- Report: #146216
Complaint Review: CheapTickets.com - Nationwide
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CheapTickets.com
CheapTickets.com Nationwide, U.S.A.
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CheapTickets.com Ripoff BOHICA (Bend Over, Here It Comes Again): Inflated prices, hidden fees, and terrible customer service Colorado Springs Internet
Surfing CheapTickets.com, I found what appeared to be a reasonably-priced ticket on Sun Country Airlines (note, this report is not against Sun County, which I believe to be a fine and reputable corporation--albiet poor judgement in partnering with CheapTickets.com). I checked Sun Country's website and saw the ticket for about the same price. So, I proceeded to purchase the ticket from CheapTickets.com. BOHICA (Bend Over, Here It Comes Again)! As I proceeded with the purchase process, fees were added--some that were obvious (fees that I erronously assumed Sun Country would also add), and some that were not. By the time I purchased the ticket, my $179 ticket ended up costing me $235. Among other things, this increase included a $20 shipping fee for paper tickets--an option that I am quite sure I never selected.
Did I mention that I purchased the ticket for my father? I had entered his name as the traveler, but when the confirmation e-mail arrived, it's headline was "Here is [my name]'s itinerary, created at CheapTickets." This would startle most people, because it should not have been my itinerary, but rather my father's. So, I searched the CheapTickets.com website for a solid 20 minutes until I found their well-hidden customer service number. I called and had to hit "0" a few times to get a customer service rep.
Customer service? This training must be lacking at CheapTickets. The rep did confirm that even though the e-mail said it was my itinerary, that my father was the traveler (to my sigh of relief). She also mentioned that I would be receiving paper tickets (the first I was aware of this) and that I paid a $20 shipping fee for these. Our conversation went in circles for a minute, with me politely insisting that I never requested the paper tickets, and that maybe the website had glitched. Her response was that sometimes paper tickets were required and, "It's more like you didn't pay attention." Wonderful customer service response, eh?
Now that my blood pressure was up a few notches, I went back to Sun Country's website and walked through the their purchase process, paying much closer attention and stopping just short of executing an order for an identical ticket. Their price with all fees...$164. A $71 difference! I then called Sun Country and asked if they only use paper tickets. They said they use both. I explained my plight, and the Sun Country rep concurred that my experience with CheapTickets.com was not unique, that CheapTickets.com tends to force paper tickets and add extra fees. She urged me (for obvious reasons) to make future purchases directly from Sun Country.
Note to Sun Country Airlines--why are you partering with CheapTickets.com if you are aware of their underhanded practices?
Bottom-line, I was ripped off. BOHICA!
Suckered
Somewhere, Colorado
U.S.A.
Did I mention that I purchased the ticket for my father? I had entered his name as the traveler, but when the confirmation e-mail arrived, it's headline was "Here is [my name]'s itinerary, created at CheapTickets." This would startle most people, because it should not have been my itinerary, but rather my father's. So, I searched the CheapTickets.com website for a solid 20 minutes until I found their well-hidden customer service number. I called and had to hit "0" a few times to get a customer service rep.
Customer service? This training must be lacking at CheapTickets. The rep did confirm that even though the e-mail said it was my itinerary, that my father was the traveler (to my sigh of relief). She also mentioned that I would be receiving paper tickets (the first I was aware of this) and that I paid a $20 shipping fee for these. Our conversation went in circles for a minute, with me politely insisting that I never requested the paper tickets, and that maybe the website had glitched. Her response was that sometimes paper tickets were required and, "It's more like you didn't pay attention." Wonderful customer service response, eh?
Now that my blood pressure was up a few notches, I went back to Sun Country's website and walked through the their purchase process, paying much closer attention and stopping just short of executing an order for an identical ticket. Their price with all fees...$164. A $71 difference! I then called Sun Country and asked if they only use paper tickets. They said they use both. I explained my plight, and the Sun Country rep concurred that my experience with CheapTickets.com was not unique, that CheapTickets.com tends to force paper tickets and add extra fees. She urged me (for obvious reasons) to make future purchases directly from Sun Country.
Note to Sun Country Airlines--why are you partering with CheapTickets.com if you are aware of their underhanded practices?
Bottom-line, I was ripped off. BOHICA!
Suckered
Somewhere, Colorado
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Kris
Colorado Springs,Colorado,
U.S.A.
Ode to Jon
#2Author of original report
Sun, June 26, 2005
Jon - I would like to add that your "employee" response typifies CheapTickets customer service in that it is full of incorrect assumptions, pompous, and quite rude. Does your company's leadership know that their employees act the way you and the afore mentioned customer service rep do? I would fire you both in a heartbeat. As I said in my earlier update, the confirmation e-mail I most recently received only mentions an e-ticket, and does not mention the paper ticket I was forced to purchase. You write as if you overheard my conversation with the Sun Country rep, however you did not and you are wrong--she said that my itinerary could have been booked with an e-ticket. I purchase items (including airline tickets) all the time on the Internet, and have purchased from CheapTickets before, too (but not recently). I am an astute Internet shopper and would have noticed if something was changed in the pricing prior to the moment of purchase. I also have a computer science degree and have a pretty good sense for when I've been screwed by shoddy computer programming (the "glitch" I mentioned, as is indicated by the erroneous info in every confirmation e-mail I've received from CheapTickets). You talk tough with comments like "end of story." Big words, but you're not as omniscient as you think--there's always more to the story...
Kris
Colorado Springs,Colorado,
U.S.A.
More about my CheapTickets...
#3Author of original report
Sun, June 26, 2005
The person who submitted the rebuttal on 6/22 seems to know it all. However, here is a copy & paste from a "Prepare for your Trip" e-mail that I just received (with the personal info X'd out)... Passenger(s): XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Sun Country Airlines record locator: XXXXXX Ticket type requested: electronic (e-ticket) CheapTickets record locator: XXXXXX As you can see, this message again confirms that I requested e-tickets--not the paper tickets for which I was charged extra. Will I bother to call CheapTickets about this? No way. It will take me 20 minutes to again locate their well-hidden "customer service" number on their website, and then 20 minutes to wait on hold to reach a rude and obnoxious rep. At this point, it's best to vote with my dollars, and I encourage everyone else to do the same.
Jon
Nashville,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
The itinerary you have chosen does not qualify for an e-ticket
#4UPDATE Employee
Thu, June 23, 2005
I love responding to people who just click away on the website but never actually bother to read anything. If you got a paper ticket the screen after you clicked "buy," the second section under TRAVELER INFORMATION(2) says: "Note: The itinerary you have chosen does not qualify for an e-ticket." Paper Ticket: Regular $19.99 ? Shipping Fees and Info Your confirmation email, would have also stated the following; 1. Your Sun Country Confirmation number is XXX123 2. Your Cheaptickets Confirmation number is 123ABC 3. Booking and or delivery fee $25.99 4. Total Airline Ticket Price $111.11 5. Total Charge to your credit card $137.10 So saying "She also mentioned that I would be receiving paper tickets (the first I was aware of this) " is off by a long shot. Also assuming that the rep really did say that you didn't pay attention. She would be correct. Honesty always hurts. You fail to mention that the sun country rep advised you that your itinerary required a paper ticket. You DO NOT have the option to get a paper ticket on cheaptickets.com if it can be e-ticketed, end of story. PS-What a catchy little phrase BOHICA.
