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Abandoned/ignored: victims of EXPEDIA's incompetence



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 12th, 2010, 11:42 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises,rec.travel.air,alt.travel
Kay Lancaster
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 22
Default Abandoned/ignored: victims of EXPEDIA's incompetence

http://www.elliott.org/help/expedia/
has names and email addresses of senior officials at Expedia.

  #2  
Old March 13th, 2010, 07:43 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises,rec.travel.air,alt.travel
HLE
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5
Default Abandoned/ignored: victims of EXPEDIA's incompetence

Thanks for the responses. Further comments:

1. A "real" TA set up the cruise itself - we have a long and satisfying
relationship. When arranging this combined land-cruise vacation, she
discovered that we could save a bundle by doing the air separately, and
suggested a source. We didn't like the itineraries available from that
source, but found what we wanted at Expedia. Our TA agreed, so we booked
it on our own.

2. What did we expect from Expedia?
---Assistance/support in making changes, so we could quickly adapt to
the chaotic situation.
---Communication, so we didn't feel abandoned.
---Consistency, instead of mutually-exclusive instructions ("call-only"
and "email-only").
---Influence with the airlines, so we didn't lose a vacation day due to
crazy scheduling.
---Knowledge that United couldn't help us in Chile as they don't operate
in that country, instead of a demand that we call them.
---Accurate schedule information, instead of wrong and late data.
---Timely advice (instead of a schedule-change email that arrived after
our return to the U.S.).
---Understandable communication in English, instead of canned responses
written by someone in Southern Slobovia.
---A dedicated line for incoming international calls, so we wouldn't
have a 20 minute HOLD.
---Above all, a sense of responsibility and concern for clients.

  #3  
Old March 13th, 2010, 10:29 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises,rec.travel.air,alt.travel
JohnT[_7_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 72
Default Abandoned/ignored: victims of EXPEDIA's incompetence

On 13/03/2010 6:43 AM, HLE wrote:
Thanks for the responses. Further comments:

1. A "real" TA set up the cruise itself - we have a long and satisfying
relationship. When arranging this combined land-cruise vacation, she
discovered that we could save a bundle by doing the air separately, and
suggested a source. We didn't like the itineraries available from that
source, but found what we wanted at Expedia. Our TA agreed, so we booked
it on our own.

2. What did we expect from Expedia?
---Assistance/support in making changes, so we could quickly adapt to
the chaotic situation.
---Communication, so we didn't feel abandoned.
---Consistency, instead of mutually-exclusive instructions ("call-only"
and "email-only").
---Influence with the airlines, so we didn't lose a vacation day due to
crazy scheduling.
---Knowledge that United couldn't help us in Chile as they don't operate
in that country, instead of a demand that we call them.
---Accurate schedule information, instead of wrong and late data.
---Timely advice (instead of a schedule-change email that arrived after
our return to the U.S.).
---Understandable communication in English, instead of canned responses
written by someone in Southern Slobovia.
---A dedicated line for incoming international calls, so we wouldn't
have a 20 minute HOLD.
---Above all, a sense of responsibility and concern for clients.


"Saving a bundle" and expecting customer service are mutually exclusive
concepts. You got what you paid for.
--
JohnT
  #4  
Old March 13th, 2010, 12:26 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises,rec.travel.air,alt.travel
tim....
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 398
Default Abandoned/ignored: victims of EXPEDIA's incompetence


"JohnT" wrote in message
...
On 13/03/2010 6:43 AM, HLE wrote:
Thanks for the responses. Further comments:

1. A "real" TA set up the cruise itself - we have a long and satisfying
relationship. When arranging this combined land-cruise vacation, she
discovered that we could save a bundle by doing the air separately, and
suggested a source. We didn't like the itineraries available from that
source, but found what we wanted at Expedia. Our TA agreed, so we booked
it on our own.

