Wizzair website problems results in you bidding against yourself when changing flights with WizzFlex

WizzAirCustomer

Hi Forum Members,

I tried to submit a complaint with Wizzair yet their 2000 character limit does not really allow me to put the complaint in without dumbing it down - something they probably want me to do.

So my second message is the text of my complaint and I will post a link to it in my complaint to them within their 2000 character limit.

WizzAirCustomer

To Wizzair – as your site allows me to submit complaints that are below 2000 character please find my complaint below, link to this page was transmitted to you within the 2000 character complaints limit on your site.

Dear Sirs,

When I purchased my tickets I paid a very significant premium for Wizz Plus that in particular allows changes to the dates of flight to be made. While in some cases fare differences would have to be paid when changing flights it is understood that it is implied term of the contract that any such fare differences are to be calculated in a reasonable and fair manner – otherwise Wizz Flex would be just a fraud.

I was due to fly back from Larnaca on 20th of September 2018 and in the early afternoon I logged on your website with a view of changing the flight to a later date. Your site quoted a price of GBP39 per person to change to 26th of September which I found acceptable. This would mean a payment of GBP117 as three people would be travelling. I quickly proceeded to book the changes and upon supplying credit card details a “Payment Failed” message was received. Over the following hours I tried the procedure tens of times, always culminating in the same message and as I kept doing that the price skyrocketed.

I phoned your helpline several times. On one occasion I was advised to check with my bank even though I used several different cards that I knew were OK. On another occasion I was told that actually there were no attempts to even collect my money from my card and was advised to clear browsing history. I cleared the browsing history and I even tried different browsers and even different computers with the same result. Having wasted several hours to the extent that there was no time to actually pack my bags for the flight I eventually had to change flight via a call centre at overly inflated price of almost GBP300. When making all these booking it did come to my attention that if on one attempt I would select seat, say, 32F than on several subsequent attempts it would not be available which did seem strange. When I questioned your staff about the situation over the telephone I was told this is so because lots of people are booking the same flight due to promotion in place. Given that I made probably 30 attempts it would be surprising if each one of those attempts was frustrated because yet another ticket for the same flight was sold during the few minutes it takes to complete an attempt.

Having changed the flight on the phone and having paid through the nose for it, it came to selecting the seats online. Now there was no payment involved as it was included in the price I already had paid. Yet essentially the same story recurred: I would select some seats then allocation would fail but on next attempt those seats just would not be available. I again tried several browsers and several computers, including my super-secure and definitely virus-free work computer. None of the attempts allowed me to select the seats. I eventually had to select seats over the phone.

Therefore the following is apparent to me:
1. There was a major problem with your systems that a) prevented me from changing the flight online b) prevented me from selecting seats.
2. Even worse the problem was not only not allowing me to perform the actions but also failed attempts would result in tickets/seats being, at least temporarily, removed out of circulation resulting in price hikes. Effectively, in auction language, due to failures of your systems I ended up bidding against myself resulting in huge spiralling of price.
3. As the result of problems with your systems I had to pay just under GBP300 instead of GBP117 to change a flight.
4. As the result of problems with your systems I wasted many hours of very expensive holiday time that I should have spent relaxing on the beach rather than suffering from your systems. Even if this time were to amount to half a day the cost of that time would be in the region of GBP300.

I therefore request that you refund (by cheque or to the credit card) the excess between the price I actually paid to change flight and the price of GBP 117 that I should have paid. I also request a payment to cover half a day’s loss of enjoyment on what was a very expensive holiday. Please treat this as a Letter Before Action within Civil Procedure Rules as I reserve the right to issue a Country Court Claim without further correspondence should you fail to adequately settle the matter.

budgetflyer

Wizz air aren't going to read it here. Write them a proper letter.

jpsartre

WizzAirCustomer wrote: »

When making all these booking it did come to my attention that if on one attempt I would select seat, say, 32F than on several subsequent attempts it would not be available which did seem strange.

It's not strange, the system will hold your seat selection for a limited time. The same happens on other airlines. It is highly unlikely that this in itself would have pushed up the price. I'm pretty baffled why you would try to change online 30 times rather than simply call to make the change.

heatherw_01

If you want Wizzair to read that you need to contact them directly

WizzAirCustomer

budgetflyer wrote: »

Wizz air aren't going to read it here. Write them a proper letter.

heatherw_01 wrote: »

If you want Wizzair to read that you need to contact them directly

On the website they provide only one option for making a complaint - using their online form that has 2000 character limit which means I would have to dumb down my complaint that would suit them and not me.

