My parents booked a holiday with Expedia for flights and hotel. When they got to the airport for the return flight they were told that the flight had been changed to that morning, so they had missed it. They were forced to stay another night, costing around £250.
They've complained to Expedia who claim that they left voicemail messages (both before and after departure) on my parents home phone and sent emails, as well as informing the airline to tell them of the change when they flew out. Obviously none of the messages were received (except one voicemail which was left when they were already away). In addition, Expedia admit that they used the wrong email address, despite having emailed to confirm they were changing their records to the correct address months before the holiday. Expedia claim that they could not contact the hotel (which was booked through them at the same time as the flights) as their schedule change team don't do that.
All Expedia are offering as compensation is £50 vouchers. As my parents never want to use them again, this doesn't help much. Does anybody have any ideas or should they just try the ombudsman?
Many thanks for any help people can offer
Sounds like a bit of a mess. Which airline did they travel with?
They flew with Meridiana...
I wouldn't accept the vouchers for a start. But, by offering £50 vouchers they are in effect admitting they made a boo boo surely?
I was wondering because charter airlines usually have a clause about reconfirming flights. I'm with Glynis - I wouldn't accept vouchers either and it seems like they are trying to fob you off with their offer, which does sound like they are admitting they were wrong.
Did they state this in writing? It's utter nonsense that one part of the company can't talk to another and I'd class it as grounds to press on with the claim - even without the problems with email and leaving phone messages when they knew the customer was already away. This all went wrong due to their failure to take simple reasonable steps and they should press for a full refund of their expenses (plus a bit for the hassle) and they are right to expect cash.Expedia claim that they could not contact the hotel (........) as their schedule change team don't do that.
But all that depends on the important point Sunaddict made about whether they should have reconfirmed the flight -and whether they were told that.
Thanks for all the replies so far.
Everything they've said has been in writing as they don't seem to want to discuss it on the phone!
As far as I know there was nothing about reconfirming flights - I'm sure my dad would have read everything really carefully to check that sort of thing (he's the careful type) and Expedia have certainly not mentioned anything about needing to do it.
Everything they've said has been in writing as they don't seem to want to discuss it on the phone!
As far as I know there was nothing about reconfirming flights - I'm sure my dad would have read everything really carefully to check that sort of thing (he's the careful type) and Expedia have certainly not mentioned anything about needing to do it.
Try a complaint to ABTA, I don't have great expectations that anything will come of it but before you start a County Court case they like you to have tried 3 attempts at resolving matters and ABTA would count as one of those. As long as you have written evidence of Expedia's mistakes you have a good case but don't expect them to cave in straight away.
There is nothing on Meridiana's website about reconfirming (was this the London- Florence service?) but there is a great deal on other sites about them rescheduling and diverting at short notice, another reason why Expedia should have been more careful.
There is nothing on Meridiana's website about reconfirming (was this the London- Florence service?) but there is a great deal on other sites about them rescheduling and diverting at short notice, another reason why Expedia should have been more careful.
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