- Report: #272212
Complaint Review: Expedia.com - Internet
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Expedia.com
expedia.com Internet, U.S.A.
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Expedia.com International Travel Screwed by Expedia Internet
On my recent honeymoon to Italy, we reserved a rental car through Expedia. When we arrived at the airport to pick up the car, we contacted the car rental company and they did not have a car for us. They said that even though it was booked and confirmed through Expedia, they wouldn't guarantee a reservation. So we were stranded in Rome at the airport without transportation.
Immediately upon my return to the states, I contacted Expedia and the following is the string of emails that I find unacceptable. I'm copying from my email directly, so it starts with the most recent response. Expedia has shirked all responsibility when using them for booking - and expects ME to contact the company in Rome.
BUYER BEWARE - Expedia does NOT accept any responsibility for the companies they recommend.
--------------------------------
Monday, July 16, 2007 1:07:10 PM
Dear Expedia Customer,
Thank you for contacting us about our services.
We regret that your experience with Expedia.com was not satisfying. Comments such as yours are read by numerous people within Expedia and help shape our policies and practices as we learn and grow.
It is never Expedia.com's intent to mislead or to inconvenience our clients, and we are sorry that you feel Expedia has done so. We respect your decision to discontinue using our services, however, we hope that you would reconsider and visit us in again at www.expedia.com.
If you have further questions regarding this issue, feel free to reply to this e-mail or contact Expedia customer services at 1-800-397-3342 and reference case ID 34782312. You can also visit the Expedia.com "Customer Support" page expedia.com/daily/service/default.asp) for more customer service information.
Thank you for choosing Expedia.com.
Jason
Expedia.com Customer Support Team
-----Original Message-----
From: Stacy
Sent: 7/16/2007 11:05:12 AM
To: Expedia Travel Support
Subject: Re: Car questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:34782312]
I'm guessing that your lack of response means that you are not concerned
about keeping a customer.
I will make sure to send this out to everyone in my email address book
and ask them to forward it on as well as a "buyer beware" and for them
not to use Expedia.
Sincerely,
Stacy
----- Original Message ----
From: Stacy
To: Expedia Travel Support
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2007 11:25:45 AM
Subject: Re: Car questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:34782312]
You have not provided me with 100% customer satisfaction. I travel on a monthly basis, have numerous friends and family members who also travel
around the world and am very close friends with a travel agent and a flight attendant. This was only my second time using Expedia - and I can promise you that it will be my last.
I will also be sure to tell all of my family members and friends about the bad experience I had and your lack of concern for the problem. This is not the way you handle a situation if you want to retain your customers. The travel industry is very competitive and I am shocked and disturbed by your response.
Sincerely,
Stacy
----- Original Message ----
From: Expedia Travel Support
To: Stacy
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2007 10:16:07 AM
Subject: Re: Car questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:34782312]
Dear Stacy,
Thank you for your reply.
We regret that your experience with Expedia.com was not satisfying. Comments such as yours are read by numerous people within Expedia and help shape our policies and practices as we learn and grow.
Thank you for contacting Expedia.com with your feedback about your car reservation. We are sorry that there was such difficulty with your booking. We are very disturbed by the lack of interest and sincerity with which you were met. It is our goal, and the goal of all our
vendors, to provide 100% customer satisfaction and it seems that that mark was not hit in the service provided to you. For that, and the inconvenience and confusion that was experienced, we are truly sorry.
The feedback that you have provided to us will be helpful in looking at our vendor's customer service, and gauging our mutual customers' satisfaction and perceptions. When you book on Expedia, we hope and
expect that your travel will be a flawless event. Should unforeseen circumstances arise, we anticipate that our travel partners will step in to fix whatever difficulties occur; we apologize that you were made to
feel that this could not, or would not happen.
It is our hope that this occurrence will not reflect poorly on the Expedia experience, and that you will give us another chance to prove our excellent customer service. Again, we do apologize for the inconvenience that you experienced; if there is anything else that we
can do for you, please let us know.
If you have further questions, feel free to reply to this e-mail or contact Expedia customer services at 1-800-397-3342 and reference case
ID 34782312. You can also visit the Expedia.com "Customer Support" page
expedia.com/daily/service/default.asp) for more customer
service information.
Thank you for choosing Expedia.com.
Jason
Expedia.com Customer Support Team
-----Original Message-----
From: Stacy
Sent: 7/9/2007 8:12:45 AM
To: Expedia Travel Support
Subject: Re: Car questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:34782312]
So your solution is for me to contact the car rental company directly? The company blamed Expedia, so what are they going to do about it? I booked through you thinking that your company would have more of a
guarantee and also for my peace of mind in dealing with an American company. I don't think that your response is acceptable. We were stranded in a foreign country without transportation or any means to get
transportation.
