We’ve updated our advice on COVID and travel-related refund issues:
6 Likes
Hey Adam, we had two major trips cancelled due to the pandemic. All booked through Flight Centre. I have to say our Flight Centre branch was brilliant. Emirates dragged their feet but I did get all our money back. I wish I could say the same for Qantas.
Qantas is despicable. They have issued only vouchers to my agent and refuse to refund nearly $5K. The vouchers are valid for booking until Jan next year I think it is and when I said I wanted our money back and vouchers were unacceptable Flight Centre said their hands were tied.
I’m getting ready to go in for a mask-to-mask about it. Everyone has been so good with the cancellations I had to make including two hotels in France and and AirBnB host who was exceedingly help and nice about it all.
How typical it is the “Australian” airline that serves out pineapples.
6 Likes
Hey guys,
Below is a replica of the article that was on “nine online” earlier today. For some reason, the link on nine online no longer works.
It is an article that I organised on Scenic Cruises. Two of the main takeouts are astronomical cancellation fees and a blatant disregard of the ACCC Best Practice Guide.
Luxury Escapes are also mentioned in the article. A few points spoken about are in relation to refunds, removing customer comments and blocking customers from their Facebook page.
I hope you are all enjoy your Sunday night
1 Like
Well mostly sort of Australian.
https://investor.qantas.com/DownloadFile.axd?file=/Report/ComNews/20191014/02158782.pdf
35.78% foreign owned as of Oct 2019. Update due soon.
2 Likes
Seven months ago we, along with many others, had to cancel a planned trip to the UK on Emirates/Qantas due to the Corona virus.
The immediate response from the travel agent was “it will be at least 4 months before you see any refund”. This is standard practice - take your money ASAP but string out any refunds, regardless of any issues such as Corana virus.
We all know how Qantas and lots of other airlines are in big trouble due to the virus, but surely seven months is a bit much? If we are going to get a (partial) refund, why does it take so long? We are not on our own - there are hundreds of others.
2 Likes
If you have not, it might be educational to peruse this topic that covers COVID-19 cancellation refunds. Some airlines have been more forthcoming than others and travel agents have not all responded well or quickly, either.
The link included on post 239 in this topic by @BrendanMays may be helpful.
Even in the best of times airlines are not known for prompt refunds. The current delays could be at Qantas, the travel agent, or both. It seems some requests get ‘parked’ and some might be delayed by cash flow measures, and others are just not doing the right thing and need to be formally pursued.
3 Likes
Have you called the Airline direct?
1 Like
My family received vouchers for 5 people (approx $900) that expire in March 2021 from Jetstar. My son lives overseas, an it is very unlikely he will be able to travel to Australia before that, and I can’t travel without him. We can’t afford to lose that much money as there are other payments that he received only a Credit for and the amount is much more money. He received a Credit for payment for 9 people to go on a Boat Trip out to the Reef, but it will be no good for any of us because he will not be able to fly into Australia for a long time yet and the rest of the family will not be able to go without him. I have heard there is special wording that one needs to say to get our money back. We are getting desperate to get our money refunded, as it is causing financial hardship.
Have you contacted Jetstar and provided information on your circumstances in relation to the need to have monies for cancelled travel refunded rather than in future use vouchers?
Most businesses will take genuine hardship claims seriously and provide a resolution which is better for all parties.
1 Like
I have moved your post to this existing thread which deals with similar sorts of issues. Have a read through and you may find some answers.
Have a look at the post above from @JodiBird dated 22 May for some great information that may help you.
3 Likes
Thank you. We booked through JetStar online and used our two different credit cards.
I will try them this afternoon. I was in touch with Jetstar and asked approx three times and state my case but they refused to give us a refund. The small print on our tickets said no refund, unless the flight was cancelled. We don’t know if the flight was cancelled or not because we had to apply for the Voucher before the end of March, and we were not flying until July, but soon after tour borders were closed and we could not get to QLD anyway. Surely there is something legally we can do in this case. Very few families can afford to lose this amount of money.
