RR
Rochelle R
1 reviews | Active since Nov 2019
15 Oct 2021, 20:28
Unprofessional and ******** ethics
I am flabbergasted by the information I have received after following up on my refund for my airline tickets today 15th of October 2021. I was advised that SAA Is offering refunds on the airline tickets due to COVID-19. I purchased the tickets 2 months before our country went into lock down, I have been patiently waiting for more than a year for SAA to get back up in the air. It was not my fault I could not travel. When I received an email from Travelstart stating that SAA will be giving client refunds or I can chose to travel up to March 2023 I opted for the refund. I requested a refund only because I would get my full monies back. Today after chatting to a Facebook agent I’m told money has been paid and that I should check my statement, to my surprise my statement does not have the full ticket amount! The amount received is R133,61, which is 14% back? Why was I not furnished with a quote before the refund was submitted? This is a unprofessional manner to conduct business, there is always a quote furnished to clients before submitting claims as far as I know. I was under the impression it was not needed cause I would get a full refund. I request that I get my tickets back I will rather use my tickets fully purchased to travel when I’m ready. Who in their right mind will settle for 14% refund. I purchased 3 tickets to the value of R2738 please can I get assistance regarding this matter, all I want is my tickets I’ll travel before the cut off date March 2023.
Travelstart should give their clients quotes as per their process before submitting claims even if they 3rd party. You can not blame SAA, you should request quotes from SAA and share with clients. Please resolve this. I’m happy to keep my tickets, SAA can take back their 14% I want what belongs to me!
Email to *** is full mail safe not going through!
Thanks Rochelle
Helpful (0)
Replies (3)0
Replies (3)
Travelstart's replyOfficial
15 Oct 2021, 21:09Hi Rochelle,
Thank you for reaching out to us.
I have tried to call to no avail. I have checked the booking and can see that we have been in contact with you as per our other social media platforms. On the 25 of June 2021 we advised that SAA would resume operations and that they have advised we can submit the bookings for a refund, however we were unable to advise you on the refund amount on the booking as we had not directive from the airline and we proceeded to inform you accordingly. The information was received and confirmed that we can action the refund and on 23 August we sent a email stating that the airline has supp**** us with the information that a refund of R 400.83 has been granted. I am very sorry that this is not the refund you had been expecting, however the refund comes directly from SAA and at no point had we advised that a full refund would be permitted.
You are welcomed to send your concerns to feedback @ travelstart . com for further assistance. We understand that the reason for cancellation was through no fault of your own, but the airline has advised that they were not able to operate due to covid and this is not their fault either. Travelstart is a third party company offering a search engine for passengers needing to make bookings for flights, accommodation, car rental, etc. We are governed by the airline regulations as the tickets belong to the airline and not Travelstart.
Kind Regards,
Melissa
Thank you for reaching out to us.
I have tried to call to no avail. I have checked the booking and can see that we have been in contact with you as per our other social media platforms. On the 25 of June 2021 we advised that SAA would resume operations and that they have advised we can submit the bookings for a refund, however we were unable to advise you on the refund amount on the booking as we had not directive from the airline and we proceeded to inform you accordingly. The information was received and confirmed that we can action the refund and on 23 August we sent a email stating that the airline has supp**** us with the information that a refund of R 400.83 has been granted. I am very sorry that this is not the refund you had been expecting, however the refund comes directly from SAA and at no point had we advised that a full refund would be permitted.
You are welcomed to send your concerns to feedback @ travelstart . com for further assistance. We understand that the reason for cancellation was through no fault of your own, but the airline has advised that they were not able to operate due to covid and this is not their fault either. Travelstart is a third party company offering a search engine for passengers needing to make bookings for flights, accommodation, car rental, etc. We are governed by the airline regulations as the tickets belong to the airline and not Travelstart.
Kind Regards,
Melissa
Travelstart's reply15 Oct 2021, 21:09
Official
Hi Rochelle,
Thank you for reaching out to us.
I have tried to call to no avail. I have checked the booking and can see that we have been in contact with you as per our other social media platforms. On the 25 of June 2021 we advised that SAA would resume operations and that they have advised we can submit the bookings for a refund, however we were unable to advise you on the refund amount on the booking as we had not directive from the airline and we proceeded to inform you accordingly. The information was received and confirmed that we can action the refund and on 23 August we sent a email stating that the airline has supp**** us with the information that a refund of R 400.83 has been granted. I am very sorry that this is not the refund you had been expecting, however the refund comes directly from SAA and at no point had we advised that a full refund would be permitted.
You are welcomed to send your concerns to feedback @ travelstart . com for further assistance. We understand that the reason for cancellation was through no fault of your own, but the airline has advised that they were not able to operate due to covid and this is not their fault either. Travelstart is a third party company offering a search engine for passengers needing to make bookings for flights, accommodation, car rental, etc. We are governed by the airline regulations as the tickets belong to the airline and not Travelstart.
Kind Regards,
Melissa
Thank you for reaching out to us.
I have tried to call to no avail. I have checked the booking and can see that we have been in contact with you as per our other social media platforms. On the 25 of June 2021 we advised that SAA would resume operations and that they have advised we can submit the bookings for a refund, however we were unable to advise you on the refund amount on the booking as we had not directive from the airline and we proceeded to inform you accordingly. The information was received and confirmed that we can action the refund and on 23 August we sent a email stating that the airline has supp**** us with the information that a refund of R 400.83 has been granted. I am very sorry that this is not the refund you had been expecting, however the refund comes directly from SAA and at no point had we advised that a full refund would be permitted.
You are welcomed to send your concerns to feedback @ travelstart . com for further assistance. We understand that the reason for cancellation was through no fault of your own, but the airline has advised that they were not able to operate due to covid and this is not their fault either. Travelstart is a third party company offering a search engine for passengers needing to make bookings for flights, accommodation, car rental, etc. We are governed by the airline regulations as the tickets belong to the airline and not Travelstart.
Kind Regards,
Melissa
RR
Rochelle R's updateReviewer Update
16 Oct 2021, 07:13Good day Melissa
I also took your call last night at 21:09 I was on the line for 5 seconds however the call was dropped.
I have not received any mail on the 23rd of August from Travelstart regarding the amount granted by SAA. Again as started why did we as clients not received a quote before submitting? I am not settling for 14%, I booked with Travelstart and I would like for travelstart to please resolve this matter. Nowhere does the mail state partial refund! I would never take a partial refund, if we track back to last year I denied the refund and kept my airline ticket because it was a partial refund and it was all clear communication. Yes its not the airlines fault that we could not travel so is it not my fault either. I do not see why travelstart and SAA takes 86% of peoples money whereas it’s not any ones fault! This is ********! I received a full refund from kulula in fact the full amount was kept in my travel bank. If this was not a pandemic then yes! But this, absolutely no! All I ask for is my tickets back please if I am not getting a full refund.
Thanks Rochelle
I also took your call last night at 21:09 I was on the line for 5 seconds however the call was dropped.
I have not received any mail on the 23rd of August from Travelstart regarding the amount granted by SAA. Again as started why did we as clients not received a quote before submitting? I am not settling for 14%, I booked with Travelstart and I would like for travelstart to please resolve this matter. Nowhere does the mail state partial refund! I would never take a partial refund, if we track back to last year I denied the refund and kept my airline ticket because it was a partial refund and it was all clear communication. Yes its not the airlines fault that we could not travel so is it not my fault either. I do not see why travelstart and SAA takes 86% of peoples money whereas it’s not any ones fault! This is ********! I received a full refund from kulula in fact the full amount was kept in my travel bank. If this was not a pandemic then yes! But this, absolutely no! All I ask for is my tickets back please if I am not getting a full refund.
Thanks Rochelle
RR
Rochelle R's update16 Oct 2021, 07:13
Reviewer Update
Good day Melissa
I also took your call last night at 21:09 I was on the line for 5 seconds however the call was dropped.
I have not received any mail on the 23rd of August from Travelstart regarding the amount granted by SAA. Again as started why did we as clients not received a quote before submitting? I am not settling for 14%, I booked with Travelstart and I would like for travelstart to please resolve this matter. Nowhere does the mail state partial refund! I would never take a partial refund, if we track back to last year I denied the refund and kept my airline ticket because it was a partial refund and it was all clear communication. Yes its not the airlines fault that we could not travel so is it not my fault either. I do not see why travelstart and SAA takes 86% of peoples money whereas it’s not any ones fault! This is ********! I received a full refund from kulula in fact the full amount was kept in my travel bank. If this was not a pandemic then yes! But this, absolutely no! All I ask for is my tickets back please if I am not getting a full refund.
Thanks Rochelle
I also took your call last night at 21:09 I was on the line for 5 seconds however the call was dropped.
I have not received any mail on the 23rd of August from Travelstart regarding the amount granted by SAA. Again as started why did we as clients not received a quote before submitting? I am not settling for 14%, I booked with Travelstart and I would like for travelstart to please resolve this matter. Nowhere does the mail state partial refund! I would never take a partial refund, if we track back to last year I denied the refund and kept my airline ticket because it was a partial refund and it was all clear communication. Yes its not the airlines fault that we could not travel so is it not my fault either. I do not see why travelstart and SAA takes 86% of peoples money whereas it’s not any ones fault! This is ********! I received a full refund from kulula in fact the full amount was kept in my travel bank. If this was not a pandemic then yes! But this, absolutely no! All I ask for is my tickets back please if I am not getting a full refund.
Thanks Rochelle
Travelstart's replyOfficial
16 Oct 2021, 09:46Hi Rochelle,
Thank you for your reply.
As per the email sent by our refunds team the following was mentioned:
""""SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS started offering refunds on their tickets. We are however unable to advise the amount as they have no directive out yet. We can apply for a refund on the tickets. Please be advised that this process can take up to 6 months for them to finalize.
The tickets are suspended to rebook for travel within the validity of the ticket 25 March 2023.
The agent advised they were unable to provide a refund amount of what SAA would refund, as the airline had not provided us with their updated policy. ""
No full refund was offered in that email, it was only advised that SAA was now processing refunds but we were not able to provide the amount of the refund.
We received your reply accepting that even though an amount was not given you would still like to proceed with the refund.
You have also reached out to us via Facebook and the agent managing the platform responded numerous times as well as called you yesterday afternoon to address your concerns over the phone.
We regret you are not happy with the refundable amount however we are governed by the airlines policy. All fares and taxes go to the airline and we are not able to waiver any of their change or refund policies.
The following is also mentioned in our Terms & Conditions which is accepted at the time of making the booking:
""Note that all tickets carry different fare conditions as imposed by the relevant airline. The ticket you are purchasing may only be partially or non-refundable. To verify this before booking online please contact our offices.""
You have since requested that you now wish to keep the ticket was also an option provided in the email, however this is no longer an option as you responded that you wish to proceed with the refund, even though an amount was not provided.
The refund has since been processed by the airline and SAA will not reverse this transaction for you to now keep the tickets open and rebook at a later stage. I'm afraid that is not an option.
Melissa will only be in office on Monday afternoon and will make contact.
In the meantime an agent will call before close of business today to answer your questions you have regarding your refund query.
Kind Regards,
Travelstart
Thank you for your reply.
As per the email sent by our refunds team the following was mentioned:
""""SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS started offering refunds on their tickets. We are however unable to advise the amount as they have no directive out yet. We can apply for a refund on the tickets. Please be advised that this process can take up to 6 months for them to finalize.
The tickets are suspended to rebook for travel within the validity of the ticket 25 March 2023.
The agent advised they were unable to provide a refund amount of what SAA would refund, as the airline had not provided us with their updated policy. ""
No full refund was offered in that email, it was only advised that SAA was now processing refunds but we were not able to provide the amount of the refund.
We received your reply accepting that even though an amount was not given you would still like to proceed with the refund.
You have also reached out to us via Facebook and the agent managing the platform responded numerous times as well as called you yesterday afternoon to address your concerns over the phone.
We regret you are not happy with the refundable amount however we are governed by the airlines policy. All fares and taxes go to the airline and we are not able to waiver any of their change or refund policies.