I am very disappointed that Expedia's response is for
me to contact the rental car company now knowing that they could care less about me as a customer. I would think that you would take care of your own customers.
Please let me know if that is your final solution to this problem.
Thanks
Stacy
----- Original Message ----
From: Expedia Travel Support
To: Stacy
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2007 9:08:33 AM
Subject: Re: Car questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:34782312]
Dear Expedia Customer,
Thank you for contacting us about your recent experience with Advantage.
Like many travel vendors, car rental companies sometimes overbook their inventory based on histories of previous "no shows." Ordinarily, this does not create a problem for their customers, but when it does, it can
be very frustrating.
Our records indicate that you did have a confirmed reservation, and we regret that Advantage did not have a car available for you. For further assistance, please contact the company directly at 800 777 5500
(reservation), 06 650428215 (direct).
If you have further questions, feel free to reply to this e-mail or contact Expedia customer services at 1-800-397-3342 and reference case
ID 34782312. You can also visit the Expedia.com "Customer Support" page
expedia.com/daily/service/default.asp) for more customer
service information.
Thank you for choosing Expedia.com.
Jason
Expedia.com Customer Support Team
-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: 7/9/2007 6:23:31 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Car questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:34782312]
* TPID: 1
* EAP: 0
* Name: Stacy
* TUID: 81344962
* E-mail Address: DELETED
* Phone Numbers: DELETED
* Itinerary Number: 120251231449
* Subject: Car questions or comments
--------------------------------
* Comment:
I submitted this last week and still have not received any response from you. We reserved a rental car through you and when we arrived at the Rome airport, they did not have a car.We were stranded for several hours trying desperately to make other arrangements and ended up
spending about 3X the amount since it was booked onsite through Avis. We used your services because we thought they were guaranteed. I want to know what you do for your customers in situations like this.
Thanks
Stacy
Marietta, Georgia
U.S.A.
Immediately upon my return to the states, I contacted Expedia and the following is the string of emails that I find unacceptable. I'm copying from my email directly, so it starts with the most recent response. Expedia has shirked all responsibility when using them for booking - and expects ME to contact the company in Rome.
BUYER BEWARE - Expedia does NOT accept any responsibility for the companies they recommend.
--------------------------------
Monday, July 16, 2007 1:07:10 PM
Dear Expedia Customer,
Thank you for contacting us about our services.
We regret that your experience with Expedia.com was not satisfying. Comments such as yours are read by numerous people within Expedia and help shape our policies and practices as we learn and grow.
It is never Expedia.com's intent to mislead or to inconvenience our clients, and we are sorry that you feel Expedia has done so. We respect your decision to discontinue using our services, however, we hope that you would reconsider and visit us in again at www.expedia.com.
If you have further questions regarding this issue, feel free to reply to this e-mail or contact Expedia customer services at 1-800-397-3342 and reference case ID 34782312. You can also visit the Expedia.com "Customer Support" page expedia.com/daily/service/default.asp) for more customer service information.
Thank you for choosing Expedia.com.
Jason
Expedia.com Customer Support Team
-----Original Message-----
From: Stacy
Sent: 7/16/2007 11:05:12 AM
To: Expedia Travel Support
Subject: Re: Car questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:34782312]
I'm guessing that your lack of response means that you are not concerned
about keeping a customer.
I will make sure to send this out to everyone in my email address book
and ask them to forward it on as well as a "buyer beware" and for them
not to use Expedia.
Sincerely,
Stacy
----- Original Message ----
From: Stacy
To: Expedia Travel Support
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2007 11:25:45 AM
Subject: Re: Car questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:34782312]
You have not provided me with 100% customer satisfaction. I travel on a monthly basis, have numerous friends and family members who also travel
around the world and am very close friends with a travel agent and a flight attendant. This was only my second time using Expedia - and I can promise you that it will be my last.
I will also be sure to tell all of my family members and friends about the bad experience I had and your lack of concern for the problem. This is not the way you handle a situation if you want to retain your customers. The travel industry is very competitive and I am shocked and disturbed by your response.
Sincerely,
Stacy
----- Original Message ----
From: Expedia Travel Support
To: Stacy
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2007 10:16:07 AM
Subject: Re: Car questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:34782312]
Dear Stacy,
Thank you for your reply.
We regret that your experience with Expedia.com was not satisfying. Comments such as yours are read by numerous people within Expedia and help shape our policies and practices as we learn and grow.
Thank you for contacting Expedia.com with your feedback about your car reservation. We are sorry that there was such difficulty with your booking. We are very disturbed by the lack of interest and sincerity with which you were met. It is our goal, and the goal of all our
vendors, to provide 100% customer satisfaction and it seems that that mark was not hit in the service provided to you. For that, and the inconvenience and confusion that was experienced, we are truly sorry.
