Complaint Review: ORBITZ

Had to make a funeral flight for my sister. I was understandably upset and made wrong reservation date, for a week after the funeral. I changed to correct date with Orbitz, all the while flying on exact same airlines. We were told after providing death certificates and proof of relation (sister) then we would be issued a full refund with no charges due to severity of situation. Cancelled flights not honored by USAIRWAYS, despite their requests for certificate and other requisites met. Delta was good with this, as they are still human apparently. Once USAIRWAYS refused to honor their earlier promises regarding proof of facts, they charged Orbitz. Orbitz did try to work this out, and Delta was great, honoring their word. Orbitz then charged us for USAIRWAYS fraudulent promises and did not tell us that they were giving up with USAIRWAYS. They didn't have enough clout to pull this off or just lied to us. 

When we threw it back on them they said they would look into it again. SURPRISE!!! Next thing ya know, we get a letter from a collection agency.

Orbitz finds it easier to put this on us than them. We made all arrangements through them, and they assured us that they could handle it, since the unflown portions were over a week away. 

USAIRWAYS is certainly at the very least insensitive and obviously gouging someone in mourning. We only wanted a refund, nothing more. 

Orbitz, without discussion sent this to a collection agency? Orbitz never offered to maybe split this bill as the collection agency will charge them close to 50% anyway. 

We complied with every request from Orbitz to supply the obituarary, the death certificate, proof of relations, date of funeral, and discussed this at length with them at a time when it was most painful. 

Shame on Orbitz for not doing what they said they would, and then for slipping this to a collection agency which said: "Our customer was not able to verify your dispute as valid..."  Really? So that's the information RMS (collection agency) has to go on? Lies?  I sent photocopies of death certificate, the obit from the newspaper (with date of publishing, source and also naming me as deceased's brother), What other proof could they want? That is all they asked for, and that's what I sent.

Lastly, shame on USAIRWAYS for their demonstration of a total lack of humanity. There was nothing delivered, given or sacrificed for their charges. Despicable company.