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  • Report:  #235717

Complaint Review: CheapTickets.com - Chicago Illinois

Reported By:
- LA, California,
Submitted:
Updated:

CheapTickets.com
500 W. Madison St., Suite 1000 Chicago, 60661 Illinois, U.S.A.
Phone:
888-922-8849
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
I was stranded at an unknown airport for a day and a half only becuase CheapTickets.com childishly refused to give me my flight itenerary so I could have been on my way. I did not know what airline I was to board next - only CheapTickets.com could have quickly advised me - but simply refused - unless I joined some 'club' for one dollar.

Still to this day CheapTickets.com refuses to take my complaint and instead sends me an email several months later stating 'Take it up with the Airline' among other irresponsibly painfully EVASIVE actions by their 'system'.

My original problem stemmed from having my rental car broken into by mexicans in Scott's Valley, Ca. who stole my luggage, which also had my only flight itenerary - which listed numerous and different airlines for various legs of impending travel.

During the horrible day and a half that I was stranded at the Airport I tried calling Cheap Tickets.com at 9:00am (California time) on June 26, 2006 it took over an hour to reach a live person because their phone system kept hanging up on me. After an hour of this horrible treatment at 10:25am California time I finally reached a live young lady who repeatedly refused to give me my flight details unless I joined some 'club'. I demanded to speak to a supervisor and this same young lady rudely refused. After not being able to reach anyone for well over an hour, and had become reasonably upset/angered, becuause CheapTickets' phone systems is programmed to just hang up on people if they don't say the 'right thing' to their computer, - I expained in a reasonably upset tone that I desperately needed my flight information (so I could finally go home), or my money back to get another flight but she still refused to do what her company is supposed to do. When I asked for this young lady's name she rudely refused and transferred me to a blank' phone line for another 25 minutes, which eventually hung-up on me.

CheapTickets.com blatantly refused to give me (me, their paying customer) my needed flight information or a refund I WAS STRANDED at San Jose Airport for an unforgettable day and a half (!!!)

They could have EASILY avoided this true horror!!!

When I still try to call to complain to a Cheap Tickets.com supervisor their phone system continually HANGS UP on me because my criteria doesn't fit their phone systems' categories.

I wrote a letter addressed to 'CEO' and their postal address in Chicago.

Several months later someone from CheapTickets.com emailed me advising me to take all matters up with the Airlines (??!!)

What ever happened to standards in America ??!

Tony

LA, California
U.S.A.


7 Updates & Rebuttals

Hollie

Swanton,
Ohio,
U.S.A.
I agree, Almost

#2Consumer Comment

Wed, May 07, 2008

Mark, while I agree with your feelings regarding the actions this company chose to take during your time of dis-stress, I do have to ask one question. What does the fact of those who broke into your car being Mexican have to do with anything? You sound so intelligant throughout all of your posts, however that one statement of your rental car being broke into by "Mexicans" and having your luggage stole really bothers me. No I am not Mexican and if I were it wouldn't matter I don't know why you couldn't have simply stated, I lost my flight information when my rental car was broken into and my luggage stole? Again I don't agree with the "How Much Is Your Time Worth" comment and do believe you shouldn't have had to join any club to be given your information for which you had already paid, however I don't see how the ethinicitiy (S.P) of those who broke into your car had anything to do with this story, and unless you sat there and watched them breaking in, how do you even know if they were Mexican, American, Itialian? I mean I don't understand and I guess it is comments like that for which people know there is still racisim going on in this country and it is truly sad.


Mark

DC,
District of Columbia,
U.S.A.
To: Chip (Re: IF my story is true...)

#3Consumer Comment

Thu, November 01, 2007

To Chip in Indiana: Thanks very much for your reply. I agree with you whole-heartedly Re: your comment. Yes I should have known the Airlines on my itinerary even if my itinerary was rather lengthy. But I had to repeatedly change my itinerary during that trip. The moral of the story is that: Nobody should EVER have to join some club just to retrieve basic and temporary information such as, in this case, hearing what Airline you're supposed to be on next. Just as importantly, joining some 'club' regularly constitutes an agreement which requires one to permanently surrender certain constitutional rights - with no recourse, ever. This is what America is turning into. Chip, never just 'give in' like you originally suggested. Yes it is easier to 'give in' but when we do that we subtly support the increasing source of illicit problems we face every day. Regards-


Mark

DC,
District of Columbia,
U.S.A.
To Kim (How much is my time worth?)

#4Consumer Comment

Thu, November 01, 2007

Kim, I sincerely appreciate the moment you took to comment on this issue, however, nobody should EVER have to join some club (thus permanently surrender their private exploitable personal information) just to learn what Airline one is supposed to be boarding next after one loses their [lengthy] itinerary. People who just 'Give In' like you respectfully suggested I feel are ultimately supporting the narrowing of customer service standards. Please never just 'give in' like that - it tends to give power to the culprits/problems such as these we increasingly face. Regards


Dave

#3108,
New Mexico,
U.S.A.
The $1 Fee.

#5Consumer Comment

Thu, May 24, 2007

I paid the $1 to join their exclusive Gold Club and get additional help. I spent the time answering all their questions and when I finally got to talk to a Gold Club representative they told me they couldn't assist me because my ticket was purchased on cheaptickets.com, not cheapticketsGold. It's a frieking scam and even though I immediately cancelled my Gold Membership they kept charging me $20 a month for it and I had to call three times after three monthly charges before it actually got cancelled. He is lucky he didn't pay the $1.


Chip

Anytown,
Indiana,
U.S.A.
IF your story is true

#6Consumer Comment

Thu, February 15, 2007

you were stranded because of your own actions. I mean, who doesn't at least know the airline(s)they're booked on? I realize there were several legs, but c'mon, you didn't at least know the AIRLINE(S)? And was there not someone at home/work that you couldn't have given your itinerary to? Didn't you have ANYBODY to provide your travel information to so that SOMEONE knew where you were? And for God's sake, why didn't you pay the $1 to avoid your self-created hassle?


Chip

Anytown,
Indiana,
U.S.A.
IF your story is true

#7Consumer Comment

Thu, February 15, 2007

you were stranded because of your own actions. I mean, who doesn't at least know the airline(s)they're booked on? I realize there were several legs, but c'mon, you didn't at least know the AIRLINE(S)? And was there not someone at home/work that you couldn't have given your itinerary to? Didn't you have ANYBODY to provide your travel information to so that SOMEONE knew where you were? And for God's sake, why didn't you pay the $1 to avoid your self-created hassle?


Kim

Southaven,
Mississippi,
U.S.A.
How much is your time worth?

#8Consumer Suggestion

Thu, February 15, 2007

I realize that the customer service for cheaptickets.com may be lacking. But you would rather spend a day and a half in an airport than spend a dollar to get your information? You spent more than that on drinks and meals during your day and a half at the airport. Not to mention the rage that you worked yourself into. Would you have felt better if they had said, "Yes sir Mr Tony, we'll get that information right to you, but we are going to have to charge you a dollar for the duplicate ticket?" That is basically what they were doing. Cheaptickets.com is just that, cheap tickets. This goes hand in hand with cheap service. You got what you paid for.

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