Bad Service with Travel Agent

[Ryan McGill]

Greetings All,

Ok so here's the story, In march of this year, my family booked a AFL Grand Final package with Complete Travel Management. As the last Saturday in September got closer, we have requested several times for a itinerary for our trip (on the last package we have done with this company, they mixed up the dates, hotel and flights.) Just to make sure they have got it done, correctly. The booking was quite specific with Flight times, dates etc. After this was done, our Travel Agent said an Event Manager would get back to us. Which never happened.

In late August/early September, I tried ringing their office, with the call going straight to message bank. I didn't get a reply from an email I sent either, requesting the itinerary ASAP. At this point, I got very anxious! Only on Monday last week did I finally get a reply saying...
"Ah yes, we haven't forgot about you, we just sent out the Group bookings today to QF and should get back the reference numbers with the full itinerary by Tuesday or Wednesday"

Yet a week later, I still haven't got my itinerary... I fly out next week!:evil:

Do I have many options here, other than turn up at the Airport on the day I fly out and hope they have booked my flights correctly!?
Certainly the last time I ever book with this company!

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[harvyk]

Where abouts are you flying from, and what are the dates \ times of your flights, also how many people are flying?

You could always send a letter of complaint and CC it into your local fair trading.

Considering that booking a dom trip to melbourne is pretty easy thing to do these days, whilst I understand grand final weekend may make things a little harder, I can't understand why your TA couldn't have booked and ticketed everything when you first booked.

Do I have many options here, other than turn up at the Airport on the day I fly out and hope they have booked my flights correctly!?

You could always try giving QF a call. Whilst they will probably ask you to contact your TA for any changes, they can certainly confirm if a booking has infact been made under your name.

 

[koonyaflyer]

I am assuming that this is Complete Travel Management based in WA? I believe they are the "official" travel agent of the Fremantle Football Club. I know that they probably did not have to notify names to the Airline until now, but they would know what flights they are holding group bookings on. If you are not getting a response from the Agent, try calling the Dockers (assuming you are not an Eagles fan!!!) and see if they can give you the contact of a manger at CTM who will answer your questions. If there is a mistake every day you leave it will make it harder to fix!

 

[Ryan McGill]

Where abouts are you flying from, and what are the dates \ times of your flights, also how many people are flying?

PER-MEL, 22nd of Sep, 11:50am
MEL-PER, 26th of Sep, 3:05pm

Four of us are travelling. These guys were the only company I saw offering this package, so I didn't have much of a choice.

You could always send a letter of complaint and CC it into your local fair trading.

Will look into that...

 

[Ryan McGill]

the Dockers (assuming you are not an Eagles fan!!!)

Ah yes, I'm apart of the Purple army
We were originally recommended to this company via the Dockers.

If there is a mistake every day you leave it will make it harder to fix!

Exactly why we want to the itinerary ASAP.

 

[harvyk]

Yeah, call QF ASAP and find out if they have bookings under your name.

On the bright side there are still seats available (on the Wed they are still ok priced, Sun is a bit pricy, but there is still a JQ option which isn't too bad price wise) so if they haven't booked anything for you yet you can still get there. (You'd still need to find a place to stay)

With letters of complaint, keep it unemotive, stick to the facts, work out exactly what you want and state it clearly. Also keep it short. Make sure that the TA know that you've CC'd fair trading as that usually makes them jump. (Did for me the one time I've had a major prob with a TA)

 

[Ryan McGill]

Just called QF with no luck. As I don't have a reference number, they can not check for any bookings under my name. I explained them the situation and still couldn't get any Info.

Surely they will email it through soon...
Ryan

 

[koonyaflyer]

In that case I would certainly be contacting the Dockers and asking them for an appropriate contact person....... they must have a contact, and to be honest if their fans are receiving this sort of service I am sure they would be interested!

Good Luck....there is nothing like the MCG on Grand Final day!

 

[markis10]

PER-MEL, 22nd of Sep, 11:50am
MEL-PER, 26th of Sep, 3:05pm

Four of us are travelling. These guys were the only company I saw offering this package, so I didn't have much of a choice.


Will look into that...

Cannot see any flights that match those timings, including 1 stop options.

 

[harvyk]

Cannot see any flights that match those timings, including 1 stop options.

Whilst not exact timing to there (5 minutes off)
QF802 - PER 11:55 \ MEL 17:20
The closest coming back is 35 minutes earlier \ 25 minutes later.

I almost wonder if they are doing a charter jet? May be a cheap way if they can get the numbers. It could also explain why no official bookings have been made yet. if they have simply chartered a plane they may not need to give the official pax list until very close to the date. Gives them some flexibility for changes. It could also explain why no itinerary exists yet.

 

[anat0l]

Cannot see any flights that match those timings, including 1 stop options.

Sure about that???

22SEP PER-MEL QF802 d 1105 a 1720
26SEP MEL-PER QF777 d 1505 a 1720

EDIT: Argh! The booking engine returns different flights (MEL-PER esp.) compared to the online timetable. What a mess!

Availability is pretty shot on said flights, too. Hopefully the agent has got the seats on hold, or an Ace up the sleeve.

EDIT 2: Turns out when using the online timetable on QF, some of the flights later in the day get truncated from the Weekly view (but are fully displayed in the Daily view). Still a mess.

 

[Ryan McGill]

Just check with our Hotel and they have messed up big time.

They booked us to leave on the 24th of September! While the return dates are the same...

I just found their office address, so I'll go sort it out.

 

[harvyk]

Important question, where they also organising the tickets to the Grand Final as well? If so have they actually got them sorted?

 

[Ryan McGill]

Important question, where they also organising the tickets to the Grand Final as well? If so have they actually got them sorted?

We get them handed to us after the Breakfast they hold.