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USA3000 Complaint - Fraudulent Booking
Complaint
Beware of flying USA3000. I booked a roundtrip direct flight from Phila-Cancun. Less than 2 weeks prior to departure USA3000 called and changed the 6 pm returning direct flight from Phila-Cancun to a 10:55am flight that was now stopping in Pittsburgh. Ironically, there was always a flight from Cancun-Pitts scheduled for that time. So USA3000 never had a direct flight to Phila. They billed it as such because most people prefer direct flights so they did a bait and switch. After much debate they offered me a refund but because we are less that 2 weeks the flights are now astronomical. They waited exactly 1 day after flight prices change to contact their customers. I have a wedding to attend on the departure date that I will miss because I can't find a late flight leaving Cancun and cannot stay an extra day without incurring $700.00 in additional costs. I called the customer service number they gave me but had to leave a message and is still waiting for a return call. I have contacted the TSA to see if this is a legal practiice. I know airlines can make schedule changes without prior noice but I can provethis was not a change but an intentional bait and switch. Because USA3000 does not have daily flight out of Cancun I would have to wait two days to fly out again. Needless to say, I will never use this airline again.
Comments:
Posted by Soaring Consumer on 2009-07-17:
The Transportation Safety Administration would have no say in the matter. The Department of Transportation's Aviation Consumer Protection Division, would. Here is their website:
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/
Posted by Ben There on 2009-07-17:
It is completely legal for an airline to change its schedule, or to cancel a flight before it ever operates. I highly doubt the plan was to sell tickets on a flight knowing that it was not going to operate because there could have been a chance that the Pittsburg flight would have filled up. There were just not enough people wanting to fly from Philly to Cancun to make the service worth while. They offered you other flights or the option of a refund which is what most other airlines do.
Airlines have greatly reduced service to Mexico this year. Not only are people taking a lot less vacations this year due to the economy, but Swine flu scared a lot of Americans away. I was in Mexico last weekend actually and I saw a lot more Mexican guests at the hotel than Americans which I have never seen before. My flight was full, but I do know that Continental axed a bunch of other flights so those people ended up on my plane.
Airlines have greatly reduced service to Mexico this year. Not only are people taking a lot less vacations this year due to the economy, but Swine flu scared a lot of Americans away. I was in Mexico last weekend actually and I saw a lot more Mexican guests at the hotel than Americans which I have never seen before. My flight was full, but I do know that Continental axed a bunch of other flights so those people ended up on my plane.
Posted by justthefaxx on 2009-07-17:
A direct flight is one that makes one stop then continues with the same flight number. Don't confuse them with a nonstop flight.
Posted by DisputeTheCharges on 2009-07-18:
They offered to give you your money back what more do you want? There is nothing wrong with a stop or a connection it isn't going to kill you.
Posted by mickey1958 on 2009-07-18:
Readers understand I have no problem with the added stop. The problem is that the flight is leaving 7 hours earlier and I will miss the wedding. My only option is to stay another night and rebook a flight with another airline which will cost a significant amount of money.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2009-07-18:
When flying, mainly when the arrival and departure dates are several days apart, it always wise to give yourself a days cushion on either end.
Posted by Ben There on 2009-07-18:
With all the schedule changes going on this year, this could have happened if you were booked on any airline. It is always a risk booking a flight on the same day as a big event. Not only do you risk the chance of a schedule change on the airline side of things, but something can always happen to the event causing you to miss the flight... if this is an outside wedding like most are in Cancun, a morning thunderstorm could delay the ceremony a couple hours causing you to skip it to catch your flight anyway. Padding your dates is always a good idea.
Posted by Ben There on 2009-07-18:
By the way, the DOT will do nothing with your complaint besides add your complaint to the database of airline complaints... At the end of the quarter, they will release a report saying XXX many people filed complaints against airlines. They don't take action against a carrier, nor do they help you get free tickets.
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