Complaint Review: Mountain Madness

This past August I paid Mountain Madness $2,950 for a 12 day climbing trip in Peru. They cashed my check prior to the trip and confirmed my participation in the trip. While enroute to Peru, my plane encountered two mechanical delays and I was delay for 3 days and therefore missed my trip. The first day of my delay, I spoke to their representive (guide) who suggested that if I cancelled my trip that the company would refund my money. The company then officially cancelled my participation in the trip due to my delays and wrote me a letter to that effect.

They are now refusing to refund my money due to their "cancellation policy". According to the policy-the policy only applies if the client cancels before the trip starts by the client. It also says that if Mountain Madness cancels the trip then they will refund the clients money. But they are not doing that here. Since the delays were not my fault, and their local guide told me that the company would do so, they should refund my money. They did offer me a $500 credit on a future trip, but I didn't think it was fair since I gave them $3000 in cash. I have reported them to the better business bureau and the State Attorney General's Office of Washington for unethical business practices.

Michael
Forest Park, Illinois
U.S.A.