2. What did we expect from Expedia?
---Assistance/support in making changes, so we could quickly adapt to
the chaotic situation.
---Communication, so we didn't feel abandoned.
---Consistency, instead of mutually-exclusive instructions ("call-only"
and "email-only").
---Influence with the airlines, so we didn't lose a vacation day due to
crazy scheduling.
---Knowledge that United couldn't help us in Chile as they don't operate
in that country, instead of a demand that we call them.
---Accurate schedule information, instead of wrong and late data.
---Timely advice (instead of a schedule-change email that arrived after
our return to the U.S.).
---Understandable communication in English, instead of canned responses
written by someone in Southern Slobovia.
---A dedicated line for incoming international calls, so we wouldn't
have a 20 minute HOLD.
---Above all, a sense of responsibility and concern for clients.


"Saving a bundle" and expecting customer service are mutually exclusive
concepts. You got what you paid for.


He only "Saved a bundle" by separating the flight ticket out of the tour. I
don't suppose that he got his flight with Expedia any cheaper than he could
have got from any other source of individual flight tickets. So it seems
reasonable to expect the same level of service that any other TA would give
when selling a flight ticket.

Having said that, I do think that he's expecting too much from a TA that
simply sold a ticket. Where I come from, once you have the ticket in your
hand that is the end of the relationship with the TA. The resolution of any
problems is down to the operator.

tim




  #5  
Old March 13th, 2010, 05:13 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises,rec.travel.air,alt.travel
George Leppla
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,219
Default Abandoned/ignored: victims of EXPEDIA's incompetence

tim.... wrote:


He only "Saved a bundle" by separating the flight ticket out of the tour. I
don't suppose that he got his flight with Expedia any cheaper than he could
have got from any other source of individual flight tickets. So it seems
reasonable to expect the same level of service that any other TA would give
when selling a flight ticket.

Having said that, I do think that he's expecting too much from a TA that
simply sold a ticket. Where I come from, once you have the ticket in your
hand that is the end of the relationship with the TA. The resolution of any
problems is down to the operator.


Random thoughts.....

1) If he had bought the air through a travel agency that specializes in
air, he probably would have to had pay a service fee, however, many of
these companies subscribe to a "traveler's assistance" program of one
sort or the other that is available 24/7/365 to help these customers.

2) Here is another case where a good travel insurance policy can help.
Many policies offer 24/7/365 Emergency Travelers Assistance programs
where you can call for help. The OP made no mention if he had insurance
or if he was aware that this might have been an option for him. Oh.. .
this includes the insurance sold by Expedia.

3) Sometimes there just isn't a good solution no matter who works on it
or how hard they try. After a earthquake, flights out are just not
available. A plane ticket is not a guarantee that you will receive
transportation. No one plans for something like an earthquake or a
tidal wave or a hurricane, blizzard, tornado, civil war, terrorist plot
or any of the other hundreds of things that could possibly go wrong in
the world. In a world where instant gratification is often demanded,
there come times when it just isn't possible to satisfy anyone immediately.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people. It doesn't have to be
anyone's fault.


--

George Leppla

Countryside Travel http://www.CruiseMaster.com
Blog http://cruisemaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CruiseMaster
  #6  
Old March 13th, 2010, 05:17 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises,rec.travel.air,alt.travel
peter
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 231
Default Abandoned/ignored: victims of EXPEDIA's incompetence

On 3/13/2010 12:26 PM, tim.... wrote:


Having said that, I do think that he's expecting too much from a TA that
simply sold a ticket. Where I come from, once you have the ticket in your
hand that is the end of the relationship with the TA. The resolution of any
problems is down to the operator.


Which is what the contract says, clearly and in capital letters provided
as a courtesy by Expedia:

