Date: June 13 12:00: 06 PM CDT
To: [email protected]
Cc: AskDOJ@usdoj. Gov
Subject: Cheap O Air
On June 2, I booked flights for me, my husband, and my granddaughter to go to the Cayman Islands on December 21 thru Dec 27. I used Kayak to find the least expensive flight which I did on CheapOair.com. I had trouble getting the charges thru on my credit card, but they finally all went thru. Then several days later, the charges no longer appeared and were cancelled. I called my bank to find out why/how this happened. They said that at the time the charges were initially made the vendor (CheapOAir) was told they had 72 hours to process the charge, and apparently the vendor decided not to process the charges.
Little background. I tried to select our seats since we would be traveling with a 4 year old and wanted to be together. I was told that it would cost me an additional $11.95 per person to get the seats I wanted otherwise they would seat us according to their wishes. I went on line to each airline and was able to reserve my seats except for the child. I contacted CheapOAir and the were sorry and they would take care of that, but it would cost me an additional $14.95 per person to do so. I said that was interesting since their website said $11.95, they said that was old info and it was now $14.95. I said I just pulled it up and it still said $11.95. They talked and said they would do it for $11.95. I asked why should I pay that since I could go to the airlines and do it myself. They said yes, I could, but they can't guarantee the seating and I probably wouldn't get what I requested. I asked why and they said this was prior to the airline getting paid and if they don't get paid then I don't get these seats. I asked "Are you saying you haven't, or won't pay the airline?" They didn't answer in anything I could understand. I repeated the question several times and still didn't understand what the gentleman said (Indian accent). I told him I wasn't paying the fee for something I could do and hung up. I still had trouble getting the charges thru and suddenly other charges came up, $1 for each of us, plus $57 for something else. Then another $1 for each of us, plus $57 for something else. I called back and got someone else who spoke English and he explained these had to do with each time I tried to use my credit card and these charges would disappear when everything was finalized.By this time I had all my seating except for the 4 year old. Her air fee had not processed, which he tried and got thru to my bank, then I was able to get all of her seating except for Cayman Airways.
I was totally frustrated and decided to wait a few days and then try for seating again. The next day I went back in and all my seating had been changed to various places on the plane (the 4 year old child sitting alone). I went back in and changed all of the seating again, then yesterday when checking my bank account I notice that all the airfare charges were gone. I assume that since I didn't pay the $11.95 per person for seating, I was cancelled, since that's what the first guy I talked to said, I wouldn't get the seats if they airfare wasn't paid.
I'm forwarding a copy of this to the US Attorney General because I don't know who has oversight over on-line travel agencies.
Can you follow up on this for me, as I have a limited number of funds for travel, and I spent almost 7 hours on researching this and getting everything finalized.
Date: June 20 2:08: 09 PM CDT
To: [email protected], [email protected]
Cc: AskDOJ@usdoj. Gov, Attorney
Subject: Fwd: Cheap O Air
Called CheapOAir and talked to bookkeeper. She had my file and I didn't even tell them who I was. She said I had paid for the tickets back on June 2. I said yes, but I found out several days later that the charges were declined by the bank because they (CheapO) didn't comply with the 72 hour processing request by the bank. I told her (bookkeeper) that the charges were no longer on my account from June 2, and I sent an email to Kayak regarding this and to the US Attorney General on June 13 (see below). I then followed up with this with an email on 6/20 (see below). The bookkeeper said that I was wrong the charges were made on 6/2. I told her they came through on the night of 6/19, or morning of 6/20. See below my bank statement with the dates of the charges and amounts. She tried to tell me that the charges went through on 6/2, and I then read her my first email on 6/13. She then put me on hold for over 15 minutes and holding.
06/20 debit card fee visa international service assessment date 06/19 card 15 #4811 - $6.46
06/20 check card: caymanai grand cayman ky 06/19/13card 15 #4811 $808.05
06/20 Debit Card Fee VISA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ASSESSMENT Date 06/19 Card 15 #4811 - $6.46
06/20 Check Card: CAYMANAI GRAND CAYMAN KY 06/19/13Card 15 #4811 -$808.05
06/20 Debit Card Fee VISA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ASSESSMENT Date 06/19 Card 15 #4803 - $6.16
06/20 Check Card: CAYMANAI GRAND CAYMAN KY 06/19/13Card 15 #4803 - $770.55
She came back and said that she confirmed that there were two reservations in the same name. That unfortunately, the Priceline was done with US Airways and they did it through Cayman Airlines and that they are not sure I can get a refund. When I said that the charges just came through today, 6/20, and that the 6/2 charges were declined, as I previously stated. She said she wasn't going to argue with me. She put me on hold and put me through to Customer service. I have put in over 5 hours on this fiasco at $200/hour. I would like my money. I would also like all of the above charges returned to my account ($2,405.73). I am still sitting here waiting on Customer Service (over 58 minutes). They say on their website to submit a request through Customer Service, but when I try it will not go through. I would call their number, but I've been waiting on their line for over one hour, so why bother, I'm still waiting. Their e-mail will not let me detail information, but I sent one anyway with my phone numbers. Let's see how long that takes. After 1 hour, 4 minutes and 45 seconds they said they were experiencing problems with their system and hung up.
Date: June 20 2:54: 40 PM CDT
To: [email protected], [email protected]
Cc: AskDOJ@usdoj. Gov, Attorney
Subject: Fwd: Cheap O Air
Called again on the reservation line and got through in 1 minute. They said that Customer Service is handling it and I should wait. I told them no, I had already waited for 1 hour 4 min and 45 sec. When the phone said they were having trouble, call back, goodbye. He said I should call back on Customer Service and I said no, I've already waited over an hour. He said he would transfer me but it would take 15 or 20 minutes for the call to go through. I asked for a supervisor. He said just a minute and I was put on hold, again (2:12: 27pm CST). Phone answered at 2:40: 23 and I asked him if he had my file and he said yes, but he had not read it. I gave him a brief synopsis and he said they didn't recharge me on the 20th. I reiterated what the bank had said about the 72 hours (twice), he said they had no conversation with the bank and I was wrong. I said the charges did not go through on June 2 and they just went through today, June 20. He said I was wrong. I said I was looking at the charges that just came through today, June 20. He said there was nothing he could do. I told him that I was going to sue them not only for these charges, but the fees, my time, my anguish in dealing with them, my attorney fees, etc. That if they are no willing to give me back my money, then he needed to know this before he said anything else. The phone went quiet, and I told him goodbye.
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