BG
Bernd G
1 reviews | Active since Jun 2023
29 Jun 2023, 07:36
Absolutely discussed with Flight Centre, they take your money and run away from their refund obligation!
On 29 March 2023 we paid R 8000 extra for emergency exit seats for a Qatar Airways flight Johannesburg -Doha, return. When arriving on the aircraft, we were squeezed into the third last middle row. When querying it with the purser, he said the aircraft type was changed from a B777 to a A350. Our agent at Flight Centre, Mongezi Madiba apologised via Whats'app and email. He managed to ensure the correct seats, for the return flight 12 days later. I have now written emails requesting my refund for some 3 months. All the time I have been pushed from pillar to post by Mongezi, making one promise after another. He keeps saying that he is fighting with Qatar airways and has finally escalated it to his Flight Centre management. It is not about the money owed. It is the principle: I had an obligation to Flight Centre and I paid immediately after requesting payment. I am not interested in the fight with Qatar Aiways. Flight Centre, please honour your commitment and refund me NOW!
Helpful (0)
Replies (5)0
Replies (5)
Flight Centre South Africa's replyOfficial
29 Jun 2023, 09:01Dear Bernd,
Thank you for taking the time to submit your review and we sincerely apologise for the frustration you have experienced. Although you made the payment to Flight Centre the service is provided by the airline and they are paid immediately once we receive your funds so that they can confirm this for you. As your funds for the paid service is with the airline we would need to get the necessary from the airline in order to process the funds back to you, without the needed confirmation and refund to Flight Centre from the airline unfortunately we'd need to keep on chasing this up with the airline.
Our Customer Experience team will get in touch with you directly to further assist with your concerns.
~A.C
Thank you for taking the time to submit your review and we sincerely apologise for the frustration you have experienced. Although you made the payment to Flight Centre the service is provided by the airline and they are paid immediately once we receive your funds so that they can confirm this for you. As your funds for the paid service is with the airline we would need to get the necessary from the airline in order to process the funds back to you, without the needed confirmation and refund to Flight Centre from the airline unfortunately we'd need to keep on chasing this up with the airline.
Our Customer Experience team will get in touch with you directly to further assist with your concerns.
~A.C
Flight Centre South Africa's reply29 Jun 2023, 09:01
Official
Dear Bernd,
Thank you for taking the time to submit your review and we sincerely apologise for the frustration you have experienced. Although you made the payment to Flight Centre the service is provided by the airline and they are paid immediately once we receive your funds so that they can confirm this for you. As your funds for the paid service is with the airline we would need to get the necessary from the airline in order to process the funds back to you, without the needed confirmation and refund to Flight Centre from the airline unfortunately we'd need to keep on chasing this up with the airline.
Our Customer Experience team will get in touch with you directly to further assist with your concerns.
~A.C
Thank you for taking the time to submit your review and we sincerely apologise for the frustration you have experienced. Although you made the payment to Flight Centre the service is provided by the airline and they are paid immediately once we receive your funds so that they can confirm this for you. As your funds for the paid service is with the airline we would need to get the necessary from the airline in order to process the funds back to you, without the needed confirmation and refund to Flight Centre from the airline unfortunately we'd need to keep on chasing this up with the airline.
Our Customer Experience team will get in touch with you directly to further assist with your concerns.
~A.C
Flight Centre South Africa's replyOfficial
03 Jul 2023, 13:51Dear Bernd.
We provide travel and travel-related services to third-party service providers. When you make a booking with us, you acknowledge and agree that we act only as an agent for the third-party service provider, which is solely responsible for providing you with the travel or service which you have booked. Your service provider has been identified as Qatar Airways. We have noted your dissatisfaction with your service provider, Qatar Airways, changing their aircraft from a Boeing 777 to an Airbus A3350 during your journey and rendering it impossible for you to utilise your prebooked exit seats.
We genuinely care about delivering an amazing travel experience and regret that your interaction with our travel expert Mongezi has not been a favourable one and that we have failed to deliver the basic service which is a core focus of our business.
On behalf of Flight Centre Travel Group, please accept our sincere apologies for the frustration you have experienced. Once your concerns were received, we escalated the matter to our supplier escalations team. This department liaises with suppliers at a management level in instances where our retail agents, like Mongezi, cannot reach an amicable resolution about a service failure. We are currently awaiting feedback from Qatar Airways on the issue of your refund.
As per the Flight Centre terms and conditions, we will not provide a refund to you until we receive the funds from the third-party service provider. Currently, we are still liaising with Qatar Airways to provide the refund due on your behalf.
We remain available to you as your travel agent and will offer timeous feedback on this matter until it has been resolved.
-C.M
Flight Centre South Africa's reply03 Jul 2023, 13:51
Official
Dear Bernd.
We provide travel and travel-related services to third-party service providers. When you make a booking with us, you acknowledge and agree that we act only as an agent for the third-party service provider, which is solely responsible for providing you with the travel or service which you have booked. Your service provider has been identified as Qatar Airways. We have noted your dissatisfaction with your service provider, Qatar Airways, changing their aircraft from a Boeing 777 to an Airbus A3350 during your journey and rendering it impossible for you to utilise your prebooked exit seats.
We genuinely care about delivering an amazing travel experience and regret that your interaction with our travel expert Mongezi has not been a favourable one and that we have failed to deliver the basic service which is a core focus of our business.
On behalf of Flight Centre Travel Group, please accept our sincere apologies for the frustration you have experienced. Once your concerns were received, we escalated the matter to our supplier escalations team. This department liaises with suppliers at a management level in instances where our retail agents, like Mongezi, cannot reach an amicable resolution about a service failure. We are currently awaiting feedback from Qatar Airways on the issue of your refund.
As per the Flight Centre terms and conditions, we will not provide a refund to you until we receive the funds from the third-party service provider. Currently, we are still liaising with Qatar Airways to provide the refund due on your behalf.
We remain available to you as your travel agent and will offer timeous feedback on this matter until it has been resolved.
-C.M
Flight Centre South Africa's replyOfficial
14 Jul 2023, 11:34Dear Bernd. G.
Your concerns were received and noted. After a lengthy investigation, we escalated the matter to our area leader Tamsyn. As a show of good faith to you as our customer, we have refunded the amount of R4000 as a gesture of goodwill. We have highlighted this matter to our airline contracts team, and we will ensure that it is rectified so no other customer has to endure frustration similar to your own. ~C.M
Flight Centre South Africa's reply14 Jul 2023, 11:34
Official
Dear Bernd. G.
Your concerns were received and noted. After a lengthy investigation, we escalated the matter to our area leader Tamsyn. As a show of good faith to you as our customer, we have refunded the amount of R4000 as a gesture of goodwill. We have highlighted this matter to our airline contracts team, and we will ensure that it is rectified so no other customer has to endure frustration similar to your own. ~C.M
BG
Bernd G's updateReviewer Update
18 Jul 2023, 13:01Thank you for agreeing to pay the refund which I received on 15 July.
BG
Bernd G's update18 Jul 2023, 13:01
Reviewer Update
Thank you for agreeing to pay the refund which I received on 15 July.
Flight Centre South Africa's replyOfficial
18 Jul 2023, 13:46Dear Bernd. G,
Thank you for the confirmation.
~A.C
Thank you for the confirmation.
~A.C
Flight Centre South Africa's reply18 Jul 2023, 13:46
Official
Dear Bernd. G,
Thank you for the confirmation.
~A.C
Thank you for the confirmation.
~A.C