JB
Joe B
1 reviews | Active since Oct 2020
03 Oct 2020, 09:24
All good until it’s not
This company is impossible to deal with if you have any complications with flight bookings. You cannot phone anyone and all you get is an email a day after an enquiry that you cannot reply to! The online chat is a farce as they cannot change bookings.
I have been trying to move an existing flight from London to Johannesburg but they are refusing to make the change as the UK is on the high risk travel list for South Africa. This despite our family being South African citizens and being allowed to return. This has been confirmed by government and by the airline I’m booked on.
I have used travelstart numerous times and it’s great when nothing goes wrong or if you don’t need to make any changes. I have always been proud of this being a South African business and referred many people to it. Those days are over for me.
Helpful (0)
Replies (4)0
Replies (4)
Travelstart's replyOfficial
03 Oct 2020, 10:12Hi Joe,
Thank you for taking my call earlier and I do apologise for the frustration caused in trying to do a date change to your ticket.
As discussed one of our amendments agents will be in touch during the course of today to assist over the phone with your amendment request.
We do appreciate you as a loyal customer as well as your feedback.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Thank you for taking my call earlier and I do apologise for the frustration caused in trying to do a date change to your ticket.
As discussed one of our amendments agents will be in touch during the course of today to assist over the phone with your amendment request.
We do appreciate you as a loyal customer as well as your feedback.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Travelstart's reply03 Oct 2020, 10:12
Official
Hi Joe,
Thank you for taking my call earlier and I do apologise for the frustration caused in trying to do a date change to your ticket.
As discussed one of our amendments agents will be in touch during the course of today to assist over the phone with your amendment request.
We do appreciate you as a loyal customer as well as your feedback.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Thank you for taking my call earlier and I do apologise for the frustration caused in trying to do a date change to your ticket.
As discussed one of our amendments agents will be in touch during the course of today to assist over the phone with your amendment request.
We do appreciate you as a loyal customer as well as your feedback.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Travelstart's replyOfficial
09 Oct 2020, 11:37Hi Joe,
Thanks for taking my call earlier and apologies for the struggle when trying to do a date change to your booking.
I have escalated your amendment request onto the relevant team and one of our agents will be in contact with you on your UK number during the course of today to assist over the phone.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Thanks for taking my call earlier and apologies for the struggle when trying to do a date change to your booking.
I have escalated your amendment request onto the relevant team and one of our agents will be in contact with you on your UK number during the course of today to assist over the phone.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Travelstart's reply09 Oct 2020, 11:37
Official
Hi Joe,
Thanks for taking my call earlier and apologies for the struggle when trying to do a date change to your booking.
I have escalated your amendment request onto the relevant team and one of our agents will be in contact with you on your UK number during the course of today to assist over the phone.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Thanks for taking my call earlier and apologies for the struggle when trying to do a date change to your booking.
I have escalated your amendment request onto the relevant team and one of our agents will be in contact with you on your UK number during the course of today to assist over the phone.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
JB
Joe B's updateReviewer Update
09 Oct 2020, 17:42Marcelle,
This seems to be the only forum where Travelstart responds properly. I have just submitted this via you online form. Again your service agents cant seem to all tell the same story:
Hi
On 5 October I requested a date change to 30 October 2020 and then go the following e-mail:
Hi Jan,
Thank you for your request regarding the change to your booking.
I have checked the airline change policy and it shows that Virgin Atlantic allows 2 free date changes only , as your tickets were originally changed once it means if we change now , you will be liable for airline change fee and possible fare or tax differences should you decide to change again later.
In this case it is possible to rebook to the 30th of October free of charge as per flights below;
VS 449 X 30OCT LHR-JNB 21h50 10h40
Please let us know if you would like to go ahead with these changes.