THE CARRIERS, HOTELS AND OTHER SUPLIERS PROVIDING TRAVEL OR OTHER
SERVICES FOR EXPEDIA, INC. ARE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS AND NOT AGENTS OR
EMPLOYEES OF EXPEDIA, INC. OR ITS AFFILIATES. EXPEDIA, INC. AND ITS
AFFILIATES ARE NOT LIABLE FOR THE ACTS, ERRORS, OMISSIONS,
REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, BREACHES OR NEGLIGENCE OF ANY SUCH
SUPPLIERS OR FOR ANY PERSONAL INJURIES, DEATH, PROPERTY DAMAGE, OR OTHER
DAMAGES OR EXPENSES RESULTING THEREFROM. EXPEDIA, INC. AND ITS
AFFILIATES HAVE NO LIABILITY AND WILL MAKE NO REFUND IN THE EVENT OF ANY
DELAY, CANCELLATION, OVERBOOKING, STRIKE, FORCE MAJEURE OR OTHER CAUSES
BEYOND THEIR DIRECT CONTROL, AND THEY HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY
ADDITIONAL EXPENSE, OMISSIONS, DELAYS, RE-ROUTING OR ACTS OF ANY
GOVERNMENT OR AUTHORITY. IN NO EVENT SHALL EXPEDIA, INC., ITS AFFILIATES
AND/OR THEIR SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY
CONNECTED WITH THE USE OF THIS WEB SITE OR WITH THE DELAY OR INABILITY
TO USE THIS WEB SITE, OR FOR ANY INFORMATION, SOFTWARE, PRODUCTS, AND
SERVICES OBTAINED THROUGH THIS WEB SITE, OR OTHERWISE ARISING OUT OF THE
USE OF THIS WEB SITE, (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF USE, DATA,
PROFITS, SAVINGS OR OPPORTUNITIES), WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT,
STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF EXPEDIA, INC., ITS AFFILIATES,
AND/OR ANY OF THEIR SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
DAMAGES. EXCEPT IN RELATION TO LIABILITY FOR DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY
FOR WHICH NO LIMIT APPLIES.

So HLE is a victim, not of Expedia but of his own incompetence.


tim





  #7  
Old March 13th, 2010, 09:44 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises,rec.travel.air,alt.travel
*muz*
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 58
Default Abandoned/ignored: victims of EXPEDIA's incompetence


"George Leppla" wrote in message
...
: tim.... wrote:
:
:
: He only "Saved a bundle" by separating the flight ticket out of the
tour. I
: don't suppose that he got his flight with Expedia any cheaper than he
could
: have got from any other source of individual flight tickets. So it
seems
: reasonable to expect the same level of service that any other TA would
give
: when selling a flight ticket.
:
: Having said that, I do think that he's expecting too much from a TA that
: simply sold a ticket. Where I come from, once you have the ticket in
your
: hand that is the end of the relationship with the TA. The resolution of
any
: problems is down to the operator.
:
: Random thoughts.....
:
: 1) If he had bought the air through a travel agency that specializes in
: air, he probably would have to had pay a service fee, however, many of
: these companies subscribe to a "traveler's assistance" program of one
: sort or the other that is available 24/7/365 to help these customers.
:
: 2) Here is another case where a good travel insurance policy can help.
: Many policies offer 24/7/365 Emergency Travelers Assistance programs
: where you can call for help. The OP made no mention if he had insurance
: or if he was aware that this might have been an option for him. Oh.. .
: this includes the insurance sold by Expedia.
:
: 3) Sometimes there just isn't a good solution no matter who works on it
: or how hard they try. After a earthquake, flights out are just not
: available. A plane ticket is not a guarantee that you will receive
: transportation. No one plans for something like an earthquake or a
: tidal wave or a hurricane, blizzard, tornado, civil war, terrorist plot
: or any of the other hundreds of things that could possibly go wrong in
: the world. In a world where instant gratification is often demanded,
: there come times when it just isn't possible to satisfy anyone
immediately.
:
: Sometimes bad things happen to good people. It doesn't have to be
: anyone's fault.
:
:
: --
:
: George Leppla
:
: Countryside Travel http://www.CruiseMaster.com
: Blog http://cruisemaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/
: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CruiseMaster

George, I like your response so very much better!

  #8  
Old March 13th, 2010, 11:34 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises,rec.travel.air,alt.travel
Brian K[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,329
Default Abandoned/ignored: victims of EXPEDIA's incompetence

George Leppla plucked Senior Frog's Magic Twanger and said On 3/13/2010
11:13 AM:
tim.... wrote:


He only "Saved a bundle" by separating the flight ticket out of the
tour. I don't suppose that he got his flight with Expedia any
cheaper than he could have got from any other source of individual
flight tickets. So it seems reasonable to expect the same level of
service that any other TA would give when selling a flight ticket.

