In January I booked a trip to Puerto Vallarta for my husband and I through SunTrips. This was going to be our fourth trip through Suntrips. On Saturday, February 22 at 4:50 P.M. We were supposed to leave on Ryan International flight number RD6297. Our boarding kept being delayed and we were told several reasons: the flight crew wasnt there, the pilot wasnt there, the cleaning crew was still cleaning etc. We were told all of this while watching the pilot/flight crew boards the plane and the cleaning crew departs the plane. We continued to sit and sit and sit. Finally, we boarded the plane.
Once on the plane we sat for a very long time wondering what was going on. An announcement came on saying the pilot had to do some paperwork and we would be delayed. We sat for a very long time, and then were told we were deplaning due to a malfunction of the deciding tubing on the left wing.
We all got off the airplane and sat in the airport for hours. About two hours after getting off the airplane a Suntrips representative came around to ask questions and let us know that the malfunction of the airplane should be fixed soon and we would be on our way.
We sat in the airport until 10:00 P.M. When the announcement came that Ryan International would have to fly the part in from San Jose to fix the plane and that we were to go home and come back in the morning.
We came back the next morning by 8:00 A.M. As the message on the reservation line indicated. The Suntrips representative told us that she guaranteed wed be leaving by 11:00 A.M. We sat at the terminal until 11:30 A.M. When we were told the plane was still being fixed and we would be delayed until 12:30 P.M. At 12:45 P.M. We were told three mechanics were having trouble fixing the plane in the cold and that we would not be leaving until 2:30 P.M. At 2:30 P.M. We were told the plane was fixed but being tested. At 3:30 P.M. We were told the plane was still being tested. We continued to be told that until 6:00 P.M. At 6:00 P.M. We were told that the plane was fixed, they were tying everything down and it would be at our gate in 15 minutes. At 7:00 P.M. We were told the plane was being tested. This continued ALL night long.
In the meantime I had called Suntrips because we were being lied to or not being told anything. The Suntrips representative on the phone could not believe what I had informed her was going on. She was surprised we had not been offered vouchers or anything. I told her they had offered 12 people to extend their trip, that was it.in order to extend your trip, you would have to pay an additional $500. There were no refunds offered, no vouchers offered, no other options to anyone else! She then told me that this would cause a domino effect and that we would be delayed on our return flight on Tuesday. I just started a new job and had to be at work on Wednesday, I could not take a chance that we would not get back home. She also told me that the airline tickets were good for six months. That is not an option for me either, as I am pregnant.
Finally at 9:30 P.M. An announcement came on that we had thirty minutes to get on the plane and get out of Denver. I talked to the Suntrips representative onsite and she told me she could not guarantee I would return on time on Tuesday. Plus, I had just sat in the Denver airport for two-days. Sitting in the Puerto Vallarta airport was not an option to me so my husband and I had to make the difficult decision not to get on that airplane.
I cant tell you how disappointing this whole experience has been. Ryan International pointed the finger at SunTrips and SunTrips pointed the finger at Ryan International. I booked my vacation through SunTrips and thought they should take responsibility for the situation as they are the ones who book their customers trips through a pathetic airline that has one airplane in Denver! We spent half of our vacation sitting in the airport. We were lied to constantly by Ryan International Airline representatives and laughed at by SunTrips Representatives. They were rude and nasty to everyone seeking information. Im not sure why Ryan International employees and the SunTrips reps would treat people that way. Especially people who are trying to go on vacation and have been sitting in the airport for two days. It was the worst customer service I have ever experienced.
In addition, I called the Suntrips line a second time to ask a questions and the person on the other line told me there was nothing she could do, that I would have to call Customer Care on Monday and that I needed to be patient! Excuse me! At that point I had already been patient for two days. Again, terrible customer service.
Several times the onsite Suntrips representative said to me that she couldnt believe Suntrips didnt just cancel the flight. I can understand the people going to Puerto Vallarta for seven days still wanting to go. But for the people doing the four-day trip, there was no point.
Even though it was very obvious that the issue was with Ryan International, I was shocked that Suntrips did not step up and take responsibility to their loyal customers.instead all we got was finger pointing between Suntrips representatives and Ryan International employees. It was awful!
When this whole ordeal began the Suntrips representatives would only talk to people who had purchased insurance. When I purchased my trip the insurance was presented to me as an option to protect myself in case I NEEDED to cancel due to a personal situation such as illness or scheduling conflict. This was not a personal issue this trip was ruined for me because the shoestring fly by night airline company Suntrips has decided to go through had a malfunctioning airplane which is completely out of my control!
I have NEVER had a problem on any of my Suntrips vacations and am absolutely shocked at the whole situation. I cant believe all of the finger pointing. I cant believe Suntrips nor Ryan International wouldnt step up and take responsibility and apologize.instead, we just got lies and excuses.in talking to other people I found out this happens often! The police who were called to make sure the passengers didn't get out of control while being lied to said they are out at the airport once or twice a week dealing with the same situation with Ryan International/SunTrips!
SunTrips wont refund our money!
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