Sarah
Falling Waters,#2Consumer Suggestion
Sun, January 14, 2007
Orbitz did the same thing to me, charging me 3 times for an $800 ticket, wiping out my checking account and causing me to rack up huge overdraft fees! I purchased one airline ticket through Orbitz at a price of $800. It was costly, as it was a last minute reservation and I needed to fly out of a tiny airport. When I reached my destination in Flagstaff, AZ, I tried to buy a drink as I was dying of thirst and US Airways is very chintzy with their drinks. My card was declined, which was puzzling to me because I had checked my bank account the morning I left and I had over $2200 in there. The stranger behind me bought my bottle of water for me. Onward to the rental car agency. I hadn't used Orbitz to book that reservation and when I gave them my card, same thing. DECLINED! I was humiliated and stranded. More kind strangers in Flagstaff gave me a ride to my friend's house, who was severely ill and unable to pick me up. I immediately got on my friend's computer to check my bank statement, only to see that Orbitz had charged me 3 times for the ticket! I called Orbitz and was told that it was standard procedure for them to put 3 holds on the account, but I was not told this when I purchased my ticket (and I read ALL the fine print in everything I do, and it was NOT stated there). I explained that that was totally unacceptable and that I needed my money NOW because I was flat broke and 3000 miles away from home. Not only did they refuse to help me, they became very argumentative and combative. I finally had to call my husband and get him to call our bank to see what, if anything, could be done. Were it not for the good people at my banking establishment, I would have been royally screwed, as they agreed to put a stop payment on one of the charges so I could have some cash. Onward to the day I was to leave. Because of the terrifying (and boy do I mean terrifying) AmericanWest flight from PHX to Flagstaff, I refused to get back on that plane. It was even suggested by the flight attendant that I do not get back on the plane because I freaked out just that bad. I called Orbitz to change my ticket around, agreed to pay their ridiculous fees (the airlines don't even charge that much!) so I could take a shuttle bus from Flagstaff to PHX to catch my flight home to Baltimore. They charged my credit card 3 times for that fee too! I get to PHX and whip out my debit card to pay the shuttlebus driver because I knew my bank had returned $800 to my account. My card was declined AGAIN and I was humiliated AGAIN. Were it not for the kindness of Grand Canyon Shuttle Tours who kindly ate the fee, I would have been arrested for not paying for services. Okay. So my US AIrways flight was delayed (there's a surprise, right? haha) and I was very hungry and thirsty. I called my husband to have him check the bank account before I was publicly humiliated again, only to find out Orbitz had charged the $200 change fee 3 times! Once again, I was dead broke because of them. I was finally able to board my flight, still hungry and thirsty and were it not for the stranger sitting next to me that offered to pay for my $5 meal, I would have probably gone into diabetic shock. Orbitz finally returned all of my money, but not before ruining my trip and compromising my health. The only suggestion I can offer to anyone in the market for airline tickets is to NEVER EVER buy from Orbitz. Call the airline direct (their tickets are cheaper anyway because they don't charge you the $9.99 Orbitz membership fee) and purchase your tickets that way. I have used other internet travel agencies with no problems whatsoever. If you don't have an endless supply of cash in your checking account or on your credit card, DO NOT use Orbitz. They will rip you off so bad and leave you high and dry and they DO NOT CARE.