Gulf Air - eDreams.co.uk | Flights refund

ncmscnc

Hello,
I am new to all this. I have recently purchased a ticket to fly to India from Heathrow on the 9th of March and return on the 31st.
It looks like I might not be able to make it. _pale_
eDreams.co.uk is outright saying the ticket is non-refundable and Gulf Air is saying it up to eDreams.co.uk if they want to help me.
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The adviser at eDreams.co.uk is 100% sure the ticket is non-refundable and there is nothing they can do about it.
I am bit worried now. Is this always the case with long haul flights? It's £360!
It's a big amount during the normal times and it's more so during these difficult times (the reason why I am not travelling) :sad:
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Can anyone guide me on how to go about claiming a refund?
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I have paid the ticket to eDreams.co.uk through Paypal funded via Barclaycard credit card.
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:sad:

jpsartre

ncmscnc wrote: »

Is this always the case with long haul flights? It's £360!

If you buy the cheapest ticket they're usually non-refundable. I highly doubt that you'll be able to get anything back. EDreams are bound by the ticket T&C so it's incorrect (or at least misleading) to say that it's up to them whether to refund or not.

eDicky

If you were not totally sure of going on the trip it would have been better to be aware that you were buying a nonrefundable ticket, which at that price it almost certainly is. Only some tax may be refundable but eDreams will impose a fee for arranging it that more or less equals the refund.

It could be better to keep the booking intact, without cancelling, in the hope that either your financial situation unexpectedly improves enough to allow you to travel, or Gulf Air makes a flight change or cancellation that allows you cancel with a full refund.

Caz3121

£360 will be the most restricted ticket - the base fare of that is about £62 with the remainder made up of airline surcharges, government and airport taxes. GulfAir sell 4 types of economy ticket - for a refundable ticket you would be paying £1,500+
Third Party agents tend to advertise the cheapest fare and people that want to ensure they have the fare conditions they need tend to book direct with the airlines.
There may be some APD that you could claim but the airline charge $30 and eDreams £50 to process which wipes out any refund (APD £75)
Have you checked your travel insurance to see whether it covers the reason you might have to abandon the trip?

Voyager2002

It seems clear that the ticket is nonrefundable: even if it were not, getting anything out of eDreams is notoriously difficult. I suggest that you plan a very cheap holiday in India: costs there can be incredibly low (although it is of course possible to spend a lot of money having a good time). With a bit of planning and flexibility it is entirely possible to have a pleasant and interesting holiday there for about 10 pounds a day, which is unlikely to break the bank.

ncmscnc

Thank you everyone.
Just have been reading the Ticket Document line by line and it actually says
The tickets actually says the following information! :sad:

GENERAL INFORMATION

---

TOTAL COST FOR TICKETS: 357.80 GBP FEE INCLUDED
DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR IDENTITY CARD
OR VALID PASSPORT
LOW COST FARE
CANNOT BE CHANGED OR CANCELLED.YOU MUST CONFIRM YOUR

This ticket was booked well in advance on the 13th of Feb and were hoping to travel until yesterday. Unfortunately, due to a change in my work assignments yesterday, I won't able to go until at least 1st week of August.
.

• May I ask, Is this all the protection we have? Especially for low cost flight tickets?
• I mean from the first contact with eDreams.co.uk and Gulf Air, we have nearly a week to the travel date
• They can at least keep the ticket open for someone else to purchase it?
• They can at least keep the ticket open for someone else to purchase it?
• They can at least keep the ticket open for someone else to purchase it?
• May be a refund as a credit to use next time scenario could be negotiated?
• Section 75 charge back, would it be of any help?
• PayPal buyer protection?

I am one sorry mess. Sorry. :sad:

Caz3121

ncmscnc wrote: »

May I ask, Is this all the protection we have? Especially for low cost flight tickets?

if you may need to cancel, you would need either a refundable ticket or insurance to cover the reason (insurance does not generally cover a change of mind)
I mean from the first contact with eDreams.co.uk and Gulf Air, we have nearly a week to the travel date
not relevant. If you were cancelling 6 months out there would still be a non-refundable ticket
They can at least keep the ticket open for someone else to purchase it?
not relevant to the fare rules of the ticket
May be a refund as a credit to use next time scenario could be negotiated?
not relevant to the fare rules of the ticket
Section 75 charge back, would it be of any help?
Airline still has the seat available to you, the flight is still operating so no S75 claim
PayPal buyer protection?
Airline still has the seat available to you, the flight is still operating so no PayPal claim

unfortunately for you "CANNOT BE CHANGED OR CANCELLED" means what is says. The money is lost

ncmscnc

Thank you.
:embarasse:huh:

bagand96

If you have travel insurance then check to see if the reason you cannot travel might be covered (although you say work - so unlikely).

And for the future, as other posters have said, nearly all cheapest fares on all airlines will be non-refundable and non-changeable.

EveryWhere

We bought a ticket directly with Gulf Air for exactly the reason of being able to change the ticket, albeit at a price. There was possibly a £40 difference in buying via an agent and buying direct with Gulf Air.
The cheaper option ties you the T&C of the agent. Buying directly from Gulf Air ties you to their T&C.
So we have a ticket that we can change(£100) or refund(£200).
So even if you booked directly with Gulf Air, you would pay those penalties.
But eDreams will add their own set of fees in addition to what GA charges or simply not allow you to change or refund at all.
Caveat emptor!

budgetflyer

To be fair, Edreams price for someone who was actually going to do the trip would be around 15% cheaper than booking direct !

Since the new EU regs regarding CC fees they havent been able to stiff anyone with the Entropay versus normal payment CC method scam where they used to make their money on the unsuspecting/savvy

Im going to try them out on a GOA to MUMBAI booking. saving is about 15% = £3 per flight