Travelstart Con
Great website - seems all friendly when booking. Paid for my ticket and paid an additional R999 for the ability to change my ticket (quite reasonable in the current circumstances). Now had to change the ticket and was quoted R350 to do so yesterday, why the extra cost was not made clear but the amount seemed reasonable as an admin fee. I rep**** to the email with the change of info details only to find that I had to do accept the change online and not via the email response. Which I then did ... and now, this afternoon, I have an email with a charge of R1290 for the change request. Of course, they throw the T&C's at me when I tried to raise this with them. DO NOT USE TRAVELSTART, DO NOT PAY THE EXTRA R999 - its a con.
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Replies (1)
Travelstart's replyOfficial
12 May 2021, 22:01Hi Kim,
Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us, which we do appreciate and regret to hear you have not had a great experience when booking with us.
Our products are designed to add value to our passengers trip.
All the relevant information that will increase your knowledge of our products is provided at the time of booking.
Regarding our Flexi product option: Upgrading to a Rebookable flight/Flexi ticket option allows a customer to make 1 free date change to their booking, subject to the same fare class availability.
If the same fare class is not available the passenger will be liable for the difference in fare and taxes only as the flexi option will cover the airline penalty fee as well as the Travelstart service fee.
This information is provided under the terms and conditions which can be viewed during the booking process and here: https://www.travelstart.co.za/lp/products-services/flexible-travel-dates
Should the same fare class be available and there is no difference in taxes and fare you will not have to pay in difference.
I see the quote was emailed on the 11th May from a noreply email address. In the quote at the bottom we do provide the following information:
""If you would like to go ahead with the change , select : Confirmation of date change quote on our contact form by clicking on the link: (link is provided)""
The following information was also provided:
""Please note that the above quote is subject to confirmation by the airline's availability, at the time of changing and that we are not holding any confirmed seats. We recommend you reply as soon as possible to the above quotation to confirm it as changes will be made when confirmation is received in writing. Confirmation for the applicable change needs to be received by 18h30pm SA time today. Please be advised that once a change of reservation has been made we cannot change it back to the original flight without any booking penalties.""
As we only received your confirmation the following day the quote was no longer valid as the same booking class quoted was no longer available and the airport taxes had increased.
As we work off a live booking system our team can only quote what the airline has made available.
If you are flexible on your dates maybe by a day or two, we can have a look to find a more affordable option for you.
I am sorry you feel our Flexi product is in bad faith, this is not our intention to make you feel this way.
I have called the number you provided but unable to leave a voice message. It says the person you have called is not available.
If you are flexible with your dates of travel you welcome to complete our online contact form:
https://www.travelstart.co.za/lp/contact-us
Under Select Category, select -- ""Change My Booking""
Fill in all the relevant details and in the Message block please provide all details exact dates of travel as well as let the team know if you are flexible by a couple of days before and after.
Alternatively you welcome to email: help @ travelstart . com
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your concerns.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us, which we do appreciate and regret to hear you have not had a great experience when booking with us.
Our products are designed to add value to our passengers trip.
All the relevant information that will increase your knowledge of our products is provided at the time of booking.
Regarding our Flexi product option: Upgrading to a Rebookable flight/Flexi ticket option allows a customer to make 1 free date change to their booking, subject to the same fare class availability.
If the same fare class is not available the passenger will be liable for the difference in fare and taxes only as the flexi option will cover the airline penalty fee as well as the Travelstart service fee.
This information is provided under the terms and conditions which can be viewed during the booking process and here: https://www.travelstart.co.za/lp/products-services/flexible-travel-dates
Should the same fare class be available and there is no difference in taxes and fare you will not have to pay in difference.
I see the quote was emailed on the 11th May from a noreply email address. In the quote at the bottom we do provide the following information:
""If you would like to go ahead with the change , select : Confirmation of date change quote on our contact form by clicking on the link: (link is provided)""
The following information was also provided:
""Please note that the above quote is subject to confirmation by the airline's availability, at the time of changing and that we are not holding any confirmed seats. We recommend you reply as soon as possible to the above quotation to confirm it as changes will be made when confirmation is received in writing. Confirmation for the applicable change needs to be received by 18h30pm SA time today. Please be advised that once a change of reservation has been made we cannot change it back to the original flight without any booking penalties.""
As we only received your confirmation the following day the quote was no longer valid as the same booking class quoted was no longer available and the airport taxes had increased.
As we work off a live booking system our team can only quote what the airline has made available.
If you are flexible on your dates maybe by a day or two, we can have a look to find a more affordable option for you.
I am sorry you feel our Flexi product is in bad faith, this is not our intention to make you feel this way.
I have called the number you provided but unable to leave a voice message. It says the person you have called is not available.