Kind Regards
Travelstart
Then I rep**** and got no response. I again enquired for the change via your website and via your online chat. I got no response and then spoke to Marcelle who phoned me because of my message on hellopeter. A consultant then phoned me and said they will send me an e-mail for the change to be done. I then got this e-mail:
Hi there,
Regarding your booking ZA***5
Thanks for contacting us regarding your flight changes for passenger/s:
1.BESTER/JAN MR(INFBESTER/EMMI/21JAN19)
2.BESTER/LUKE MR(CHD/22FEB16)
3.BESTER/MATTHEW MR(CHD/20JAN14) 4.BESTER/MIKAILE MRS
The following flight is available at the time requested:
VS 449 Q 30OCT LHR JNB 2***
The total cost for the change will be ZAR8046.00 in total for all passengers, this includes all change fees and any applicable difference in taxes and fare, as per the fare rules of your ticket. This quote is over and above the amount already paid for your ticket. The total amount charged for the fee can go up quite significantly if the fare you originally booked is not available on the new date you would like to travel as you then need to pay for the change fee as well as the difference in fare.
You have already told me that I can make the change without penalty and now you are wanting me to pay the penalty?
Please call me on +*** urgently.
Your service and whole system is appalling!!
This seems to be the only forum where Travelstart responds properly. I have just submitted this via you online form. Again your service agents cant seem to all tell the same story:
Hi
On 5 October I requested a date change to 30 October 2020 and then go the following e-mail:
Hi Jan,
Thank you for your request regarding the change to your booking.
I have checked the airline change policy and it shows that Virgin Atlantic allows 2 free date changes only , as your tickets were originally changed once it means if we change now , you will be liable for airline change fee and possible fare or tax differences should you decide to change again later.
In this case it is possible to rebook to the 30th of October free of charge as per flights below;
VS 449 X 30OCT LHR-JNB 21h50 10h40
Please let us know if you would like to go ahead with these changes.
Kind Regards
Travelstart
Then I rep**** and got no response. I again enquired for the change via your website and via your online chat. I got no response and then spoke to Marcelle who phoned me because of my message on hellopeter. A consultant then phoned me and said they will send me an e-mail for the change to be done. I then got this e-mail:
Hi there,
Regarding your booking ZA***5
Thanks for contacting us regarding your flight changes for passenger/s:
1.BESTER/JAN MR(INFBESTER/EMMI/21JAN19)
2.BESTER/LUKE MR(CHD/22FEB16)
3.BESTER/MATTHEW MR(CHD/20JAN14) 4.BESTER/MIKAILE MRS
The following flight is available at the time requested:
VS 449 Q 30OCT LHR JNB 2***
The total cost for the change will be ZAR8046.00 in total for all passengers, this includes all change fees and any applicable difference in taxes and fare, as per the fare rules of your ticket. This quote is over and above the amount already paid for your ticket. The total amount charged for the fee can go up quite significantly if the fare you originally booked is not available on the new date you would like to travel as you then need to pay for the change fee as well as the difference in fare.
You have already told me that I can make the change without penalty and now you are wanting me to pay the penalty?
Please call me on +*** urgently.
Your service and whole system is appalling!!
JB
Joe B's update09 Oct 2020, 17:42
Reviewer Update
Marcelle,
This seems to be the only forum where Travelstart responds properly. I have just submitted this via you online form. Again your service agents cant seem to all tell the same story:
Hi
On 5 October I requested a date change to 30 October 2020 and then go the following e-mail:
Hi Jan,
Thank you for your request regarding the change to your booking.
I have checked the airline change policy and it shows that Virgin Atlantic allows 2 free date changes only , as your tickets were originally changed once it means if we change now , you will be liable for airline change fee and possible fare or tax differences should you decide to change again later.
In this case it is possible to rebook to the 30th of October free of charge as per flights below;
VS 449 X 30OCT LHR-JNB 21h50 10h40
Please let us know if you would like to go ahead with these changes.