The following is also mentioned in our Terms & Conditions which is accepted at the time of making the booking:
""Note that all tickets carry different fare conditions as imposed by the relevant airline. The ticket you are purchasing may only be partially or non-refundable. To verify this before booking online please contact our offices.""
You have since requested that you now wish to keep the ticket was also an option provided in the email, however this is no longer an option as you responded that you wish to proceed with the refund, even though an amount was not provided.
The refund has since been processed by the airline and SAA will not reverse this transaction for you to now keep the tickets open and rebook at a later stage. I'm afraid that is not an option.
Melissa will only be in office on Monday afternoon and will make contact.
In the meantime an agent will call before close of business today to answer your questions you have regarding your refund query.
Kind Regards,
Travelstart
Travelstart's reply16 Oct 2021, 09:46
Official
Hi Rochelle,
Thank you for your reply.
As per the email sent by our refunds team the following was mentioned:
""""SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS started offering refunds on their tickets. We are however unable to advise the amount as they have no directive out yet. We can apply for a refund on the tickets. Please be advised that this process can take up to 6 months for them to finalize.
The tickets are suspended to rebook for travel within the validity of the ticket 25 March 2023.
The agent advised they were unable to provide a refund amount of what SAA would refund, as the airline had not provided us with their updated policy. ""
No full refund was offered in that email, it was only advised that SAA was now processing refunds but we were not able to provide the amount of the refund.
We received your reply accepting that even though an amount was not given you would still like to proceed with the refund.
You have also reached out to us via Facebook and the agent managing the platform responded numerous times as well as called you yesterday afternoon to address your concerns over the phone.
We regret you are not happy with the refundable amount however we are governed by the airlines policy. All fares and taxes go to the airline and we are not able to waiver any of their change or refund policies.
The following is also mentioned in our Terms & Conditions which is accepted at the time of making the booking:
""Note that all tickets carry different fare conditions as imposed by the relevant airline. The ticket you are purchasing may only be partially or non-refundable. To verify this before booking online please contact our offices.""
You have since requested that you now wish to keep the ticket was also an option provided in the email, however this is no longer an option as you responded that you wish to proceed with the refund, even though an amount was not provided.
The refund has since been processed by the airline and SAA will not reverse this transaction for you to now keep the tickets open and rebook at a later stage. I'm afraid that is not an option.
Melissa will only be in office on Monday afternoon and will make contact.
In the meantime an agent will call before close of business today to answer your questions you have regarding your refund query.
Kind Regards,
Travelstart
Thank you for your reply.
As per the email sent by our refunds team the following was mentioned:
""""SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS started offering refunds on their tickets. We are however unable to advise the amount as they have no directive out yet. We can apply for a refund on the tickets. Please be advised that this process can take up to 6 months for them to finalize.
The tickets are suspended to rebook for travel within the validity of the ticket 25 March 2023.
The agent advised they were unable to provide a refund amount of what SAA would refund, as the airline had not provided us with their updated policy. ""
No full refund was offered in that email, it was only advised that SAA was now processing refunds but we were not able to provide the amount of the refund.
We received your reply accepting that even though an amount was not given you would still like to proceed with the refund.
You have also reached out to us via Facebook and the agent managing the platform responded numerous times as well as called you yesterday afternoon to address your concerns over the phone.
We regret you are not happy with the refundable amount however we are governed by the airlines policy. All fares and taxes go to the airline and we are not able to waiver any of their change or refund policies.
The following is also mentioned in our Terms & Conditions which is accepted at the time of making the booking:
""Note that all tickets carry different fare conditions as imposed by the relevant airline. The ticket you are purchasing may only be partially or non-refundable. To verify this before booking online please contact our offices.""
You have since requested that you now wish to keep the ticket was also an option provided in the email, however this is no longer an option as you responded that you wish to proceed with the refund, even though an amount was not provided.
The refund has since been processed by the airline and SAA will not reverse this transaction for you to now keep the tickets open and rebook at a later stage. I'm afraid that is not an option.
Melissa will only be in office on Monday afternoon and will make contact.
In the meantime an agent will call before close of business today to answer your questions you have regarding your refund query.
Kind Regards,
Travelstart