WORST & COSTLY EXPERIENCE!!

<p>We booked with Flight Centre for our trip to USA & Cancun. </p> <p><br />We were working with flight centre last week, dealing with our flights and bookings and making changes as we go. We were out of the office on Friday, (as we conveyede to them) and we paid the money over, immediate clearance on Saturday for all bookings. When we spoke to the consultant, she stressed the need for payment, which we acted on immediately. We received a call today (5th September) to state that our flights (JHB - LAX) have been cancelled due to the fact they did not confirm with the airline. We were due to fly tonight!! They stated that it was because I did not forward passports nor the booking form on time, however when I dealt with them they were only pushing me to pay for the invoices. They never once provided me with a dealine on paperwork.</p> <p> </p> <p>Furthermore, it was noted that the airline cancelled the booking Sunday (4th September) evening!! So, if they had requested information on Sunday morning, we would have been able to avoid this.</p> <p> </p> <p>Once paid on Sunday, we did not hear from them again and upon sending passports are we told that everything is cancelled!!</p> <p><br />I was of the assumption that the paper work was a formality, so today I sent passports - only to receive a call the airline cancelled the booking. This has put me completely out of schedule and has costed me so much money!!</p> <p><br />As we wanted to spend the night in LA for a rest, this has led to me having extra charges on my LAX - Cancun route $900, hotel change costs as well as paying additional hotel fees now as we are relocating and living in a hotel room! The hotel has also said that their rooms are fully booked for tomorrow, so we do not even know where we will sleep!! This has cost us approx. R20 000!! Due to incompetence and NOT advising the clients the importance of sending documentation. When I spoke to the consultant on Friday, she ONLY stressed the payment and not once mentioned if documents are not in on time - we will lose our booking. I would have sorted this straight away!!</p> <p><br />It has been an absolute disaster, and the worst is we have a 2 year old - very unsettled daughter. We have taken her out her home and school, which is stressful enough. Should they have communicated the urgency of the forms as well as the funds, we would have sent this straight away! In no way would we pay and do something to jeopordise the booking.</p> <p> </p> <p>It is so challenging moving across the world!! This has literally made me ill...</p> <p> </p> <p>We are hoping to fly on Saturday, however all the earlybooking rates are finished. The seating arrangements are not according to what we had hoped.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>