WP
Warren P
1 reviews | Active since Apr 2013
21 Dec 2020, 15:39
POOR SERVICE - TRAVELSTART (FLIGHT BOOKING REFUND)
I booked a ticket from South Africa (Johannesburg) to Netherlands (Amsterdam) via Dubai. I booked my ticket in December 2019 for April 2020. I paid R8,600 for the ticket plus another R1,252 to reserve specific seats. Covid affected all flights and I was told that my ticket would be converted into a voucher. I was happy with that however, I contacted Travelstart in May to request that my reserved seats payment be refunded as I no longer need to reserve seats. Needless to say, it is now the 21st December 2020 and I am still given the run around with regards to a refund of R1,252. It is ridiculous. Why should someone have to wait so long for a small refund. It works the other way around when you reserve your seats as they want payment immediately, or you lose your chance of getting what you want but as soon as it comes to actually servicing client needs, we no longer matter. The service from Travelstart has been absoluately poor. so much so, that I will never use their services again. I will also make sure that I convince family and friends to never use their services, in order to spare them the poor service I and by the looks of it, countless other passengers or clients have experienced.
Helpful (0)
Replies (4)0
Replies (4)
Travelstart's replyOfficial
21 Dec 2020, 16:53Good day Warren
Thank you kindly for taking the time to provide us with your feedback.
I am really sorry to hear that you have ben struggling to get a refund of the utilized product. Please allow me some time to investigate this matter for you and I will provide you with feedback and revert within 24hours.
Thank you for your patience in this matter.
Wishing you a wonderful evening further!
Regards
Travelstart
Thank you kindly for taking the time to provide us with your feedback.
I am really sorry to hear that you have ben struggling to get a refund of the utilized product. Please allow me some time to investigate this matter for you and I will provide you with feedback and revert within 24hours.
Thank you for your patience in this matter.
Wishing you a wonderful evening further!
Regards
Travelstart
Travelstart's reply21 Dec 2020, 16:53
Official
Good day Warren
Thank you kindly for taking the time to provide us with your feedback.
I am really sorry to hear that you have ben struggling to get a refund of the utilized product. Please allow me some time to investigate this matter for you and I will provide you with feedback and revert within 24hours.
Thank you for your patience in this matter.
Wishing you a wonderful evening further!
Regards
Travelstart
Thank you kindly for taking the time to provide us with your feedback.
I am really sorry to hear that you have ben struggling to get a refund of the utilized product. Please allow me some time to investigate this matter for you and I will provide you with feedback and revert within 24hours.
Thank you for your patience in this matter.
Wishing you a wonderful evening further!
Regards
Travelstart
Travelstart's replyOfficial
22 Dec 2020, 13:48Good day Warren
Thank you for your patience whilst we investigated into your feedback provided.
Firstly accept my apologies for any frustration caused in this process. I have had a closer look into your booking and would like to advise the following.
The refund request for the seat service was actioned by our refunds Team on the 21 Oct (documents can be provided as evidence ) . The airline advised us that the only way this application can be done is via their website and this is exactly what the agents did. The email from the emirates office was that after submission it should take 6 - 8 weeks to be refunded as it comes from Dubai head office .
Ever since this request was processed the Refunds Team has been following up with the airline. The money for this service is with the airline and not Travelstart as they are the ones that would have offered the service.
The latest follow up to the airline was on the 21st December by an agent and also by yourself , which we appreciate as this would perhaps allow the airline to prioritize if possible. I would also like to add that the airlines and industry has been badly affected by the global pandemic and have had to let most of their staff go as they were unable to keep them. Thus processing could take longer than expected. We have done everything on our end to ensure that you obtain the refund essentially now we have to wait for the airline to conclude it.
We realize it’s frustrating to wait for your money and we are putting as much pressure as we can on the airlines to process refunds as quickly as possible. The airlines are trying to work through refund applications as quickly as possible.
Wishing you a wonderful day further!
Thank you and kind regards
Travelstart
Thank you for your patience whilst we investigated into your feedback provided.
Firstly accept my apologies for any frustration caused in this process. I have had a closer look into your booking and would like to advise the following.
The refund request for the seat service was actioned by our refunds Team on the 21 Oct (documents can be provided as evidence ) . The airline advised us that the only way this application can be done is via their website and this is exactly what the agents did. The email from the emirates office was that after submission it should take 6 - 8 weeks to be refunded as it comes from Dubai head office .
Ever since this request was processed the Refunds Team has been following up with the airline. The money for this service is with the airline and not Travelstart as they are the ones that would have offered the service.
The latest follow up to the airline was on the 21st December by an agent and also by yourself , which we appreciate as this would perhaps allow the airline to prioritize if possible. I would also like to add that the airlines and industry has been badly affected by the global pandemic and have had to let most of their staff go as they were unable to keep them. Thus processing could take longer than expected. We have done everything on our end to ensure that you obtain the refund essentially now we have to wait for the airline to conclude it.
We realize it’s frustrating to wait for your money and we are putting as much pressure as we can on the airlines to process refunds as quickly as possible. The airlines are trying to work through refund applications as quickly as possible.
Wishing you a wonderful day further!
Thank you and kind regards
Travelstart
Travelstart's reply22 Dec 2020, 13:48
Official
Good day Warren
Thank you for your patience whilst we investigated into your feedback provided.
