Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Getting Raped by Expedia (again...)

I'm losing it. 18 days till the Big Day and I'm just hoping I can make it; finding my melt-downs have increased in frequency and severity.

But the big kick in my taco was dealt by Expedia. I should have known. Blood-thirsty bastards. I'm not even going to go into how a $600 return trip booked to Ontario ended up costing a whopping $2400 when my granpa's health swiftly deteriorated and we ended up scrambling to make it to the funeral. Or how I basically ended up writing Expedia a check for $700 when my father-in-law suffered a heart attack and we had to change the date of our flights. I can dismiss a cold-blooded corporation for being what it is and suck it up because I want to be there for my family. I can also assume some responsibility because I did not factor the unexpected death of a family member into my summer vacation plans and therefore did not buy flight insurance. My bad.

This situation was entirely different. And I assumed, laughably of course, that Expedia would oblige. I realize how ludacris that sounds. In between running around like a freaking crazy person at work as per usual, I had to book three flights for the wedding. Fine. I had twenty minutes to sit down, and being the multi-tasking whiz that I am, I should be able to answer phones and check emails and book flights at the same time. Except on the last flight I had to book, which is the following Thursday from the other flights I booked, I accidently was on the wrong month. I know, stupid. I must have slid the flight calender over or something but slid too far or whatever cuz I ended up booking the flight for the last Thursday of September instead of the last Thursday of August. Yeah, thats bad.

I was on the phone with Expedia in 0.5 seconds flat, explaining how I had clicked the wrong button and it probably hadn't even gone through yet and could you please catch it and adjust it to the right date?

No dice.

She put me on hold for about fifteen minutes before she came back and pleasantly told me not to worry she could switch it for me, but it would cost $50 for the cancelling and re-booking fee.
"No no no (this is what I was afraid of) I'm not cancelling and re-booking, please I just clicked the wrong button and it wouldn't let me go back and if you could just go in there and correct that for me..." 

And yes, she was very sorry but no, there was nothing they could do. Except put me on hold for another fifteen minutes while I'm sure her and her collegues laughed maniacally. When she composed herself she got back on and asked me if I would like to re-book a flight. Which, of course I had to, for the last Thursday of August. She told me the flight was the same price so no worries and she just had to put me on hold while she booked that for me. TWENTY minutes later she comes back on and informs me that actually the flight is another $40, plus the $50 dollar re-booking fee and "is that alright ma'am?"
IS THAT ALRIGHT??! NO THAT'S NOT ALRIGHT, WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU ASK ME IF THATS ALRIGHT. I'VE BEEN ON HOLD FOR AN HOUR SO THAT YOU COULD TELL ME A $270 FLIGHT HAS SOMEHOW MAGICALLY BECOME A $370 FLIGHT.
So I asked why the increase since she had previously told me the flights were the same price. "Well its a month earlier." So what. "So its more expensive." You knew that before when you told me it was the same price. "Well its actually more. Is that okay?"
IS THAT OKAY??! NO THAT'S NOT OKAY, WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU ASK ME IF THATS OKAY? YOU'RE JUST GOING TO PUT ME ON HOLD FOR ANOTHER HOUR AND THEN FORCE ME TO PAY WHATEVER THE HELL YOU WANT ME TO PAY!!!!!!!
Just book it. "Okay I apologize ma'am I'm just going to put you on hold for a few minutes while I book this flight for you."
I WILL COME OVER THERE SET YOUR CUBICLE ON FIRE AND CHOKE YOU WITH YOUR HEADSET WHILE I WATCH THE PICTURES OF YOU AND YOUR CAT 'MITTENS' BURN!!!!!!
Yeah, whatever, thanks.


 

2 comments:

  1. While I agree big corporations suck, Expedia doesn't really get that much flexibility. They weren't the ones charging you the extra 50$ it was Air Canada or West Jet. Expedia doesn't really have much hold over that. I know it's better to just skip Expedia and go straight to the source. They are a lot more helpful because they can actually go talk to someone and make the exception. Expedia can't really do that. Just an opinion, in general they are all bastards.

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  2. A much calmer me agrees with you. I did somehow manage to crack a few weak jokes with a competant agent at the end of a long day. But yes, after finally putting this one to bed, I think next time I will find the deals on Expedia and then just go straight to the actual airline to book it. No obstinate middle-man required.

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