Kind Regards
Travelstart
Then I rep**** and got no response. I again enquired for the change via your website and via your online chat. I got no response and then spoke to Marcelle who phoned me because of my message on hellopeter. A consultant then phoned me and said they will send me an e-mail for the change to be done. I then got this e-mail:
Hi there,
Regarding your booking ZA***5
Thanks for contacting us regarding your flight changes for passenger/s:
1.BESTER/JAN MR(INFBESTER/EMMI/21JAN19)
2.BESTER/LUKE MR(CHD/22FEB16)
3.BESTER/MATTHEW MR(CHD/20JAN14) 4.BESTER/MIKAILE MRS
The following flight is available at the time requested:
VS 449 Q 30OCT LHR JNB 2***
The total cost for the change will be ZAR8046.00 in total for all passengers, this includes all change fees and any applicable difference in taxes and fare, as per the fare rules of your ticket. This quote is over and above the amount already paid for your ticket. The total amount charged for the fee can go up quite significantly if the fare you originally booked is not available on the new date you would like to travel as you then need to pay for the change fee as well as the difference in fare.
You have already told me that I can make the change without penalty and now you are wanting me to pay the penalty?
Please call me on +*** urgently.
Your service and whole system is appalling!!
This seems to be the only forum where Travelstart responds properly. I have just submitted this via you online form. Again your service agents cant seem to all tell the same story:
Hi
On 5 October I requested a date change to 30 October 2020 and then go the following e-mail:
Hi Jan,
Thank you for your request regarding the change to your booking.
I have checked the airline change policy and it shows that Virgin Atlantic allows 2 free date changes only , as your tickets were originally changed once it means if we change now , you will be liable for airline change fee and possible fare or tax differences should you decide to change again later.
In this case it is possible to rebook to the 30th of October free of charge as per flights below;
VS 449 X 30OCT LHR-JNB 21h50 10h40
Please let us know if you would like to go ahead with these changes.
Kind Regards
Travelstart
Then I rep**** and got no response. I again enquired for the change via your website and via your online chat. I got no response and then spoke to Marcelle who phoned me because of my message on hellopeter. A consultant then phoned me and said they will send me an e-mail for the change to be done. I then got this e-mail:
Hi there,
Regarding your booking ZA***5
Thanks for contacting us regarding your flight changes for passenger/s:
1.BESTER/JAN MR(INFBESTER/EMMI/21JAN19)
2.BESTER/LUKE MR(CHD/22FEB16)
3.BESTER/MATTHEW MR(CHD/20JAN14) 4.BESTER/MIKAILE MRS
The following flight is available at the time requested:
VS 449 Q 30OCT LHR JNB 2***
The total cost for the change will be ZAR8046.00 in total for all passengers, this includes all change fees and any applicable difference in taxes and fare, as per the fare rules of your ticket. This quote is over and above the amount already paid for your ticket. The total amount charged for the fee can go up quite significantly if the fare you originally booked is not available on the new date you would like to travel as you then need to pay for the change fee as well as the difference in fare.
You have already told me that I can make the change without penalty and now you are wanting me to pay the penalty?
Please call me on +*** urgently.
Your service and whole system is appalling!!
Travelstart's replyOfficial
09 Oct 2020, 21:50Hi Joe,
Thank you for taking my call earlier. I have escalated your booking, requesting a call back for tomorrow afternoon.
One of our amendment agents will look at the history of your booking and be be touch with feedback and to assist over the phone regarding your date change request.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Thank you for taking my call earlier. I have escalated your booking, requesting a call back for tomorrow afternoon.
One of our amendment agents will look at the history of your booking and be be touch with feedback and to assist over the phone regarding your date change request.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Travelstart's reply09 Oct 2020, 21:50
Official
Hi Joe,
Thank you for taking my call earlier. I have escalated your booking, requesting a call back for tomorrow afternoon.
One of our amendment agents will look at the history of your booking and be be touch with feedback and to assist over the phone regarding your date change request.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Thank you for taking my call earlier. I have escalated your booking, requesting a call back for tomorrow afternoon.
One of our amendment agents will look at the history of your booking and be be touch with feedback and to assist over the phone regarding your date change request.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle