Lastminute.com

A question about : Lastminute.com

Dear MSE,

I am absolutely at my wits end and want to warn all to stay away from LASTMINUTE.COM.

July 2014 my best friend and I booked a city break to NYC; flights and hotel for October 2014. Late Summer 2014 I, the main traveler (person who booked the trip) received some unfortunate news that my Grandfather had terminal cancer and the hospital were unable to treat him. He was deteriorating quickly and so I decided to contact Lastminte.com and ask due to medical grounds could trip be cancelled. I provided medical evidence and unbelievably they agreed to give me credit. (I retain the whole email thread of the conversation). They confirmed how much my booking was and informed me I had until July 2015 to re-book and travel using the credit.

Christmas was difficult, I wanted to see how things with my Grandad progressed. I left it until New Year 2015 to contact them and attempt to rebook. The first week of Jan 2015 until now I have been on the phone to the customer service pretty much daily!
One Saturday I actually had a 5 hour telephone conversation with a customer relations team rep. With him, I had 2 conference calls with the Virgin Atlantic customer service team.

Problems:
1. It was difficult to actually get a lastminute.com agenct to understand my query every time I rang as they didn't seem to read the notes! Each phone call 20 minutes for them to understand and then transfer me to customer relations.

2. They stated 1 journey of the trip was used, this was not correct.

3. The hotel would not be able to refund me despite me having an email from lastminute.com in 2014 stating the hotel would refund me.

It took several days for Lastminute to actually speak to the hotel in NYC due to time difference, as i guess, the hotel were happy to refund me. As per the initial email!!

4. I know longer see the 2nd traveler due to fly to NYC with me as he has moved. They refused to change name on ticket, even for an additional admin fee.

They would not give me refund or credit of the second travelers ticket which was Ј607.31. Therefore, I am losing Ј607.31. They will only let me use the credit/ticket in my name.

5. Despite the airline - Virgin Atlantic stating they will waiver the admin fee of changing the date on the ticket (again, have this in writing) every time i discuss a date with lastminte.com they have to call virgin to OK it!! This always results in them having to call me the next day as Virgin CS desk closed.

6. Lastminute.com customer relations team reps were due to call be back the follow day on several occasions and failed to do so. Systems crashed. is what I was told.

7. When asking to speak to someone more senior, I'm sorry, there is no one higher. So who measures their performance? Clearly no one given the lack of customer service!

8. When on conference call with Lastminute.com customer relation team and Virgin Atlantic customer service (even V.A Supervisor intervened.) Lastminute.com stated they got there rules/regs and policies from airline, virgin stated well if you the third party want to allow the change you can. Lastminute.com and Virgin Atlantic were contradicting themselves not knowing who had to listen/set the rules. Was quite embarrassing to witness.

When I contacted Virgin directly I spoke to very helpful rep who attempted to assist me but was tied due to the fact I had booked through lastminte.com.
She explained lastminute.com were hiding behind the third party status and could be more accommodating if they wanted to be.

So far, I received a full refund from hotel BUT have 2 airline tickets flying with Virgin Atlantic costing Ј607.31 pp of which i am close to losing. They refuse to refund me despite me having medical evidence. They will only let me use one ticket to travel.

Any help out there would be much appreciated. I have spent probably near 15 hours on the phone since Jan 2015 and have emailed in between.

Thank you so much in advance. A person who just wants what she paid for, nothing more

Best answers:

• I don't think they had to give you anything. A person not travelling on the trip being ill is irrelevant as far as the booking agent is concerned.
  I'm quite impressed they have been as good as they have been.
• I agree ^^^
  I also think that although it's a shame your grandfather died; he was not close enough a relative for you to qualify for any cancellation insurance.
• Did grandad leave any ЈЈЈs?
• Your experience of lastminute won't stop me using them Simmy. A shame your grandfather died.
• This is what holiday insurance is for. I had to cancel a family holiday due to a heart attack and the insurance paid out in full less a small excess. Neither Lastminute or Virgin need to give you anything IMO.