Flight Refund due to False Promises

jiminho

Looking for some advice. I’m travelling to Ireland with my pet dog in a few weeks. Prior to booking my ticket, I spoke to an airline customer service rep who spoke about the procedure to book a ticket with a dog to be included as cargo (he’s a large dog). We also went through the flight path that he needed to take (direct flights were available but we had to go indirect as the dog could only travel on certain planes). I was told to book a ticket and then to add the dog to the reference number so I went and did that and this is where the trouble starts.

The first issue that came up was that when I went to add my pet, he couldn’t automatically be added but a request went in to add him to the flight which is not what they said. They said I wouldn’t have any issues but low and behold, after about two months waiting, my pet got rejected on the flight. After hours on the phone, back and forth to try and get him on, it’s not possible. So, I ask for a refund on the flight because that was the only reason I got this ticket. This flight was probably the most expensive economy ticket I could have bought to Ireland and it’s also not even direct. They asked if I want a voucher and I said no (I don’t plan on flying with them again). So again after hours of back and forth and speaking with supervisors they agree to give me a refund. They tell me it will go back on my CC and expect it to take 1-2 months.

Well a couple of days after my call I get an email confirmation not for a refund but for a request to refund which I have now got a refusal for as well today.

The whole process has been a disaster and my fault for believing what the customer reps were saying but I never would have bought a ticket if the airline told me in the first place I couldn’t bring my pet. So my question is, what kind of recourse do I have? The flight isn’t for another few weeks but I’ve since sorted out my pet and myself on other flights with another airline. I just want my money back

do you have any emails documenting this?

if no could be tricky.

Dial Hard

Is it an Irish airline? If not you'd probably be better off posting on a forum local to wherever the carrier is based.

waterwelly

If its not in writing forget it.

jiminho

Yep this would have made it a lot easier to deal with but of course I don’t which is extremely naive of me. Usually pretty good about asking for email confirmation but kept getting reassurances that “everything checks out and the request is a formality” and booking the ticket in the first place, the customer rep told me “we do this all the time and just a case of adding him to the booking”. This after spending ages going through all the various requirements and ensuring we checked all the boxes. Feel very baited into this situation

cml387

You have an email denying your refund request?

I'd start on that and email back and ask why, detailing the steps you went through and build up the case that way.

It'll be slow but it might work.

ThreeGreens

I wonder would it qualify for a chargeback on your card? You should contact your card issuer and discuss the possibility of a chargeback on your card.

Also write them a complaint letter. Emails, and phone calls are fine for initial efforts, but when they fail, a written letter setting out your case to their complaints department is more likely to get results.

But pursue both the bank and the airline at the same time. The closer it gets to the flight the harder it will be to sort.

jiminho

Yes I do. I also have a slip showing the refund request and under Refund Reason it says, “Refund according to ticket conditions”. Which is total BS

jiminho

Ok cheers for advice RE bank etc. I would let this go and put it down as a lesson learned but the ticket cost €750 and because I had to go with another airline so close to my flight, their ticket cost had gone up by almost 60% since I reviewed it when I booked my original ticket. I’m out of pocket over a grand

swampy353

Just as a general rule, email is a far better route than post. Proof of sending an email (to the correct address) is considered proof of delivery. To get the same with post, it's an expensive registered post, think around €7 for a letter.

Also if your going to escalate a complaint, much easier to forward on a thread rather than collating a load of paper

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119173953#Comment_119173953

All incoming calls to call centres are recorded. Either an FOI or GDPR request will get the recording of the call.

cml387

The OP has not told us what country they are in, so GDPR/FOI rules may be different/inapplicable if outside the EU.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119178055#Comment_119178055

His is the one piece if information missing and the mist important. What country is the OP in and who is the carrier? Without this information any advice is pointless.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177989#Comment_119177989

Not as simple as you make out either tbh given what country abroad the op spoke from, where call centres may be located and/or having noted or being able to remember what date and time exactly the call took place on if it was a general call without a customer reference attached as op indicated that they booked the flight after the call

macvin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177989#Comment_119177989

Not all calls are recorded and many are wiped within days, but many are kept too.

The OP would need to know the day and almost precise time of the call to even have a chance of obtaining a recording.

But possibly the request alone is enough to elicit a refund.

jiminho

Hi folks - just to provide an update that I got the refund, or should I say, I have email confirmation that my refund request was successful. Persistence was the winner. Thanks all for the advice