back to airtours with this information.
I'm guessing that when they did the name change they've charged for a whole new holiday and forgot to pass on the money paid before the name change!
If you are 100% correct that you've paid it off then at least ask Airtours that if the only way for you to go on holiday is to pay another £4100 would they reimburse this to you when you prove that they've already had the money? Obviously you can only do this if you have the money or another card you could put it on!
The card company must be able yo tell you if the payment had been taken or not, even if they cannot at the present moment give you the statment.
From my experience with the jobsworths, you have to try and get past them to someone in authority and take names and positions so that they know you are taking names and positions for any comeback.
Meanwhile as already mentioned, the major point in your favour is that they would NOT have issued you with the original plane tickets if you hadn't paid. It is an expense they would not get back if you flew and didn't pay.
Try Ros if you have had no joy yet.
Good Luck and hope you have a good holiday/honeymoon.
Best wishes
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