I booked a ticket on Al Jazeera website to travel between Dubai and Bahrain via Al Jazeera Flight J9409 on 11th November 2008 (Reservation # ME2FLG) and paid by credit card. However 12 days before travel they informed me by sms that the flight is cancelled.

I asked for refund on 2nd November after receiving an email reply from them (about my options going forward) and was told that the refund would take 35 working days and that they have started the refund process on the 3rd of November 2008 itself (upon my communication of my choice on the 2nd of November 2008). This was to begin with in violation of the Terms and Agreement of the purchase of Ticket which puts this refund payment time at 7 days only (and again it does not speak of working days) (Ref. Art. 9.2.3.2).

On 29th December 2008 well over the 35 working day timeline I sent them another email stating that funds are not received. Then on the 1st of January 2009 the Helpdesk staff asked me to give my Bank Statement as proof that funds are not received. When I refused to share my Card Statement with Airways and asked for a proof of such a fund transfer been initiated from them, Al Jazeera confirmed that they made the payment on 22nd December 2008 (and not the 3rd of November as originally stated) and again they asked for scanned statements as proof that funds are not received.

I asked for an explanation as to why did the disbursement team took time till 22nd December to disburse the funds (when I was originally told that the process is started). They could not explain as to why did it take nearly two months for the process within Al Jazeera Airways Staff itself. Secondly I wanted proof that the funds were refunded by the Airways.

By now it was the 16th of January 2009, and yet no response to my querry. After chaser emails on 20th and 23rd Jan 2009, the Help desk on the 23rd Jan 09 wrote that they have asked for proof from the concerned department. On 30th Jan 09 I again asked why does it take the concerned department 7 working days to provide proof. To this on 30th Jan 09 the Helpdesk wrote that the concerned department does not provide any proof of transfers

I do not know what to do now. I think I should start an chain email to educate people about my situation so that other people do not fall into the trap of paying Al Jazeera Airways any money (because from my experience as I stand today on 1st Feb 2009) this is a money gone down the drain.

I appreciate if anyone can give me a advice on how to recover this funds from scuptlous dealers like Al Jazeera Airways.