I originally purchased two roundtrip tickets to LGA from CHS for July 1st to July 4th. These tickets were purchased months in advance for a total of $440. My husband was flying with me along with my 12 month old daughter (in lap). We were going to a family wedding. On June 21st, my Father-In-Law passed suddenly and unexpectedly. He was living in Florida and since he died alone, the body was held. Funeral services were scheduled for July 1st. This was the day of my departure to NY. Although there was great sadness in our lives, my husband wanted my daughter and I to go ahead and go to NY for the wedding so my daughter could meet her great grandparents for the first time.
I first checked online to see what the cost would be to change just my departure flight to a different day and from a different airport (TPA). The cost was to be around $900! When I looked at rebooking a new one-way flight from TPA to LGA it was less than $200. I called customer service at Orbitz to find out if I was doing this right, if they could help me, and if there was a lesser price. After telling the operator many times that I wanted to keep my return flight and only change my departure he said it would be around $900. He asked if I wanted to cancel my flight and I said no. I also said no to canceling my husband’s flight. Since the penalties were so much, it would basically be a wash for our tickets. The operator advised that it was cheaper to rebook a new one way flight out of TPA. Again, I spoke very clearly that I wanted to keep my return flight and did not want to cancel my tickets.
I flew out of TPA on July 2nd alone with my daughter in my lap. I felt secure that I would have a return flight home since I was getting updated reports on my phone from Orbitz. When I got to LGA to leave on July 4th, I was told I did not have a ticket and my flight was cancelled because I did not go on my original departure flight. At no point did the Orbitz representative tell me that my return flight would be cancelled if I did not go on the original departure flight. After a long weekend of traveling alone with my 12 month old and the emotional stress of a funeral of my Father in Law and then a wedding, I started to cry. I did not have a seat to get home. Of course Delta would sell me a seat back but I would be charged $150 for penalties and then a last minute ticket. They charged me $603 to get home; minus the $150 charge because I repeatedly told them that I did not know this would happen. The representative at Orbitz didn’t tell me this. If he did, I would have cancelled everything and not go to the weeding or rebook a new roundtrip flight at a lower price.
This trip cost me $1200 total for 2 days. I’m so stressed and upset by this. This shouldn’t have happen. There was horrible communication on Orbitz side and Delta did not care. I’m not sure when I can fly again because my husband just started his job after he was laid off for a month and this trip took all of our savings. A very sad day indeed. I will never use Orbitz again. Ever.

I planned my vacation to Ohio. It would've been my Mother and Father's 60th wedding anniversary;sadly my Father passed in November. Also my sister was there visiting from memphis who I never see.I had a 2 day migraine and had to xl my flight with orbitz yet had purchased travel insurance through Access America. The same PM of the day I was to leave originally, I started feeling better. It has been 4 days now and I have not heard a word from anybody to get my flight rebooked! NOT A WORD! I wanted to rebook it the very same day I canceled. Orbitz customer service didn't helpt at all if you can understand them;advised me to get in touch with Access America! I cannot! They will not respond! Now it is too late for my trip andI am reporting both companies to BBB..unless they agree to give me a refund. The agreement was I was able to rebook before May 2010..hellloooo? I spent $453+...they want something from a Dr according to the site... which I didn't need to go to;I've had migraines my whole life! This has been a disheartened time and I have spend everyday in bed crying. I will NEVER do business with ORBITZ or ACCESS AMERICA AGAIN!!! Here I come BBB!

Now my vacation is almost over and I do not get another until next year!

I demand a refund of all money exchanged with these companies! I demand a credit on my cc immediatley! Although nothing can replace that very special week.


In addition to my other comments:
...I FINALLY just received an email after days and days..2 actually, one was from a "sara" that used capital letters which we ALL know, lol..you do not ever use capital letters when emailing a customer! She was yelling at me.Then she tells me I have to have a Dr fill out a form for the reason I had to cancel my flight..then I'd have to wait 5-7 business days! Well, my vacation is over...I have explained to them 4 times I didn't have to go to the Dr., then she wanted all my receipts, proof, of payment, flight info..etc. Everything was in the email I have sent to them all these times. I'm taking this to the Attorney general's office Now!
I just received another email tday 6/10/11, they said I needed to read all terms! I DID! Otherwise I wouldn't have purchased it! I always get travel insurance, but have never used this insurance or Orbitz. They said if it would make me feel better, I could still file a claim!...I am looking for every complaint website or resource I can find!!!

Booked a trip to Punta Cana with an advertised discount of 15%. Did not receive the discount but did get 4 different excuses why. Obviously staff is not qualified, nobody has the same excuse twice. Flights changed, received alert, this was okay. Flights changed a second time with no alert. I happened to find this change by logging onto my trips. My connecting flight in New York left before I arrived there. I managed to get this fixed after several phone calls and emails(which I don't think they actually read as they're responses made no sense). Customer service is awful, they make no attempt to make their clients happy.

I have booked with BJ's vacations for many years with no problem, and will never book with Orbitz again.

I have used Orbitz for many years, but never again! We even have their credit card!
We planned a vacation to Puerto Vallarta in April 2011. We printed out our Orbitz itinerary and planned out our arrival time at the airport. We all got up at 4:30 in the morning to catch our 8:00 am flight, but while walking out the door, Orbitz called to say our flight was leaving on time at at 10:20 am...What? After a frantic call to Alaska Airlines they confirmed that the 10:20 am time was correct.
The day our vacation ended we again pulled out our Orbitz itinerary...but this time we had the hotel concierge call the airline to check the time our fight number departed. They told her it was 5:40 pm, even though 4:18 pm was printed our itinerary. We were still a little nervous, but Orbitz called with a reminder our flight was departing on time at 5:40 pm, so we relaxed.
We arrived at the airport 2 hours early, but were told our plane already departed. They said we were booked on a completely different flight. We spent 40 minutes on the phone with Orbitz. No help...and another hour on the phone with Alaska Airlines. We could not get on a flight that day and were charged $872.00 to fly home the following day. We have been on the phone for hours with Orbitz, but they refuse to take any responsibility and blame the problem on Alaska Airlines. Our only solution is to go to same claims court.

Orbitz automatically adds Travel Insurance when you buy with them. I definitely didn't select it. There were so many options on my Confirmation Page. I looked at everything and i really don't remember seeing this before i hit "Confirm". This happened on a JFK -> Jamaica trip. This is very sneaky and unethical. I just happened to notice it when i got an email from Access America.