2 Likes
Look into a Chargeback against the Credit Cards. There are time limits to apply but hopefully you may be able to get an extension if you cite the reasons if the date/time has passed. You will need to contact your financial institutions that the Credit Cards are with as soon as possible (within a day or two) as it appears it has been some months already.
2 Likes
I phoned the Bank where I have my credit card to ask about a refund from Jetstar and then realised that I had transferred the money out of my bank Account rather than use my credit card because they charge a fee to use ones credit card. However, they are going to look into it for me, but it can take 45 days + to hear an answer.
4 Likes
At least some hope for you even if only a small bit. I sincerely hope it is resolved in your favour.
3 Likes
In March 2019 we booked a Scenic river cruise departing September 2020. At that time their T&Cs stated " **5.3 If we cancel a Tour, for whatever reason, before departure: (a) we will offer closest available © if you do not accept the proposed alternative tour or cruise within 7 days of being notified by Us of the alternative, we will cancel Your Booking, refund to You all monies paid directly to Us and will have no further liability to You This clause is linked to ‘2020 Terms and Conditions’ on Scenic website.
THERE ARE NO EXCLUSIONS TO THIS CLAUSE IN SCENIC 2020 T&Cs.
Advance to 2021 booking T&Cs **5.3 states "if we cancel for more than 7 days other than Force Majeure Event …© we will cancel your Booking and terminate the contract, refund all monies paid … and will have no further liability to you. This clause is linked to ‘2021 Passenger Terms and Conditions’ on the Scenic website.
Currently, they are applying ‘Force Majeure Event’ exclusion to earlier bookings and refusing refunds. They deserve the shonkiest of shonky awards. The most unscrupulous Company I have had the misfortune to have dealings with. What they are doing is illegal and immoral and the general public needs to be warned about my experience.
5 Likes
Wlecome to the community @minx,
I moved your post here because this topic should have a wealth of knowledge about your rights and what you may be able to do. You will find links to Choice statements as well as ACCC advice in preceding posts.
3 Likes
Has anyone had any luck with refunds from the Carnival and P&O cruise groups?
they cancelled our cruise in Feb
- then kept delaying the refund,
- then promising ‘credit’ . We obviously respectfully denied this.
- Months later they offered inflated cruise credits We obviously respectfully denied this too.
October still not seen any cash on my credit card.
I’m not stressed because obviously this is cash i spent ,
but i want to close this credit card and stop paying the account keeping fees.
Is this just common delay because of the current climate ?
2 Likes
Hi @carlos I have moved your post into this already existing topic that has been looking at the issues you describe. There are now around 270 entries here and some suggestions on steps you should perhaps take.
If a chargeback on your Credit Card is possible then that may be the best step to take. Please read through this topic and I’m fairly sure you will find great advice. Others may also reply with their suggestions on steps you should be taking.
3 Likes
Beware of dealing with Hornsby Travel and Cruise, Hornsby NSW (formerly italktravel). We booked a Scenic River Cruise through them in March 2019, departure date September 2020. Despite Scenic’s 2020 T&Cs stating “if we cancel for any reason we will offer alternative, if you don’t accept alt. offer within 7 days we will refund all money paid and have no further contract with you”. Force Majeure (unforeseen circumstances) is just 1 of the cancellation reasons they list but nowhere do they say this excludes a refund. This agent is unable, or unwilling, to get Scenic to abide by those T&Cs of our contract with them. Scenic wont deal with us directly, saying we need to go through their agent. Currently we are out of pocket $8250. This Company certainly deserves the Shonky Award
4 Likes
If you have not been communicating formally in writing you have been engaged in what I call ‘idle chit chat’ as regards your rights, the contract T&C, COVID-19, and anything else related to your issue. You may best reference the previously linked (in this topic) ACCC and Choice advice, and ‘go formal’ using a ‘letter of complaint’. You can find many ‘letter of complaint’ references on the community by using the forum search function, upper right by the hamburger menu.
I trust you will find useful references and information in this topic, with similar stories to your own, many that had good outcomes. If you are a Choice member and want some ‘hand holding’ in the process you can avail yourself of ‘Choice Help’ to guide you.
Please update your post if you get a satisfactory outcome or are stonewalled.
3 Likes
