Budgetair 'ticket service'

t0d

I bought a flight from Budgetair and noticed on the invoice there was something called ticket service.

This is a ticket insurance that comes up as a pop up and then after saying yes there isn't a way of getting rid of it and it becomes ticket service on the final ordering page. It doesn't say this is a ticket insurance at that point. I assumed it was some sort of processing fee.

After purchasing it I asked for the money back for the ticket service given I didn't want it and I thought it was mis selling. They've said there are no refunds for it.

Any thoughts?

Alan_Bowen

You chose to book with an overseas company which holds no ATOL licence and therefore gives no guarantee for your money. Ticket service according to their own website is £18, at least it was for the flights I just checked, London to San Diego via Seattle, with a 1hr 10-minute connection, so a perfect flight, or maybe not, and is protection against the failure of the airline. What they are charging £18 for, you can buy directly from the same company IPP for around £5 or even less through many UK based travel agents.

I hope you read the rest of what you agreed, the fare they offered had no luggage included at all, which for a long haul flight is probably not a good deal. There is no one to complain to, they operate out of Amsterdam, just keep your fingers crossed that the ticket is issued.

Voyager2002

There must always be a 'cooling off' period for insurance. Personally I would explore this with the Insurance Ombudsman.

Voyager2002

Alan_Bowen wrote: »

There is no one to complain to, they operate out of Amsterdam, just keep your fingers crossed that the ticket is issued.

FWIW I did once buy a ticket from this agent. It was indeed a hand-luggage only fare; was significantly cheaper than buying direct from the airline; and I had no problems.

EveryWhere

Alan_Bowen wrote: »

You chose to book with an overseas company which holds no ATOL licence and therefore gives no guarantee for your money. Ticket service according to their own website is £18, at least it was for the flights I just checked, London to San Diego via Seattle, with a 1hr 10-minute connection, so a perfect flight, or maybe not, and is protection against the failure of the airline. What they are charging £18 for, you can buy directly from the same company IPP for around £5 or even less through many UK based travel agents.

I hope you read the rest of what you agreed, the fare they offered had no luggage included at all, which for a long haul flight is probably not a good deal. There is no one to complain to, they operate out of Amsterdam, just keep your fingers crossed that the ticket is issued.

BudgetAir have always issued tickets purchased. They've been going for many years. Have obtained some extraordinary deals via them.
All with the normal luggage allowance. Not sure why it's being suggested that they sell hand luggage only fares exclusively. That's simply not true.
I would certainly use them again, under the right circumstances.

Westin

t0d wrote: »

I bought a flight from Budgetair and noticed on the invoice there was something called ticket service.

This is a ticket insurance that comes up as a pop up and then after saying yes there isn't a way of getting rid of it and it becomes ticket service on the final ordering page. It doesn't say this is a ticket insurance at that point. I assumed it was some sort of processing fee.

After purchasing it I asked for the money back for the ticket service given I didn't want it and I thought it was mis selling. They've said there are no refunds for it.

Any thoughts?

Their insurance product seems to be called AirHelp+ and is an optional extra.

Are you sure this ‘ticket services’ fee is not one of the extras added for their services. Three types offered but one must be selected, each offering different services and change options for purchases. The base or lowest one being the cheapest option to add on for their charge for acting on your behalf in making the reservation.

It is unlikely that they receive a commission on the sale from the airline, they also don’t mark up the ticket price as want to appear cheapest for people searching on price. They instead make their money by adding a charge as a booking service fee.

I’d suggest booking directly with the airline.

CKhalvashi

Voyager2002 wrote: »

FWIW I did once buy a ticket from this agent. It was indeed a hand-luggage only fare; was significantly cheaper than buying direct from the airline; and I had no problems.

Just to point out in addition that ticket only fares aren't ATOL protected in the UK.

If you have booked something with an EU company that is regulated you will still be protected through the Dutch equivalent of ATOL rather than the English one. Under EU rules, this will protect you in a similar way, so there won't be a loss of protection, just a slightly different process of regulation and claiming should anything go wrong.

The financial requirements in most EU countries are very similar, with the UK typically being slightly different due to a different currency.

EveryWhere

Westin wrote: »

Their insurance product seems to be called AirHelp+ and is an optional extra.

Are you sure this ‘ticket services’ fee is not one of the extras added for their services. Three types offered but one must be selected, each offering different services and change options for purchases. The base or lowest one being the cheapest option to add on for their charge for acting on your behalf in making the reservation.

It is unlikely that they receive a commission on the sale from the airline, they also don’t mark up the ticket price as want to appear cheapest for people searching on price. They instead make their money by adding a charge as a booking service fee.

I’d suggest booking directly with the airline.

Erm...no. I don't know from whence you got that, but it all seems totally made up.

What they chose was Ticket Service. Described thus

Over the last few years, a lot of airlines have come into financial difficulties. With this service you don't lose the money you have paid for your ticket(s). Refund the costs of your ticket(s) up to £ 2,000 per ticket (or up to the same amount in your local currency).

You can see it below the flight details;



Nothing to do with Booking Fees or the like. It is actually SAFI(scheduled airline failure insurance).

I declined their offer;



Clearly nothing to do with a "processing fee"



As you can see, no booking fees nor another other kind of fee.

When the airline made a change to it's schedules, I dealt with the airline direct, even though I booked with BudgetAir.

Usually I would book direct with the airline, but the price was very good. Something like £225 return to BKK over the then super peak Christmas and New Year period.


As for the OP;

This is a ticket insurance that comes up as a pop up and then after saying yes there isn't a way of getting rid of it and it becomes ticket service on the final ordering page. It doesn't say this is a ticket insurance at that point. I assumed it was some sort of processing fee.

Why would one choose to pay a processing fee?? Why not just say no? Ridiculous to choose Yes and then complain about it afterwards.
Why not just start the booking again and then choose no?
Ludicrous...