Airline ticket refunds

Moto Guzzi Bob · Member Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 51 Location: Brighton UK

Hi All,
Have posted this elsewhere, but probably in the wrong place to get a response.
Just thought you should know (Can't find this elsewhere).
Phuket Air suddenly pulled out of flights from Gatwick/ London.
I booked a flight in March for July. Cussing

It was cancelled (having paid £500) early April, just before those fiascos with fuel during the Easter period. Cussing

Needless to say I haven't had a refund yet Cussing

.

The local agency have told me they cannot refund me until Shoot em up

Phuket Air refund the UK agent which could take months.

Does this sound fair? banghead

I've paid for goods that don't exist and yet I don't get an automatic refund as I would expect with a shop or any other organisation.

Please, bow

can any one of you out there help/ give me advise?
Cheers

Moto Guzzi Bob
_________________
Nah, must be more to it!

larry70dj · Member Joined: 29 Sep 2003 Posts: 87

If you paid by credit card, you may get a refund from them. Sorry if this doesnt apply to you, personaly I would be totaly gutted if this happened to me.

Moto Guzzi Bob · Member Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 51 Location: Brighton UK

Hi Larry70dj,
I paid by card (always do for the back-up) and did know of this, but thank you very much for the response.
I will try this as the last resort, as I am hoping to make more of a fuss and think there should be more protection.
Shoot em up

ABTA and ATOL (in UK) are bloody useless, I have several friends who have tried them for other things connected to travel/ holidays and their response seems to be always the same, i.e. It's not there responsibility banghead

. I'd like to know what is. They won't give me a straight answer regarding what is their responsibility (apart from, I think, if a company goes bust?).
Confused

I'd like to know why travel agents are/ should be bonded by/ to ATOL/ABTA, when in practical terms it seems to mean nothing. Basically, they seem to have no teeth and show no sympathy/ interest in real problems (as yet, any problems I've heard off).
Maybe I should go more public to highlight these kind of problems, but How? Who? Where? over to you dear readers. Any ideas?
Cheers

Moto Guzzi Bob
_________________
Nah, must be more to it!

larry70dj · Member Joined: 29 Sep 2003 Posts: 87

do it quickly, I think insurance for 28 days only

Moto Guzzi Bob · Member Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 51 Location: Brighton UK

Thanks
I'll let you know
Cheers

Bob
_________________
Nah, must be more to it!

PeteB · Professional Joined: 03 Jan 2004 Posts: 286

Hi MGB,
Sorry to hear of your experience, I'm just glad that we resisted the temptation. Hope all turns out OK - good advice from larry70dj.

It may be worth posting the ticket agent's name. Also get some advice from your local trading standards - it is free.

As I remember, you are from the Brighton area http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/brighton-hove/ . They should at least be able to offer advice.

Quest travel are offering deals on Thai at £379 until the end of June - they may have something for July! http://www.questtravel.com/flights-to-malaysia/thai-airways-non-stop-flights-to-bangkok/ .
They also have good rates for the Landmark in Bangkok (Highly recommended) - £53 per twin (see the web site page).

Good luck and keep us updated.

Cheers
Peter

Moto Guzzi Bob · Member Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 51 Location: Brighton UK

Hi PeteB
Nice to hear from you again!
thumbs up

Thank you for the response and advice, I'll give this a go, as well.
I have already booked a flight with Eva Air for £560 (incl. tax) - found a 'window' in their prices - most odd, but I've got the tickets and they have a good reputation, I'm told!?
I've added quest travel to my favourites for the future.
Thanks once again
Cheers

MGB
_________________
Nah, must be more to it!

PeteB · Professional Joined: 03 Jan 2004 Posts: 286

Hi MGB - Glad you've got some flights.

We tend to use EVA Evergreen D/L - so I hope you will not be disappointed.

I find that this forum http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/eva.htm is great for reviews. I note that a few people don't seem to like EVA, but we can only take as we have found. The economy seats seem to be roomy, but the IFE rather poor. Evergreen D/L 38" pitch and wider seats.

Good luck with your refund

Cheers

Peter

stevenhill55 · Novice Joined: 11 May 2005 Posts: 3

Just thought i would add my bit. We have just returned from Huahin, having booked with expedia. we got return tickets for £380 with Qatar air which included a 45 min stop in Doha. I can tell you that the service was excellent thumbs up

They have mostly new planes ( airbus 330) so everything worked properly!. only one small problem, expedia gave us seats seperate from each other , but a quick call to Qatar in London sorted that out.