- Report: #544350
Complaint Review: Travelocity - Internet
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Author Not Confirmed
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Travelocity
Internet, United States of America
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Web:
www.travelocity.com
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Travelocity Price Match Rip-Off Internet
Travelocity has a price-match guarantee ... if someone else books a flight or anything for a cheaper price, they'll match it. So, you go to their website to submit the lower price for the reimbursement. ... or so they would have you believe.
I and some co-workers were booking flights across the country and we had decided that we were all going to go on Jet Blue and we picked the times and flight numbers and all decided to go and book on our own. The next day I find out they all landed a price of 385 round trip via jetblue.com, mine was 400 round trip at travelocity (including taxes, fees, etc.). The next day, I figure, why not try the price match as advertised, it's only 15 dollars but hey, why not?
So I submit a refund request 36 hours after initial booking a trip that is still about a month away. Their email tells me they cannot match the price because it has been over 24 hours since booking the flight! Not to mention, the very fact that you can book cheaper through the airline than Travelocity goes against their whole advertised purpose as a company ... to get you cheaper rates than you would "roaming alone."
Anyway, I just couldn't imagine if I had booked a 1 or 2 week hotel stay. At $15 per night more than the hotel's website, that minuscule $15 would start to add up and some people would be very frustrated, so I thought I'd post. Now if I could remember to check this website before buying, I'd be all set.
I and some co-workers were booking flights across the country and we had decided that we were all going to go on Jet Blue and we picked the times and flight numbers and all decided to go and book on our own. The next day I find out they all landed a price of 385 round trip via jetblue.com, mine was 400 round trip at travelocity (including taxes, fees, etc.). The next day, I figure, why not try the price match as advertised, it's only 15 dollars but hey, why not?
So I submit a refund request 36 hours after initial booking a trip that is still about a month away. Their email tells me they cannot match the price because it has been over 24 hours since booking the flight! Not to mention, the very fact that you can book cheaper through the airline than Travelocity goes against their whole advertised purpose as a company ... to get you cheaper rates than you would "roaming alone."
Anyway, I just couldn't imagine if I had booked a 1 or 2 week hotel stay. At $15 per night more than the hotel's website, that minuscule $15 would start to add up and some people would be very frustrated, so I thought I'd post. Now if I could remember to check this website before buying, I'd be all set.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
jrwhite2
USATravelocity's Purpose
#2Author of original report
Thu, December 24, 2009
I probably will book direct next time, shop around to several different sites. I assumed that they made their money by acting as a clearinghouse for unbooked flights. - Similar to hotels websites ... They buy tickets at discounted rates, add their own profit, and still come out cheaper than buying direct. If the airline sells a slightly discounted ticket through them, it's better than having no one buy a ticket. Many people don't say "I want to travel Jet Blue" ... they say, " I need to leave at this date and time ... how can I get a deal?" The benefit of the website is it lists multiple airlines, something you wont get on the airline's own website, and I thought airlines were aware of this so they allow their flights to be listed on the site in exchange for discounted tickets.
I could be wrong, or maybe that is how it works but the discounts don't start coming until after a certain date when airlines are desperate to get their seats filled. Either way, my main point really is, if you say you're going to do a price match as a way of getting customers, then do it, and don't find every possible way out of honoring it by placing loopholes all over the fine print buried on a separate page someplace. If a price match would hurt your profits by honoring them or by being up-front in the promotions for it, then don't offer it, and advertise for some other quality your business has instead. It's just kind of a sleazy business practice ... but it's become so commonplace that somehow they all think it's okay.
Paul
Gulfport,Mississippi,
U.S.A.
Why choose Travelocity?
#3Consumer Comment
Wed, December 23, 2009
Travelocity is a 3rd person company, much like a travel agent, how are they to make money if they cant charge a fee. Ususally it is 5.00. I would be interested to know why you did not just book directly with the JB website? What is going to happen if you miss the plane, have to cancel, etc??? You are going to call Travelocity and stay on hold for a very long time.
I would have just booked directly with JetBlue, and cut out the middle person.
Paul
jrwhite2
United States of AmericaUpdate
#4Author of original report
Wed, December 23, 2009
I brought this to their attention, to which of course they replied, prices can change within 24 hours, which is true, but both bookings were within 24 hours of each other, within 6 hours, in fact. I just didn't file for the reimbursement within 24 hours ... It took a full day at the office before realizing that my coworkers had paid less.
But apparently in their eyes, filing the report within 24 hours is the same as booking within 24 hours ... why? I of course have proof that the two bookings were within 6 hours, but according to their policy, they don't accept screen shots or other documentation that would prove it ... why? ... I think the answer is because they will create as many policies as it takes to get out of paying as much as possible, regardless of whether a claim is legit or not. ... just like an insurance company.
Really not about the money though, just the principle of the thing. What ever happened to customer satisfaction as a means to keeping business, instead of tricky gimmicks filled with exceptions and other loopholes?
