Absolute nightmare!!!

<p>Travelstart advertised Black Friday sales. Wow! Really! a return ticket to Thailand for R4999?? We all got terribly excited. We gathered family (that had never travelled before) and friends who have always wanted to join us, on a trip to Thailand.</p> <p>We have been talking about it for years, that my parents really needed to go travel before they got too old. But now it was affordable for us to join them. </p> <p>So we started booking. Which took FOREVER as their site kept crashing, and rumors started spreading on Social Media that it had to be a ****. On Saturday morning we tried again and the mobile site was working! So we booked our 6 tickets, called our friends and said it was working again, and that they too should book asap. This was 26th of November. The deal's small print was that the deal ended at midnight on the 28th. No problem though right, we were booking ours right now, the morning of the 26th. LITTLE DID WE KNOW.</p> <p>We received an email to say that the booking was confirmed. We paid our tickets. R 30000 something. We paid from ABSA into their FNB account. We checked the box that requests ABSA to send an email with our proof of payment, to the adress stated on our invoice from Travelstart. Our friends did the same. That night we celebrated and shared ideas and plans for our holiday in Jun 2017 to Thailand.</p> <p>No further correspondence from Travelstart. I resumed work after the Christmas break on the 11th of January. I called Travelstart to request flights from Cape Town to JHB. The deal only departed from JHB. I told the lady about our booking from JHB to Bangkok and was informed that our booking had been cancelled. What!!? Why? Well apparently while I was on holiday I apparently was sent an email requesting more information from all travelers. (Now I went on holiday on the 16 of December 2016. The tickets were booked in OCTOBER. I hadnt received ANY MAILS since booking until I went on leave in DECEMBER, also had none come through to my mails on my phone during the holiday. )</p> <p>So now we booked, we paid, we have received no other email NOR A REFUND. So nothing fishy was suspected. Our money was out of our account, why wouldnt we be going.????</p> <p>The girl that asked me about the mails, then asks me to please hold and transfers me to Kim. Kim doesnt ask the same question, Kim says we never rep**** to an email asking for information on all passengers on this trip?? Again I explain that I had not received any mails. </p> <p>I then asked why, if the booking had been cancelled in November, why no refund or communication was received UNTIL I CONTACTED THEM ON THE 11 OF JANUARY. Kim informs me that is an unallocated amount with our reference number in their ban**** </p> <p>Ok so then what is the problem. Kim can no longer assist and will get someone to call me back.</p> <p>The weekend passed by, Monday comes and goes, TUESDAY the 17th I CALL AGAIN. </p> <p>AVRIL has been asked to deal with this case. </p> <p>So the same questions the same answers. So eventually I ask if the calls are recorded, because every time I speak to some there is a different reason we are no longer going on holiday. Im asked if Id like to make another booking on this flight just in case!!!! FURIOUS TO SAY THE LEAST. NO WAY AM I BOOKING ANOTHER FLIGHT WITH YOU. EVEN IF I GET A REFUND I WILL NEVER USE YOU AGAIN, NONE OF US WILL. I DONT WANT A REFUND, I WANT MY TICKETS.</p> <p>So we start talking about all that has happended. "ABSAS mail hasnt been received" :</p> <p>"Oh ok, so how come we never got a refund. How come I had to call you?"</p> <p>"oh no, they are investigating that."</p> <p>"I was told your mails get checked manually" " No , thats not so, the person who told you that doesnt know"</p> <p>OK so I say I resend proof of payment. Reference number stated, Date paid 26th. What is the problem?</p> <p>They cant find the email ABSA sent them with POP. </p> <p>The 18th Avril still has no answer. Promises to have one by Friday the 19th. NOTHING. </p> <p>I CALL AGAIN ON THE 20th, MONDAY. Now this is becoming ridiculous. Almost 2months after booking and no tickets no answers no reasons, no refunds. Avril still has nothing, they are trying to go through all their emails to find my POP sent for ABSA. How can such a large company have such a mickey mouse way of operating? </p> <p>AVril promises to call back before the end of day.</p> <p>16.50 Avril calls to say that she is so sorry but she just called to say that she still doesnt have a solution, but will call soon. </p> <p>TODAY IS THE 26TH OF JANUARY, I STILL DONT KNOW WHERE OUR TICKETS ARE, WHETHER WE ARE STILL GOING ON THIS FAMILY VACATION, OR HOW ON EARTH IM GOING TO BREAK THE NEWS TO EVERYONE. SLEEPNESS NIGHT ARE NOT AN EXAGGERATION.</p> <p>Oh may I add that the friends joining went through the same payment procedure as we did, and received their 2 tickets no problem. They booked after us. </p> <p>IM NOT THE ONLY ONE COMPLAINING, HAVE YOU GUYS RUN OUT OF FUNDS. WERE THE PRICES TO LOW IN THE FIRST PLACE?</p> <p>I have contacted Absa and have been reassured that POP IS SENT INSTANTLY WHEN PAYMENT IS MADE, EVEN IF FUNDS HAVE NOT CLEARED. THATS THE POINT OF THE SERVICE, THAT YOU CAN PROVE YOU HAVE PAID BEFORE FUNDS SHOW IN THE BENEFICIARIES ACCOUNT.</p> <p> </p> <p>IM STILL WAITING FOR THE CALL WITH THE EXPLAINATION AS TO WHY OUR TICKETS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED AND WHY I HAD TO CONTACT THEM.</p> <p>THERES A LUMP SUM WITH MY REFERENCE LYING IN THEIR BANK ACCOUNT AND WE HAVE NOTHING!! TO SHOW FOR IT.</p> <p> </p> <p>SHOULD WE START THINKING ALONG THE LINES OF THE LEGALITY HEREOF????</p> <p> </p>