I flew on Virgin America in December. The only internet option available was a service called GoGo Inflight.
[Just as a side note, which is something I will mention later, 99% of laptop computers once you sign up to a WiFi network, will remember this network setting so that the next time you are in proximity of the WiFi network again, the computer will automatically choose that WiFi network and connect with it, especially if it is the only WiFi service available.]
I purchased the service for 30 days for $39.95. The great thing was, it promised reliable internet service and could be used for up to 30 days on any airline. I purchased the service on December 3 at 3:45pm. I tried several times to use the service and aside from sending a couple of emails, I could not get the internet service to work at all. I made a couple of other attempts in December while flying to use the service and had hardly any luck. The service simply didn't work. I was disgruntled and upset, but I figured that the service would cancel in 30 days and if I flew again between then and the end of those 30 days, I might give it another chance.
The 30 days ended. I used my business card to pay for the initial service. I didn't realize that the service was reoccurring and although the service wasn't used, GoGo Inflight continued to bill the credit card every month for $39.95. They did not have my address, company name, signature, or authorization to do this, but they billed me anyway. On top of this, it was for service that never worked right.
Not only should I be reimbursed for the 9 months that they deceivingly charged me, I should also receive an apology to my employer as I was in serious trouble because of almost $400 in charges that should've only occurred one time for 30 days. I nearly lost my job.
Most of the plans that GoGo Air offered at the time, were one-time use and had a set amount of days/time for when the plan would expire. One plan does not expire in that set time and that's the GoGo unlimited - the name unlimited implies that you can use the service on any airline (typically, you are only allowed to use the service on one airline at a time). Apparently, unlimited means they will charge your credit card forever and consistently take your money. You could never use the service and they will still take your money.
They didn't even have my phone number, billing address, etc. (they still do not) All they had (and apparently all they needed) was to have my credit card number, expiration date and zip code. That is about as shady as it gets folks! Almost every internet service I've dealt with from Amazon to eBay to WalMart has you give your full billing address. Even adult websites expect to have your full billing address. My zip code changed 3 months after GoGo Inflight fraudulently charged my credit card and yet they were still able to charge me month after month.
Who would want to sign up for recurring service if you hardly fly? And if you're a frequent business flyer, they could simply purchase the service every time they fly because it would last for 30 days and then run out. If they flew again in those 30 days, they would have the service, and if they missed signing on, all they would have to do is reactivate the service the next time they fly. Business travelers are very experienced on how to do this and on top of that, GoGo Air stores your credit card on file so all you have to do is click a couple of buttons and you are immediately back on their site up and running.
Therefore, there is NO BENEFIT for the customer to have reoccurring credit card charges and EVERY BENEFIT and deceptive practice for GoGo Air to constantly charge the credit card each month and hope the customer doesn't notice. And even if the customer notices, their policy is to not refund A DIME. This way, GoGo receives income for services they knowingly are not providing which is 100% profit. They have a record of every time a user signs on. Although I was billed for 9 months, I only signed on 3 of those months.
And that was not me signing on; that was my computer automatically signing on because of my computer remembering the WiFi settings. I flew on Virgin America and was under the impression that the Internet service was included with the cost of the flight considering what I paid for the seat. I had no idea that I was being cheated. I explained all of this to a representative of GoGo Inflight and their basic response was "sorry, it's not our policy to give refunds" and that was it. They were willing to give me a credit so I can use their horrible service again. Why would I want to use their service after such a terrible experience from before?
If you check out their Twitter account on @GoGoAir by going to http://twitter.com/Gogo or the FaceBook account at Facebook.com/GoGo at http://www.facebook.com/gogo, you will see HUNDREDS of complaints of people saying they paid money and got nothing out of it or they were deceived into getting a one-time service and ended up getting billed month after month after month. Not that I would know this, (just from what I've heard), but this is equivalent to what porn sites do. They get a person excited about a particular service. Make it seem like you will only have to sign up this one time by offering services that last 15 minutes, 1 day, 30 days, etc., but eventually you discover that they are charging your credit card month after month and having no remorse about it and making it close to impossible to cancel and/or get a refund.
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