Having said that, I do think that he's expecting too much from a TA
that simply sold a ticket. Where I come from, once you have the
ticket in your hand that is the end of the relationship with the TA.
The resolution of any problems is down to the operator.


Random thoughts.....

1) If he had bought the air through a travel agency that specializes in
air, he probably would have to had pay a service fee, however, many of
these companies subscribe to a "traveler's assistance" program of one
sort or the other that is available 24/7/365 to help these customers.

2) Here is another case where a good travel insurance policy can help.
Many policies offer 24/7/365 Emergency Travelers Assistance programs
where you can call for help. The OP made no mention if he had insurance
or if he was aware that this might have been an option for him. Oh.. .
this includes the insurance sold by Expedia.

3) Sometimes there just isn't a good solution no matter who works on
it or how hard they try. After a earthquake, flights out are just not
available. A plane ticket is not a guarantee that you will receive
transportation. No one plans for something like an earthquake or a
tidal wave or a hurricane, blizzard, tornado, civil war, terrorist
plot or any of the other hundreds of things that could possibly go
wrong in the world. In a world where instant gratification is often
demanded, there come times when it just isn't possible to satisfy
anyone immediately.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people. It doesn't have to be
anyone's fault.


Mick Jagger summed it up when he sang: "You can't always get what you
want, but sometimes you get what you need."

--
________
To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
Brian M. Kochera
"The poor dog is the firmest of friends, the first to welcome the foremost to defend" - Lord Byron

View My Web Pages: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951
My Shutterfly Page http://photosbybrianmk.shutterfly.com/

  #9  
Old March 13th, 2010, 11:37 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises,rec.travel.air,alt.travel
HLE
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5
Default Abandoned/ignored: victims of EXPEDIA's incompetence

Mostly good comments and observations.... but:

Our TA does cruises, never air or hotels. When she recognized that
integrated (cruise line) air would involve an unnecessarily costly and
convoluted air route, she referred us to a link, but was not involved in
the "independent" air transaction.

Expedia said "email-only" in some messages and "phone-only" in others.
When we finally reached a human on the telephone, we received no help at
all except for an explicit instruction to call United - which we
discovered does not operate in Chile. These issues and others seem to be
ample evidence of Expedia's confusion and malfeasance. The problem was
solvable (we did get home close to on-time and at no additional
expense), but the frustration level would have been lower had Expedia
been professional and supportive. We travelers have a reasonable
expectation of professionalism and support from their TA, but these
attributes were absent from this particular Expedia relationship.

HLE
  #10  
Old March 13th, 2010, 11:59 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises,rec.travel.air,alt.travel
peter
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 231
Default Abandoned/ignored: victims of EXPEDIA's incompetence

On 3/13/2010 11:37 PM, HLE wrote:
Mostly good comments and observations.... but:

Our TA does cruises, never air or hotels. When she recognized that
integrated (cruise line) air would involve an unnecessarily costly and
convoluted air route, she referred us to a link, but was not involved in
the "independent" air transaction.

Expedia said "email-only" in some messages and "phone-only" in others.
When we finally reached a human on the telephone, we received no help at
all except for an explicit instruction to call United - which we
discovered does not operate in Chile. These issues and others seem to be
ample evidence of Expedia's confusion and malfeasance. The problem was
solvable (we did get home close to on-time and at no additional
expense), but the frustration level would have been lower had Expedia
been professional and supportive. We travelers have a reasonable
expectation of professionalism and support from their TA, but these
attributes were absent from this particular Expedia relationship.

HLE

Read the contract that you agreed to when you booked the ticket. Once
you have the ticket, you have to deal with the airline. You blame
Expedia, but you should have approached your carrier or its local agent
immediately. The idea that TAs should come to a passenger's rescue each
time a flight is canceled is ridiculous.
 




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