HSBC Chargeback - No Answer

Picard91

Hi All,

I filed a dispute with HSBC for near £800 regarding my Etihad flights on April 25th (full details below). Apart from the confirmation i have had no further acknowledgment or update, I have tried to call for hours and hours only to be cut off. Most recently I tried their 'chat with us service'. The Customer service representative apologized and said I would receive a call within 48 hours. Well 72 hours have passed, I sent another message only for another advisor to tell me they cannot pass the request on for anyone to call me and I need to call myself. I asked why I was told I would be called and their response was they do not know .

A friend filed a similar chargeback with HSBC 10 days later and got a outcome and refund 2 weeks ago? Losing the will to live just trying to get an update.

Does anyone have any advice or how I can take things further? I dont think it is unreasonable?

Etihad Flight Details

I paid £800 for Etihad to exchange 2 flight tickets (by a day) on a journey in Australia. They exchanged the tickets for the outbound flight successfully but did not for an internal flight. We checked into the flight as normal only to be told at the gate the tickets were not exchanged and could not board. I have email confirmations of all flight tickets on the exchange and also a screenshot from the Airport Computer saying my flight ticket was cancelled. All Etihad say was it was exchanged and it was a mistake at the airport. They refused to give us another ticket or flight unless we paid extra money. Luckily a virgin Atlantic representative took pitty on me and the Mrs. and gave us two complimentary tickets as she could see we were tearing our hair out with something that just did not make sense.

jonesMUFCforever

Excuse me if I am being thick - but reading your last paragraph - you got a flight without paying Virgin - so why do you think you are owed £800 from Etihad?
What would the Virgin flight have costed you if they had made you pay?

born_again

You need to speak to the disputes team, as this is not a simple chargeback. Far to many uncertainties in that last paragraph to be able to make any judgement.

Picard91

jonesMUFCforever said:

Excuse me if I am being thick - but reading your last paragraph - you got a flight without paying Virgin - so why do you think you are owed £800 from Etihad?
What would the Virgin flight have costed you if they had made you pay?

Because Etihad failed to exchange the tickets and we were stranded in the airport for 8 hours while they refused to put us on another flight. It was a random act of kindness from a lady at Virgin Atlantic who managed to get us on a flight. It had nothing to do with Etihad, why should I pay £800 to Etihad when they failed to deliver what I paid for?

Picard91

born_again said:

You need to speak to the disputes team, as this is not a simple chargeback. Far to many uncertainties in that last paragraph to be able to make any judgement.

Thank you Any idea how I can do this? As i mentioned in my first message I have been cut off on hold more than ten times and then on HSBC's live chat service I was told I would be called within 48 hours only to then be told then do not call anyone and was unsure why I was told this.

I have been trying to get in touch with them and have been unsucessful, the OP was asking if anyone knew any other ways?

born_again

There are no other ways.
It is just a case of keep trying I'm afraid.
Given how busy things are at the moment it's hard. 
Have you raised a complaint with the Airline?

fred246

Mine took ages. After 8 weeks I said I am going to the financial ombudsman because that is their time limit for a response. The credit card company said "OK do that if you want". So I filed a complaint with the ombudsman. I got a full refund a couple of weeks later. No idea if the ombudsman made a difference.

born_again

fred246 said:

Mine took ages. After 8 weeks I said I am going to the financial ombudsman because that is their time limit for a response. The credit card company said "OK do that if you want". So I filed a complaint with the ombudsman. I got a full refund a couple of weeks later. No idea if the ombudsman made a difference.

8 weeks is the time limit for a complaint.
NOT a chargeback or S75 claim.

fred246

I complained.

Picard91

fred246 said:

Mine took ages. After 8 weeks I said I am going to the financial ombudsman because that is their time limit for a response. The credit card company said "OK do that if you want". So I filed a complaint with the ombudsman. I got a full refund a couple of weeks later. No idea if the ombudsman made a difference.

The thing is, I've waited 8 weeks, then 12, now it is nearly 16 weeks with no update from them. I really dont think I am asking too much, I have tried to get in contact again today and have spent nearly 4 hours trying to get through. It's just not acceptable. Each time it sounds like it will connect then cuts me off.

I hate to complain but I think that is the only logical next step.

gt94sss2

Did you pay by credit card? If so, a quick Google suggests the number to call is 0345 6039 952

What did the airline day when you asked them for a refund?