Plainly put, I went on Jetblue Website to get information on a Charlotte to New York r/t ticket. Found lots of flights for $158.

Came across an Expedia promotion "trueblue36" whereas, you get $36 off your new Jetblue reservation made on expedia. I go to expedia.com, choose identical flights as Jetblue website and find they charge $214. Being new to this, I attempted to get through to Expedia to find out if they charge more than Jetblue for identical flights, times, dates, etc.

Took 30 minutes to get through and was told no, that expedia has best price guarantee. I was connected to the Philippines (employee 32654) who for the next 79 minutes would be on and off hold, gathering information from someone standing beside him as to what to say to me. Mind you I now have almost an 1 hour 40 minutes invested in this (feeling like a total loser for wasting this much time).

Outcome was he booked my flights at the higher rate and said the Jetblue36 doesn't work because of a time zone problem but, I would eventually see a credit. Keep in mind he charged me $214 each ticket (x2). So, basically I am now paying $178 (if he applies credit)for a ticket that I could have booked on Jetblue for $158 and no booking fee. He then says someone will call me to review price guarantee.

The call came after 10pm eastern time, I repeated entire story and was told a call back would come and was given incident number. 30 minutes later a different person calls with a different incident number and says he will call back. Approaching 11pm (my time) I get a call back again saying I will receive a credit for the price difference and an additional credit for future Expedia travel.

So, having spent over 3 hours on this debacle to save $36 I get a $50 expedia credit (p.p.) 3 hours wasted, total nonsense explaining a problem they caused and I get a lousy $50 credit.

I recently was forced to cancel my ticket because I was quarantined with some passengers who were sitting near a passenger who had H1N1 virus. We were quarantined for 7 days so I missed all of my connecting flights. When I cancelled my tickets, unlike the other travel agents, Expedia were the only ones not to return the taxes taken on my ticket booking. Travel insurance does not cover for H1N1 virus. Aside from the shocking service where no one answers beyond the strict automated replies they have been told to repeat, this is theft. Where is customer protection for these situations?? This is serious legal breach.

Lesson learned, you get what you pay for. My fiancee and I wanted a tropical and affordable honeymoon, Friends and even my sister recommended Expedia, I spent hours researching other travel website and Expedia sure enough they were by far the cheapest. I proceed to book a honeymoon to cancun, leaving Jackson on our Wedding day and getting to Cancun at 9 pm, perfect! The gentleman I spoke to was polite and helpful I purchased the trip insurance, because it sounded really comprehensive. Three weeks later swine flu outbreak hits, the CDC says avoid Mexico. Disappointing but not disasterous because I got trip insurance. I call expedia, sure we can change, we have insurance! was offered no help finding something else, hours more research to find another perfect destination, the Dominican Republic. When I call to book it, I am told that since the original trip was on Continental airlines we must fly with them because that portion cannot be refunded by Expedia. Fine with me, other than there is not a flight that we could catch, lands before 11pm, or doesnt add another $1000 to the trip. Try explaining that to the Expedia people. Why can't we just change our traval dates and times? BECAUSE IT IS OUR HONEYMOON! spent hours on the phone, talked to 4 different people, had to explain it wasn't geographically possibble for us to catch afternoon flights in New Orleans of Miami, or arrive in New Jesry at midnight on my wedding day, seriously. No one seemed concerned, at all. We ended up booking our own flights through Contenintal (Expedia wouldnt commincate with them on my behalf either, big surprise) and from Miami and using Expedia from that point, if I had time I would cut them out completely. I will keep calling Expedia and complaing until I speak to someone, who shows at least some concern for the worst customer service I have ever experienced.

-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: 4/16/2009 1:51:04 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Refunds questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:49767374]

* TPID: 1
* EAP: 0
* Name: Marc
* TUID: Guest
* E-mail Address:
* Phone Numbers:


* Itinerary Number:

* Subject: Refunds questions or comments

--------------------------------
* Comment:
Customer: Marc
Reference #: 497-52297

I spoke with a representative earlier today about an issue I noticed in my itinerary this morning. It was brought to my attention when I handed in my expense report for the business travel I had booked through your website on April 3rd, I noticed an incorrect departure date for May 8th from Louisville, KY. To Orlando, FL on my credit card statement when the date should have been for April 23rd. I immediately called Expedia to straighten out the error only to find that I am now being charged $150 per passenger to correct the error. This is for a business trip booking where I was to leave Orlando on April 22nd in the afternoon, conduct a meeting the following day in Louisville and then head back the same day as the meeting on the 23rd (Thursday) of April. Instead I found while submitting my expense report that the date I was to return is May 8th (Friday).

Now I have used your website religiously for over 8 years at least and am fully competent in maneuvering around your website and booking travel. I have never had an issue in the past using your website. Obviously some technical issue took place while booking for this trip. I would understand accidentally choosing the wrong month (maybe) but in no way would I have mistakenly booked for not only the wrong month but also the wrong day and date. Especially considering the 8th is not even close to the 23rd. I explained the situation initially to a customer service rep who was kind enough through the conversation; she said she would first need to check with technical support and then came after a few moments on hold. She then said I needed to speak with a supervisor and passed me off.

Malik the supervisor proceeded to tell me that there was no error in the system and that I had made the mistake. I realized from the start of the conversation that Malik was going to be the right one and I was just completely wrong and that I was getting nowhere in having the issue resolved. It is a business trip and obviously there was no way that I was to spend the next two weeks in Louisville and had to make the necessary changes to what was originally suppose to be my itinerary.