I did raise a complaint on their site and explained as I can not fit it into 2000 characters they are to follow a link to this site. If they choose not to - well it is their choice. Next stage is Ombudsmen, then, if required, Country Court.

WizzAirCustomer

jpsartre wrote: »

It's not strange, the system will hold your seat selection for a limited time. The same happens on other airlines. It is highly unlikely that this in itself would have pushed up the price.

I will not enter into argument about this but I have reasons to believe that this is exactly what has pushed the price up. If it goes to court hearing Wizzair will have to provide an explanation.

jpsartre wrote: »

I'm pretty baffled why you would try to change online 30 times rather than simply call to make the change.

Because:
1. You are really supposed to do it online nowadays, that is the whole concept.
2. There is an additional charge for doing over the phone.
3. It is pain in the **** to do it over the phone if you want to select he seats as I always do. Online, at least when it works, you see a layout of the plane, which seats are available,where exactly they are etc., etc.
4. If it works properly, it is more reliable online - no chance of being misheard or misunderstood and ending up with the wrong booking.
5. If it works, it is a lot quicker. Like yesterday I was in a queue on their line for six minutes than the line went dead. If it works properly can be done under 5 minutes on website.

And it was not a case of trying 30 times online non-stop. There were phone calls in between with various stupid advice dispensed by Wizzair staff like checking with my bank, or like clearing browsing history that I followed in the hope that it would resolve the problem. Then I tried different browsers and even computers.

Caz3121

WizzAirCustomer wrote: »

I therefore request that you refund (by cheque or to the credit card) the excess between the price I actually paid to change flight and the price of GBP 117 that I should have paid. I also request a payment to cover half a day’s loss of enjoyment on what was a very expensive holiday. Please treat this as a Letter Before Action within Civil Procedure Rules as I reserve the right to issue a Country Court Claim without further correspondence should you fail to adequately settle the matter.

you may struggle with that...their website t&cs state
5. Limitation of liability
Wizz Air will not be liable for any direct, indirect, special, punitive or consequential losses or damages of whatsoever kind arising from the use of this website or any information contained on
it.
6. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms and Conditions and Your use of this website and any dispute or claim arising from or in association with such matters shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of Hungary and You agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Hungarian courts.

WizzAirCustomer

Caz3121 wrote: »

you may struggle with that...their website t&cs state
5. Limitation of liability
Wizz Air will not be liable for any direct, indirect, special, punitive or consequential losses or damages of whatsoever kind arising from the use of this website or any information contained on
it.
6. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms and Conditions and Your use of this website and any dispute or claim arising from or in association with such matters shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of Hungary and You agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Hungarian courts.

5. Unfair terms in consumer contracts. They sell WizzFlex. They strongly encourage you to use the website by charging extra for callcentre actions. There website has a fault and they actually benefit from that fault that does not allow me to use Wizz Plus in a reasonable manner. Doubt that they would be protected by that term.

In fact it is so generally drafted that it might well be struck out by courts even in a case where it would not be unreasonable for it to apply.

There are also restitutionary principles involved (unjust enrichment) though those are more complex to argue as restitution is a very complex area of law.

6. Yes was put off by that when they unreasonably denied delayed flight compensation years ago- obviously no point in even trying to argue a case in Kangooro court.... Except they have been sued successfully in UK Courts as quick search on Google shows. So County Court it is if they and the second line of defence - the Ombudsman - are unreasonable.

powerful_Rogue

Posting on a forum and sending them the link is not a Letter Before Action.


Do you have proof you attempted this 30 times? Screenshots of the £117 price?
A court will ask why you did not phone to book as soon as you became aware of the error.

bradders1983

WizzAirCustomer wrote: »

On the website they provide only one option for making a complaint - using their online form that has 2000 character limit which means I would have to dumb down my complaint that would suit them and not me.

I did raise a complaint on their site and explained as I can not fit it into 2000 characters they are to follow a link to this site. If they choose not to - well it is their choice. Next stage is Ombudsmen, then, if required, Country Court.

Im sorry but no court in the land is going to accept this as a reasonable way of dealing with the issue before taking it to the courts.

Maybe type out a letter and mail it to them recorded post? :j