1 reviews | Active since Dec 2020
Travelstart is a ****
So I have had a ticket booked (costing R1100) for PE since December which I had put on hold because of my inability to travel. I tried changing my travel date and destination to Durban but the costs to do this were higher than having to book another ticket. In the costs to change my booking they included an "airline change" fee meaning I would no longer be travelling with British Airways. I declined the change and kept the ticket due to ridiculous additional costs.
Today I browse through the website to find a suitable ticket to travel for JHB in April. I tell them which flight I want but now this flight costs R649, which costs R688 less than the money I have kept at TravelStart. And now all of a sudden an airline change is no longer possible (because it would be covered by the funds already available at Travelstart). I find this shadey because to customers who don't mind losing money they get away with this.
I argued the airline change fee they previously charged because the airline was the same. They obliged, but offsetting the costs somewhere else, increasing a R99 to R299 for the same invoice.
There is no system to how Travelstart charges customers and they try their luck. And it serves their purposes of being underhanded to not be able to call the customer care lines.
I've never been this frustrated and doubt I'd ever advise anybody to book via Travelstart
Thanks for reaching out and taking the time to share your concerns. We do apologise for the frustration caused in doing a date change to your flight booking. Due to Covid 19 reaching its second wave we are receiving high volumes of booking queries. We have all agents assisting and responding to our customers as quickly as efficiently as possible.
Each airline has their own policy with regards to changes and cancellation requests. As Travelstart acts as an agent for the airline we are bound the airlines rules and need to quote according to their directives which they have provided us. As the airline sits with the funds of the ticket we are governed by their rules and I'm afraid we are not able to overrule or waiver any airlines policies.
Regarding the amendment quote e-mailed we quote according to the seat and fare availability on the requested dates the passenger has provided. Fare displays depend entirely on the airline seat availability per booking class (fare class) at the time that a search/request is done. Our Amendments team recalculates the fare difference according to the availability and the fare restrictions regarding applicable change fees and upgrades, where required. Should there be any difference in taxes this is also calculated into quote. I regret you are not happy with the amendment quote emailed however we are governed by the airlines change policy / regulations. As these funds go directly to the airline we are not permitted to wavier any airline policies.
We will contact you to assist with any further amendment request and answer any queries you might have.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
Thanks for reaching out and taking the time to share your concerns. We do apologise for the frustration caused in doing a date change to your flight booking. Due to Covid 19 reaching its second wave we are receiving high volumes of booking queries. We have all agents assisting and responding to our customers as quickly as efficiently as possible.
Each airline has their own policy with regards to changes and cancellation requests. As Travelstart acts as an agent for the airline we are bound the airlines rules and need to quote according to their directives which they have provided us. As the airline sits with the funds of the ticket we are governed by their rules and I'm afraid we are not able to overrule or waiver any airlines policies.
Regarding the amendment quote e-mailed we quote according to the seat and fare availability on the requested dates the passenger has provided. Fare displays depend entirely on the airline seat availability per booking class (fare class) at the time that a search/request is done. Our Amendments team recalculates the fare difference according to the availability and the fare restrictions regarding applicable change fees and upgrades, where required. Should there be any difference in taxes this is also calculated into quote. I regret you are not happy with the amendment quote emailed however we are governed by the airlines change policy / regulations. As these funds go directly to the airline we are not permitted to wavier any airline policies.
We will contact you to assist with any further amendment request and answer any queries you might have.
Kind Regards,
Marcelle
What you are saying now is that the airline policy has changed within a space of 2 months, which can't be true.
I will not hold my breath for the assistance you promise.
What you are saying now is that the airline policy has changed within a space of 2 months, which can't be true.
I will not hold my breath for the assistance you promise.
Thank you for taking my call.
I have reverted to email and calls to discuss the booking in question.
Wishing you a good day further.
Kind Regards,
Melissa
Thank you for taking my call.
I have reverted to email and calls to discuss the booking in question.
Wishing you a good day further.
Kind Regards,
Melissa
Just so that the review is not left hanging. Thanks for your call.
It is noted that for a flight costing less than R1100, I am required to pay (including a new additional payment of R299) approximately R1500.
I am most probably going to have to let the voucher expire. As I'll be booking straight from the airlines. I refuse to be played.
But thank you for your effort.
Just so that the review is not left hanging. Thanks for your call.
It is noted that for a flight costing less than R1100, I am required to pay (including a new additional payment of R299) approximately R1500.
I am most probably going to have to let the voucher expire. As I'll be booking straight from the airlines. I refuse to be played.
But thank you for your effort.