I am still steaming from my conversation this morning with Malik. I have been a repeat customer for over 9 years with Expedia and you have been my default website in booking any kind of travel arrangements. I am extremely technically savvy with a degree in computer networking and I have been a manager with an IT staffing firm for over 2 years if that can help explain a bit more at the ease I have with navigating through your website. If I could see the possibility of this being my error I would have no problem swallowing the $300 being charged to me but this is in no way a user error and obviously a technical glitch.

I would like to have the $300 charge waived for this issue and I will continue to do whatever necessary until it has been resolved. I expect prompt feedback and please provide me with proper contact information of who I need to speak with at the next level if need be.

I understand that you give ample time to review the full details of the itinerary before completing the purchase and I took the time to confirm that the details were correct before finalizing my purchase. The details were correct at that point yet the technical issue seems to have taken place immediately after completing the transaction. I will admit I didn't check my email thoroughly since I knew it was a confirmation email of my purchase and not the actual itinerary that usually comes days after purchase. Which I might add, I never did receive any additional email past the 3rd of April with my itinerary information.

I spoke to US Airways prior to even giving Expedia a call yesterday and explained the situation. US Airways said they would love to assist me in this matter but since I purchased through Expedia, they were not able to move forward with any course of action. So seeing that US Airways was willing to work with me directly if I had purchased through their website tells me that though you are bound by these rules and policies, certain situations should be no problem to override. I cannot tell you how easy it is for a company's initial response to say "Sorry there is nothing we can do!", yet after persistence from the customer something is done to rectify.

Again I am done with conversing with Customer Service over this issue and want this matter taken to the next level within Expedia's management.


-----Original Message-----
From: Expedia Travel Support [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 9:59 PM
To: Marc
Subject: Re: Refunds questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:49767374]

Dear Expedia Customer,

Thank you for contacting us about your refund request.

Please accept our apologies for any lack of service you received while trying to resolve your situation. It is never Expedia.com's intent to mislead or to inconvenience our clients, and we are sorry that you feel Expedia has done so. It is disheartening when our clients feel that we have not met the standards to which we hold our organization and employees, as we attempt to provide the most efficient, quality service available.

We at Expedia are dedicated to providing knowledgeable service and support to our clients, but we are constrained by the policies of the vendors whose services we provide on our Web site. When a flight or hotel itinerary is purchased on Expedia.com, we act as the agent between the client and the vendor. Any transactions are governed by the rules and regulations put in place by the vendor providing the service.

We regret any inconvenience this may have caused and would like to assure you that every reservation is important to us.

If this does not answer your question or solve your problem, feel free to reply to this message or call us at 1-800-EXPEDIA (1-800-397-3342) and reference case ID: 49767374.

Thank you for choosing Expedia.

Rachelle
Expedia Customer Service Team


-----Original Message-----
From: Marc
Sent: 4/17/2009 6:32:30 AM
To: Expedia Travel Support <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Refunds questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:49767374]

I mean you didn't really just copy/paste me some standard rhetoric as a response to my serious issue. First I don't have a question that I need answered and second; no your response is not even close to solving my problem. I obviously need this taken to the next level above a customer service representative. I will once again post my initial email below for reference and if there are any more details needed in rectifying and removing the $300 charge on my credit card, I can provide that.

-----Original Message-----
From: Expedia Travel Support [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 10:04 AM
To: Marc
Subject: RE: Refunds questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:49767374]

Dear Marc,

Thank you for contacting Expedia about your refund request.

There are no reports that indicate problems with the site. Our website is equipped with recapping the details of the itinerary twice throughout the purchase path. All guests are given ample time to review the full details of the itinerary before completing the purchase.

Kindly take note that each of our airline partners established their own rules and policies for canceling or changing reservations. We are bound by these rules and policies and must adhere to them.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused you. Please be assured that the entire team at Expedia.com is dedicated to not only providing the most efficient, user friendly, and accurate travel application, but also to the highest standards of support for our members.

Comments such as yours are read by numerous people within Expedia and help shape our policies and practices as we learn and grow.

Unfortunately, we cannot handle refund requests through email. However, we would be happy to assist you over the phone. Please give our customer service desk a call at the number provided below or 1 404 728 8787 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.

If possible, have your itinerary number and/or booking ID available when you call.

If this does not answer your question or solve your problem, please call us at 1-800-EXPEDIA (1-800-397-3342) and reference case ID: 4976737.

Thank you for choosing Expedia.


Jardine
Expedia Customer Service Team

-----Original Message-----
From: Marc
Sent: 4/17/2009 10:38:30 AM
To: Expedia Travel Support <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Refunds questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:4976737]

I understand that you give ample time to review the full details of the itinerary before completing the purchase and I took the time to confirm that the details were correct before finalizing my purchase. The details were correct at that point yet the technical issue seems to have taken place immediately after completing the transaction. I will admit I didn't check my email thoroughly since I knew it was a confirmation email of my purchase and not the actual itinerary that usually comes days after purchase. Which I might add, I never did receive any additional email past the 3rd of April with my itinerary information.

I spoke to US Airways prior to even giving Expedia a call yesterday and explained the situation. US Airways said they would love to assist me in this matter but since I purchased through Expedia, they were not able to move forward with any course of action. So seeing that US Airways was willing to work with me directly if I had purchased through their website tells me that though you are bound by these rules and policies, certain situations should be no problem to override. I cannot tell you how easy it is for a company's initial response to say "Sorry there is nothing we can do!", yet after persistence from the customer something is done to rectify.

Again I am done with conversing with Customer Service over this issue and want this matter taken to the next level within Expedia's management.

Because I paid in advance for a vacation package (flight, hotel, car) there is no compensation for travel delays. My flight was cancelled due to a snowstorm. I stayed overnight in an airport hotel and arrived at my destination one day later. I still had to pay full price for the vacation and also the one night at the airport.