Stansted airport lounge refund refused

Ms_Brush

In common with so many others, our holiday to Turkey was cancelled hours before we were due to leave because Turkey was taken off the safe list by the government.  We have been refunded everything, with the exception of the lounge at Stansted. They are refusing to refund the £54 because we didnt give 24 hours notice - which we didnt get when we were notified by Jet2 that the trip was off! Their T&Cs say that they wont refund if cancelled within a 24 hour period. Fair enough under normal circumstances, but this was totally outside of our control and there was no way we could go as we were no longer travelling. My charge back attempt has not been successful, nor has a complaint got me anywhere. I havent yet initiated a claim on the travel insurance,  but where do i stand  on this? Having to pay for a service that i couldn't taje up through no fault of ours seems totally unreasonable under the circumstances. Its not even the money, its the principle of the high handedness and awful customer service under the circumstances that has annoyed me.

rosiesposies

This is for insurance to deal with with. 

Westin

I can understand why you think this is unfair but please also keep in mind the situation was also not the fault or the airport lounge company, or Jet2, or the Turkish hotel, or the Turkish transfer company...all who have lost revenue.

There will be sadly financial losers in some situations.  Not all costs in all cases may be fully refunded.  It would perhaps have been nice if the airport lounge operate made a gesture and refunded you but as they won’t and if within their t&c’s then this might be a loss for you.  

Have you looked for a compromise with them and see if they will offer you a credit or two lounge passes for the future? Might however be too late for this as your attempt at a chargeback may have soured their position on goodwill.

As the poster above mentions, this would be a travel insurance case really. However you may find is that your policy excess wipes out any real meaningful recovery of the amount being claimed.

silvercar

Book a fully cancelable flight to anywhere from Stansted. Go to the airport, enjoy your time in the lounge. Just before check in time closes, generally an hour before the flight, cancel the air ticket for a full refund. Tell the lounge staff that you’ve cancelled your flight and they can arrange for you to be escorted from the airside of the airport. 

  

bagand96

Ms_Brush said:

 Having to pay for a service that i couldn't taje up through no fault of ours seems totally unreasonable under the circumstances. Its not even the money, its the principle of the high handedness and awful customer service under the circumstances that has annoyed me.

Turn it round, having to refund for a service through no fault of their own might seem totally unreasonable for the lounge. 

I do understand your frustration, but if those are the T&C's then they're entitled to apply them. Your travel insurance may cover you but it depends what the excess is.

You may just have to chalk it up to experience. It's an unprecedented situation and everyone is hemaegoring cash, the airport, airline, hotel etc. There are circumstances where consumers will be likely to lose out to. At least it's a relatively small loss in the great scheme of things. 

mattyprice4004

Seems fair enough, the service was there for you to use and it’s not their fault you didn’t turn up. 

24 hours notice seems very fair, this is a job for your insurance company. 

cymruchris

Do you have any form of travel insurance cover? As others have said - it’s at times like this when you need it. If at the time of booking you didn’t consider a potential need to make a claim, and hence didn’t buy a policy, then it’s the risk you take. Those that opt to pay for insurance will have more success in claiming back a greater number of expenses when something like this happens. 

Mrsn

Though please note for £54 you might find the travel insurance if you have it will likely have excesses and it won’t cover the amount anyway.

Ms_Brush

Thanks everyone, that is what i thought. We are fully insured, but i haven't been in touch with them yet, so a job for today.. I was trying the diplomatic route and got nowhere, as all i got were  borderline rude responses from the company,  before i initiated the chargeback claim at their suggestion! With hindsight i should  have expected this as MAG have a poor local reputation. They probably knew that it wouldn't be successful. 
Travel insurance it is, and next time we fly it will be from another airport!  

Ganga

Ms_Brush said:

Thanks everyone, that is what i thought. We are fully insured, but i haven't been in touch with them yet, so a job for today.. I was trying the diplomatic route and got nowhere, as all i got were  borderline rude responses from the company,  before i initiated the chargeback claim at their suggestion! With hindsight i should  have expected this as MAG have a poor local reputation. They probably knew that it wouldn't be successful. 
Travel insurance it is, and next time we fly it will be from another airport!  

And will not the other airport have a lounge with similar terms and conditions ? as others have told you it is not the lounge,s fault you could not use it and as you have got all your travel costs back put this down to one of those things.

bradders1983

All "normal" lounges that arent tied to an airline will have identical terms and conditions, OP. Travelling an extra 100 miles to prove a point is.....well, pointless. As an aside the nearest airport to Stansted that Jet2 use will either be EMA or BHX, i guess neither are round the corner from you, add to that a flight from another airport might cost you more....well you get the idea.

For the sake of £54 a travel insurance claim is also pointless so dont waste the time of sitting in a phone queue.