Firstly accept my apologies for any frustration caused in this process. I have had a closer look into your booking and would like to advise the following.
The refund request for the seat service was actioned by our refunds Team on the 21 Oct (documents can be provided as evidence ) . The airline advised us that the only way this application can be done is via their website and this is exactly what the agents did. The email from the emirates office was that after submission it should take 6 - 8 weeks to be refunded as it comes from Dubai head office .
Ever since this request was processed the Refunds Team has been following up with the airline. The money for this service is with the airline and not Travelstart as they are the ones that would have offered the service.
The latest follow up to the airline was on the 21st December by an agent and also by yourself , which we appreciate as this would perhaps allow the airline to prioritize if possible. I would also like to add that the airlines and industry has been badly affected by the global pandemic and have had to let most of their staff go as they were unable to keep them. Thus processing could take longer than expected. We have done everything on our end to ensure that you obtain the refund essentially now we have to wait for the airline to conclude it.
We realize it’s frustrating to wait for your money and we are putting as much pressure as we can on the airlines to process refunds as quickly as possible. The airlines are trying to work through refund applications as quickly as possible.
Wishing you a wonderful day further!
Thank you and kind regards
Travelstart
Thank you for your patience whilst we investigated into your feedback provided.
Firstly accept my apologies for any frustration caused in this process. I have had a closer look into your booking and would like to advise the following.
The refund request for the seat service was actioned by our refunds Team on the 21 Oct (documents can be provided as evidence ) . The airline advised us that the only way this application can be done is via their website and this is exactly what the agents did. The email from the emirates office was that after submission it should take 6 - 8 weeks to be refunded as it comes from Dubai head office .
Ever since this request was processed the Refunds Team has been following up with the airline. The money for this service is with the airline and not Travelstart as they are the ones that would have offered the service.
The latest follow up to the airline was on the 21st December by an agent and also by yourself , which we appreciate as this would perhaps allow the airline to prioritize if possible. I would also like to add that the airlines and industry has been badly affected by the global pandemic and have had to let most of their staff go as they were unable to keep them. Thus processing could take longer than expected. We have done everything on our end to ensure that you obtain the refund essentially now we have to wait for the airline to conclude it.
We realize it’s frustrating to wait for your money and we are putting as much pressure as we can on the airlines to process refunds as quickly as possible. The airlines are trying to work through refund applications as quickly as possible.
Wishing you a wonderful day further!
Thank you and kind regards
Travelstart
WP
Warren P's updateReviewer Update
22 Dec 2020, 15:47Hi there,
Thank you for the detailed feedback. I do appreciate the efforts that have gone into requesting the refund on my behalf however, is there any way in which we can speed this process up and finalize my request? I would appreciate it if your team could provide me with feedback on a weekly basis at least, as this will then show me that you are indeed actively working on my request. The only time I get updates, is when I send emails or phone in. Holding thumbs we can resolve this query soonest.
Thank you for the detailed feedback. I do appreciate the efforts that have gone into requesting the refund on my behalf however, is there any way in which we can speed this process up and finalize my request? I would appreciate it if your team could provide me with feedback on a weekly basis at least, as this will then show me that you are indeed actively working on my request. The only time I get updates, is when I send emails or phone in. Holding thumbs we can resolve this query soonest.
WP
Warren P's update22 Dec 2020, 15:47
Reviewer Update
Hi there,
Thank you for the detailed feedback. I do appreciate the efforts that have gone into requesting the refund on my behalf however, is there any way in which we can speed this process up and finalize my request? I would appreciate it if your team could provide me with feedback on a weekly basis at least, as this will then show me that you are indeed actively working on my request. The only time I get updates, is when I send emails or phone in. Holding thumbs we can resolve this query soonest.
Thank you for the detailed feedback. I do appreciate the efforts that have gone into requesting the refund on my behalf however, is there any way in which we can speed this process up and finalize my request? I would appreciate it if your team could provide me with feedback on a weekly basis at least, as this will then show me that you are indeed actively working on my request. The only time I get updates, is when I send emails or phone in. Holding thumbs we can resolve this query soonest.
Travelstart's replyOfficial
22 Dec 2020, 17:02Hi there, Warren
Thank you for understanding.
I have asked the refunds Team to keep you informed as they continue to follow up with the Airline, I will also keep an eye out on the booking for updates and advise you accordingly.
We are all holding thumbs for this issue to be resolved soonest.
Regards
Travelstart
Thank you for understanding.
I have asked the refunds Team to keep you informed as they continue to follow up with the Airline, I will also keep an eye out on the booking for updates and advise you accordingly.
We are all holding thumbs for this issue to be resolved soonest.
Regards
Travelstart
Travelstart's reply22 Dec 2020, 17:02
Official
Hi there, Warren
Thank you for understanding.
I have asked the refunds Team to keep you informed as they continue to follow up with the Airline, I will also keep an eye out on the booking for updates and advise you accordingly.
We are all holding thumbs for this issue to be resolved soonest.
Regards
Travelstart
Thank you for understanding.
I have asked the refunds Team to keep you informed as they continue to follow up with the Airline, I will also keep an eye out on the booking for updates and advise you accordingly.
We are all holding thumbs for this issue to be resolved soonest.
Regards
Travelstart