Pensioners Stranded in New Zealand by Booking.com

HateBookingCom

We need some advice as to the best way to claim against the ignorant behemoth that is Booking.com.

In Jun 2023 we made the mistake of booking flights to New Zealand with Booking.com, in order to celebrate our retirement.

The flights booked were Premium Economy seats from Heathrow to Auckland via San Francisco.  The booking was on a Virgin Atlantic ticket, flying with them to San Francisco, then onward to Auckland on a codeshare ticket with Air New Zealand.  With corresponding return flights.

We flew to San Francisco without a problem.  But, when trying to check in to the Air New Zealand flight we were told that there was no reservation for us on that flight, despite have "valid" tickets and having booked our baggage through to Auckland.  After much discussion between ANZ & VA reps we were given Economy seats on the flight.

While on our holiday/cruise we had multiple interactions with various Booking.com "help" chats trying to sort out the situation, and to ensure that we had a return flight booked.
Along the way we learned that our SFO-AKL-SFO flights had been cancelled back in Aug 2023!

After finally getting confirmation from ANZ that we did not have a booking on our return flight to SFO.  The Booking.com rep told us that they would be in touch to discuss rebooking or refund options.  Needless to say, that didn't happen!

We were effectively left stranded in New Zealand. Luckily we were able to purchase seats on the flight we should have been on directly with ANZ.

We are trying to recover from Booking.com the cost of this replacement flight and also compensation for the loss of the Premium Economy seats on the outbound flight.

Booking.com have been obstructive to say the least.
It took them a month to acknowledge our complaint, only reacting after we contacted the VP of Consumer Relations.
For the last two months all we get from them is a comment that they are waiting for information from Virgin Atlantic.
They are also hinting that we do not have a claim against them, but rather against their partners (subsidiary) GotoGate.
The bottom line is that we purchased a service from Booking.com that they did not deliver.

Has anyone succeeded with a compensation claim against them?

Does anyone have any advice as to how to pursue them?

Thanks

elsien

When was the flight and how did you pay? 
I don't think you would be eligible for S75 credit card protection because booking.com are a third party agent so you have not bought directly from them but you might be able to look at the chargeback process if still within the timescales?
Debit & credit card chargeback: protection on faulty goods - MSE (moneysavingexpert.com)

born_again

For a chargeback the flights that were cancelled would need to be priced separately, not sure if this happens with codeshare tickets.
Unless a invoice gives the breakdown. It would only cover the cancelled flights. But would ideally need to be paid direct to airline, which quite often happens with the likes of booking.com

Could this also be something that might fall under travel ins. @DullGreyGuy ?

HateBookingCom

Thanks for that response.
The flights were bought in June 2023.
The outbound flight was Feb 2024 & return was Mar 2024.
The payment was made on a debit card.

born_again

HateBookingCom said:

Thanks for that response.
The flights were bought in June 2023.
The outbound flight was Feb 2024 & return was Mar 2024.
The payment was made on a debit card.

So still within the 540 days max for chargebacks. Don't let front line fob you off with it's only 120 days...

Aylesbury_Duck

Have you checked that you received absolutely no notification of the cancelled flights from SFO to AKL and back again?  And that you didn't receive a refund to your card when the cancellation happened?

DullGreyGuy

HateBookingCom said:

Thanks for that response.
The flights were bought in June 2023.
The outbound flight was Feb 2024 & return was Mar 2024.
The payment was made on a debit card.

Did you buy just flights from them rather than flights + hotel at the same time to make it a package holiday? I'm guessing you didnt as packages are done via LastMinute.com and just cobranded to booking.com

I'm slightly confused about the statement that the SFO-AKL flight was cancelled in Aug 23 but then you managed to buy tickets on it in Feb/Mar 24? Was the fight reinstated? Do you mean your tickets were cancelled in Aug rather than the flight? What's the reasoning been given?

An issue with a booking agent is not typically covered by travel insurance, to answer Born_Again's suggestion but would want to know what went on with the cancellation really. 

Booking.com are just a front on flights for other sellers, just less openly than they are with packages. Their T&Cs advise they are not a contracting party to sales of flights and if you look near the bottom of the sales page it will state your are bound by the terms of the seller (Gotogate International AB in your case) and the terms of carriage of the two airlines involved. 

Ultimately you need to register the complaint with the company you actually bought from which is Go To Gate.

I personally would never buy flights only from any of these types of places, either buy direct from the airline or through a highly competent travel agent. 

caprikid1

Out of interest what is the total you paid for the flights and how much in total are you seeking from them ?

HateBookingCom

Thanks everybody.
The "cancelation" was a comment on a Booking.com help chat while we were trying to sort this mess out while in New Zealand.  The flight wasn't cancelled, but our reservations were.
We didn't receive any formal notification about alterations to our Air New Zealand codeshare flights.
The first we new of it was when we tried to check in at SFO

Aylesbury_Duck

HateBookingCom said:

Thanks everybody.
The "cancelation" was a comment on a Booking.com help chat while we were trying to sort this mess out while in New Zealand.  The flight wasn't cancelled, but our reservations were.
We didn't receive any formal notification about alterations to our Air New Zealand codeshare flights.
The first we new of it was when we tried to check in at SFO

What about payment?  Were you ever refunded the cost of the reservations?  Have you checked your bank statement from that time?

elsien

Aylesbury_Duck said:

HateBookingCom said:

Thanks everybody.
The "cancelation" was a comment on a Booking.com help chat while we were trying to sort this mess out while in New Zealand.  The flight wasn't cancelled, but our reservations were.
We didn't receive any formal notification about alterations to our Air New Zealand codeshare flights.
The first we new of it was when we tried to check in at SFO

What about payment?  Were you ever refunded the cost of the reservations?  Have you checked your bank statement from that time?

This -  because you won't get reimbursement of the flights you were bumped off (do you have any explanation as to why this happened) plus the full cost of the new flight.
What was the difference in price between the two?