As a big-time technology user and advocate, I've found many ways to both save time and kill time with the help of desktops, laptops, palms and servers. There are however some areas of technology where caution is a shrewd and important trait, and ordering flight tickets has got to be one of them. Lesson learned...
I recently booked an interstate flight from a flight ticket website, UltimateFares.com. We were referred to them by BookingBuddy.com, and we'd used BookingBuddy to compare ticket prices before and we trusted they don't deal with idiots, or if they did that at least they can reach those idiots by phone when they need to.
As it were, a week after paying UltimateFares, I realize we've been booked the wrong departure date. The day is correct, but the month is wrong. Although the date showed correctly at checkout (we checked these dates twice before confirming our purchase) I don't care if they demand a fee for changing this, I just want it fixed. And that's where my problem arises. When I call the Customer Service line (888)499-8663 offered in our ticket confirmation, I receive the following pre-recorded message:
Thank you for calling Ultimate Fares. In order to serve you better, please be advised that effective immediately, our phone number has changed. For immediate customer support, please call our new number at (415)371-1202. Again the new number is (415)371-1202. <click>
Fair enough, so I call their new customer support number (415)371-1202 and interestingly, I get another pre-recorded message:
Thank you for calling Ultimate Fares. In order to serve you better, please be advised that effective immediately, our phone number has changed. For immediate customer support, please call our new number at (415)371-1202. Again the new number is (415)371-1202. <click>
Not one to give up easily, I look up their detail page on the Better Business Bureau's Los Angeles website, ignore the Company Rating: F, and go right to the Primary Phone field to retrieve their Reseda, CA telephone number. I proceed to dial (888)848-4842 and yep, you guessed it-yet another pre-recorded message:
Thank you for calling Ultimate Fares. In order to serve you better, please be advised that effective immediately[...]
If I follow these instructions as a computer would I'd be cycling through an infinite loop. Do they think they are selling to computers, or are they themselves headless drones?
I'm calling US Air to change this reservation and you'd better believe I won't be dealing with these or any other "bargain flight" turds again. From now on I will take my chances and buy my tickets direct from the airline.
I booked a flight with Ultimatefares.com yesterday (5-9-2009) and have not yet received a confirmation e-mail or ticketing information. I went to Ultimatefares.com to their "Customer Service" section and I only receive a message saying "Http Status 404 - The requested resource (/customerservice.html) is not available." I also get the same message when I click on "Check My Trip." I tried calling the number they gave me (415-371-1202) and all I get is a busy tone. I checked my credit card online and Ultimatefares.com has not yet charged me for my purchase. After reading your reviews of Ultimatefares.com, I am thinking of calling my credit card company and stopping payment to this company. The confirmation page I received says "YOUR STATEMENT MAY SHOW A FEW DIFFERENT CHARGES ALL ADDING UP TO THE TOTAL ABOVE" Does anyone know what name(s) they will use to charge my card? If anyone knows please let me know ASAP!!!
Posted by: Aubrey | May 09, 2009 at 06:43 AM
Ultimatefares.com and Cheapflightsales.com are the same company doing terrible online web travel business practices. I have recently booked a trip for my family and received an error message advising me to call in. After being on hold for over one hour, I finally got connected to a person (Indian) who could hardly speak any English nor speak it. After spemding over an hour on the phone with him as he could not understand Emglish,
He told me I did not have a reservation. I then decided not to book another flight with this company due to the type of customer service I was receiving from this Indian Man but the terrible customer service I was receiving. I then called the Airline directly and booked my flight with them. Two days later I received an email stating an Airline Itinary from Ultimatefares.com which the Indian Employee advised me there was no reservation in my name. I then called Ultimatefares again waited over an hour and got to another Indian Man and he did indeed tell me I had a reservation for my family. I was aphauled and he told me I could cancel and receive a credit with the Airlines for up to one year from date of purchase. I did not want a credit as I cant afford a credit with the airlines as I wanted my money back. I then got the corporate number and spoke to a lovely lady
(American) who was the Billing Manager and she felt terrible about what I went through.
She advised me that I was truly rigjht and I should file an Airline Chargeback as I was
Charged for airline tickets when I should not have. This wonderful employee dreaded to tell me such terrible news about the company she worked for. I was also charged for Travel Insurance which I did not select and I was on with Travel Guard for over an hour
Trying to get it refunded. Please stay away from these two terrible Web Based Companies as they will steel your momey
Posted by: Randi | May 14, 2008 at 06:08 AM
Ultimatefares.com and Cheapflightsales.com are the same company doing terrible online web travel business practices. I have recently booked a trip for my family and received an error message advising me to call in. After being on hold for over one hour, I finally got connected to a person (Indian) who could hardly speak any English nor speak it. After spemding over an hour on the phone with him as he could not understand Emglish,
He told me I did not have a reservation. I then decided not to book another flight with this company due to the type of customer service I was receiving from this Indian Man but the terrible customer service I was receiving. I then called the Airline directly and booked my flight with them. Two days later I received an email stating an Airline Itinary from Ultimatefares.com which the Indian Employee advised me there was no reservation in my name. I then called Ultimatefares again waited over an hour and got to another Indian Man and he did indeed tell me I had a reservation for my family. I was aphauled and he told me I could cancel and receive a credit with the Airlines for up to one year from date of purchase. I did not want a credit as I cant afford a credit with the airlines as I wanted my money back. I then got the corporate number and spoke to a lovely lady
(American) who was the Billing Manager and she felt terrible about what I went through.
She advised me that I was truly rigjht and I should file an Airline Chargeback as I was
Charged for airline tickets when I should not have. This wonderful employee dreaded to tell me such terrible news about the company she worked for. I was also charged for Travel Insurance which I did not select and I was on with Travel Guard for over an hour
Trying to get it refunded. Please stay away from these two terrible Web Based Companies as they will steel your momey
Posted by: Randi | May 14, 2008 at 06:07 AM
Hello Net Justin
They have a defected website which causes customer complaints. Many people book their travel on ultimatefares.com and cheapflghtsales.com as they are the same company. They get a error message and the consumer thinks the ticktets have not gone thru, so they booked elsewhere. Low and behold, Bingo they do have tickets and the company has charged them for the total airfare. When the consumer finds out they call them and they will not refund them their money. I worked in their Billing Dept and I would get approximately 50 calls a day from ripped off people demanding their money back. It got to the pt when i had to tell them to call their credit card company and tell them you are disputing the charges. They also charge you for Travel Insurance when you dont elect it. I would get approximately 50 calls a day on that issue. I am so happy I no longer work for this company, but if you need their phone numbers they are 561-922-5636 which is their corporate office and the owner cell phone is 818-518-3979. Anerican Airlines have pulled their plates and they can no longer sell any American Airline Tickets because they ripped off American Airlines. If you need any more info you can email me at randigirl56@aol.com
Posted by: Randi | May 14, 2008 at 06:06 AM
Randi,
Thanks for the comment. I paid US Airways some extra bread to get the departure date corrected. Problem solved. I'm curious about your comment though, you say they are known for ripping people off, can you be more specific? I didn't experience that in my purchase. What I got was a legitimate purchase with ZERO post-sale support. Not exactly a ripoff, but still a deal breaker in my opinion and I still recommend that anyone avoid this and other "unknown" vendors. In other words, if you don't see them on TV then don't take the chance.
Posted by: netjustin | May 09, 2008 at 10:45 PM
THEY ARE TOTAL FRAUD. I AM AN EX EMPLOYEE AND I USED TO RUN THEIR BILLING DEPT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY ARE KNOW IN THE INDUSTRY TO RIP PEOPLE OFF. CALL YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANY AND DISPUTE THE CHARGES AS THIS IS CALLED A CHARGEBACK. THEY ARE TOTAL RIP OFF ARTISTS. STAY AWAY
Posted by: Randi | May 04, 2008 at 10:05 PM