The feedback that you have provided to us will be helpful in looking at our vendor's customer service, and gauging our mutual customers' satisfaction and perceptions. When you book on Expedia, we hope and
expect that your travel will be a flawless event. Should unforeseen circumstances arise, we anticipate that our travel partners will step in to fix whatever difficulties occur; we apologize that you were made to
feel that this could not, or would not happen.
It is our hope that this occurrence will not reflect poorly on the Expedia experience, and that you will give us another chance to prove our excellent customer service. Again, we do apologize for the inconvenience that you experienced; if there is anything else that we
can do for you, please let us know.
If you have further questions, feel free to reply to this e-mail or contact Expedia customer services at 1-800-397-3342 and reference case
ID 34782312. You can also visit the Expedia.com "Customer Support" page
expedia.com/daily/service/default.asp) for more customer
service information.
Thank you for choosing Expedia.com.
Jason
Expedia.com Customer Support Team
-----Original Message-----
From: Stacy
Sent: 7/9/2007 8:12:45 AM
To: Expedia Travel Support
Subject: Re: Car questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:34782312]
So your solution is for me to contact the car rental company directly? The company blamed Expedia, so what are they going to do about it? I booked through you thinking that your company would have more of a
guarantee and also for my peace of mind in dealing with an American company. I don't think that your response is acceptable. We were stranded in a foreign country without transportation or any means to get
transportation.
I am very disappointed that Expedia's response is for
me to contact the rental car company now knowing that they could care less about me as a customer. I would think that you would take care of your own customers.
Please let me know if that is your final solution to this problem.
Thanks
Stacy
----- Original Message ----
From: Expedia Travel Support
To: Stacy
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2007 9:08:33 AM
Subject: Re: Car questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:34782312]
Dear Expedia Customer,
Thank you for contacting us about your recent experience with Advantage.
Like many travel vendors, car rental companies sometimes overbook their inventory based on histories of previous "no shows." Ordinarily, this does not create a problem for their customers, but when it does, it can
be very frustrating.
Our records indicate that you did have a confirmed reservation, and we regret that Advantage did not have a car available for you. For further assistance, please contact the company directly at 800 777 5500
(reservation), 06 650428215 (direct).
If you have further questions, feel free to reply to this e-mail or contact Expedia customer services at 1-800-397-3342 and reference case
ID 34782312. You can also visit the Expedia.com "Customer Support" page
expedia.com/daily/service/default.asp) for more customer
service information.
Thank you for choosing Expedia.com.
Jason
Expedia.com Customer Support Team
-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: 7/9/2007 6:23:31 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Car questions or comments - Case ID: [REQ:34782312]
* TPID: 1
* EAP: 0
* Name: Stacy
* TUID: 81344962
* E-mail Address: DELETED
* Phone Numbers: DELETED
* Itinerary Number: 120251231449
* Subject: Car questions or comments
--------------------------------
* Comment:
I submitted this last week and still have not received any response from you. We reserved a rental car through you and when we arrived at the Rome airport, they did not have a car.We were stranded for several hours trying desperately to make other arrangements and ended up
spending about 3X the amount since it was booked onsite through Avis. We used your services because we thought they were guaranteed. I want to know what you do for your customers in situations like this.
Thanks
Stacy
Marietta, Georgia
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Scott
Winchestertonfieldville,Ohio,
U.S.A.
Need a little clarification
#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Tue, September 11, 2007
Was this car a part of a paid in full package or an independent reservation? I am trying to get a grasp on whether the money for the rental changed hands or not. Expedia can't accept responsibility in this case. If this was an independent reservation for a car in any country, including this one, the car is not paid for until the time of rental. (your travel agent friend should be able to tell you this as well) Expedia DOES NOT "recommend" any flights, hotels or car companies in which to do business with. They simply pull availability from all the above and give you the lowest prices available all the way up to something that is full priced, leaving you to choose from whatever your preferences may be. As stated in 1 of your emails, "I am very disappointed that Expedia's response is for me to contact the rental car company now knowing that they could care less about me as a customer. I would think that you would take care of your own customers." They DID their job, they got you booked like you wanted to be. They got you a confimation number for the booking (a response back from the car company) and I'm sure that the car company blamed Expedia as well. That's the usual process. The car company may have an American name but I guarantee you that 90% of the car rental establishments these days are franchises, hence, they follow whatever rules they want, including "it's Expedia's fault!" The airlines and hotels are the same way. My suggestion to you: If money changed hands on this car rental; pursue it, but take in mind who charged it. If it was part of a total, paid in full vacation package, then Expedia charged it. If it was not part of a package the Car agency charges it and it won't hit the card til you pick up the car. Please clarify and maybe I can look at this another way.