If you are flexible with your dates of travel you welcome to complete our online contact form:
https://www.travelstart.co.za/lp/contact-us
Under Select Category, select -- ""Change My Booking""
Fill in all the relevant details and in the Message block please provide all details exact dates of travel as well as let the team know if you are flexible by a couple of days before and after.
Alternatively you welcome to email: help @ travelstart . com
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your concerns.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Travelstart's reply12 May 2021, 22:01
Official
Hi Kim,
Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us, which we do appreciate and regret to hear you have not had a great experience when booking with us.
Our products are designed to add value to our passengers trip.
All the relevant information that will increase your knowledge of our products is provided at the time of booking.
Regarding our Flexi product option: Upgrading to a Rebookable flight/Flexi ticket option allows a customer to make 1 free date change to their booking, subject to the same fare class availability.
If the same fare class is not available the passenger will be liable for the difference in fare and taxes only as the flexi option will cover the airline penalty fee as well as the Travelstart service fee.
This information is provided under the terms and conditions which can be viewed during the booking process and here: https://www.travelstart.co.za/lp/products-services/flexible-travel-dates
Should the same fare class be available and there is no difference in taxes and fare you will not have to pay in difference.
I see the quote was emailed on the 11th May from a noreply email address. In the quote at the bottom we do provide the following information:
""If you would like to go ahead with the change , select : Confirmation of date change quote on our contact form by clicking on the link: (link is provided)""
The following information was also provided:
""Please note that the above quote is subject to confirmation by the airline's availability, at the time of changing and that we are not holding any confirmed seats. We recommend you reply as soon as possible to the above quotation to confirm it as changes will be made when confirmation is received in writing. Confirmation for the applicable change needs to be received by 18h30pm SA time today. Please be advised that once a change of reservation has been made we cannot change it back to the original flight without any booking penalties.""
As we only received your confirmation the following day the quote was no longer valid as the same booking class quoted was no longer available and the airport taxes had increased.
As we work off a live booking system our team can only quote what the airline has made available.
If you are flexible on your dates maybe by a day or two, we can have a look to find a more affordable option for you.
I am sorry you feel our Flexi product is in bad faith, this is not our intention to make you feel this way.
I have called the number you provided but unable to leave a voice message. It says the person you have called is not available.
If you are flexible with your dates of travel you welcome to complete our online contact form:
https://www.travelstart.co.za/lp/contact-us
Under Select Category, select -- ""Change My Booking""
Fill in all the relevant details and in the Message block please provide all details exact dates of travel as well as let the team know if you are flexible by a couple of days before and after.
Alternatively you welcome to email: help @ travelstart . com
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your concerns.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us, which we do appreciate and regret to hear you have not had a great experience when booking with us.
Our products are designed to add value to our passengers trip.
All the relevant information that will increase your knowledge of our products is provided at the time of booking.
Regarding our Flexi product option: Upgrading to a Rebookable flight/Flexi ticket option allows a customer to make 1 free date change to their booking, subject to the same fare class availability.
If the same fare class is not available the passenger will be liable for the difference in fare and taxes only as the flexi option will cover the airline penalty fee as well as the Travelstart service fee.
This information is provided under the terms and conditions which can be viewed during the booking process and here: https://www.travelstart.co.za/lp/products-services/flexible-travel-dates
Should the same fare class be available and there is no difference in taxes and fare you will not have to pay in difference.
I see the quote was emailed on the 11th May from a noreply email address. In the quote at the bottom we do provide the following information:
""If you would like to go ahead with the change , select : Confirmation of date change quote on our contact form by clicking on the link: (link is provided)""
The following information was also provided:
""Please note that the above quote is subject to confirmation by the airline's availability, at the time of changing and that we are not holding any confirmed seats. We recommend you reply as soon as possible to the above quotation to confirm it as changes will be made when confirmation is received in writing. Confirmation for the applicable change needs to be received by 18h30pm SA time today. Please be advised that once a change of reservation has been made we cannot change it back to the original flight without any booking penalties.""
As we only received your confirmation the following day the quote was no longer valid as the same booking class quoted was no longer available and the airport taxes had increased.
As we work off a live booking system our team can only quote what the airline has made available.
If you are flexible on your dates maybe by a day or two, we can have a look to find a more affordable option for you.
I am sorry you feel our Flexi product is in bad faith, this is not our intention to make you feel this way.
I have called the number you provided but unable to leave a voice message. It says the person you have called is not available.
If you are flexible with your dates of travel you welcome to complete our online contact form:
https://www.travelstart.co.za/lp/contact-us
Under Select Category, select -- ""Change My Booking""
Fill in all the relevant details and in the Message block please provide all details exact dates of travel as well as let the team know if you are flexible by a couple of days before and after.
Alternatively you welcome to email: help @ travelstart . com
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your concerns.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle