On the Road Again!

Finally arrived. Less the £75 cancellation fee. If it had been me cancelling because I didn't want to go, all very fair. But it's a ripoff when it was forced and the airline cancelled on me. Travel-Up have seen the last of my money.

Dare to dream? "Please note that your refund in the queue now and you shall receive your funds in account with in next 02 weeks. Once again apologies for delay as the number of refunds and cancellation are very high therefore it is taking longer than expected." Two weeks eh?

Another month comes along and still waiting for any idea of a refund. Even the charge back claim with MasterCard seems to have got nowhere. (It's just a case of copy and paste each month!!)

Another month comes along and still waiting for any idea of a refund. Even the charge back claim with MasterCard seems to have got nowhere.

Still sweet fanny adams from Travel-Up except for their monthly (or so) email in tiny print to blame everyone except themselves for the long waits for customers to get a refund or even a credit note/voucher. The latter could have been sorted quickly and they would still have all the money and commission in their bank account ... So a friend suggested that I apply to my bank for a chargeback. It worked for her with Barclaycard.  I checked on the Tesco MasterCard site and found the form. All details entered today and submitted. Fingers crossed.  It took about 15 minutes to complete so hopefully something will come from it. I'll not get my hopes up until I see it credited into my account.

Another month has passed.  Another month with no refund from TravelUp. What we have had is slightly different bullshit email. Instead of telling us how hard they are working, as they usually do. They have now a bright idea where we can write to our MP to get the Government involved. Looks like we are no nearer getting our money back. It's only £332!.  Never deal with this thieving bunch of shits.

Still nothing from Travel-Up. On the MSE consumer website they are lists as being the 66th "best" performer when it comes to refunding to clients that had to cancel because of Covid-19.  Out of 70 that's pretty damning. https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/07/latest-travel-survey/

At last. Another refund has arrived in my MasterCard account.  This time it's Cartrawler with the refund on the car-hire. All that remains is for Travel-Up to refund the air-tickets and we'll be done and dusted. Who knows when that will happen.  Every few weeks we get the same bullshit email from them telling us how hard they are working.  Not bloody hard enough. The lesson I have learned from this is that when I look for flights, Travel-Up will not get a look in.  Despite being a regular customer with them, you still get treated like shit.

When my MasterCard statement for 13th May finally arrived it showed that one of the refunds had come through! Although dated 13th, it is always at least the 20th before it arrives on the doormat. This one for the car excess insurance with AXA through Cartrawler.  Still waiting for other refunds.to arrive and hopefully we'll see if either have made it.   I don't hold out much hope for seeing the airfare from Travel-Up as they constantly email every few weeks to say how stressed they are and how they have employed more staff.  I expect that last bit is to cover their arses for the cancellation fee that they have said they will charge. I know they have a lot of clients but it's getting on for three months that all our money has been in their bank account accruing interest.... So we wait.

Another month has slipped by almost unnoticed. Another month of the lockdown that means that we only get to go out once a day for up to an hour of exercise or taking the dog for his walk. Another month of working from home. Another month queuing outside supermarkets or arranging (when you can) for them to deliver to the door. Another month of no refunds from Travel-Up and CarTrawler?  I expect the last point will also become a statement of fact rather than a question. Despite CarTrawler emailing weeks ago to say that both refunds had been made, this week they emailed to say "by 31st May"...... Travel-Up email every week or so to say that they are overworked and will do it as soon as possible.  Their phones are constantly engaged. It does mean that once all this is over and the world of travel is back to normal there are two companies I might ignore when I am looking to book airfares and car-hire?   Anyone guess which two?