Airborn Direct - AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!

mikeyc77 · 11 February 2010 at 4:46PM

Some companies have no idea about good customer service. Last year I needed to book 4 flights from East Midlands to Geneva. Firstly I tried Easyjet. The prices were good but I was given a warning that Easyjet may be pulling all flights from East Midlands. I could complete the transaction and obtain a full refund if I changed my mind but I decided to play it safe and try another company.

A Google search revealed a few flights with Aiborn Direct, the price was still good so rather than book online I decided to call them and ask them to search for the best deal for me. The first guy I spoke to was called Danny. He was very friendly and helpful as most sales people are. We found some flights and the price was about £30 per person more than Easyjet. Before I paid I decided to ask Danny who we would be flying with just in case it was Easyjet. I was told, “Air UK”. Happy days! I reached for my wallet and made my first mistake of paying by debit card as there was a nasty charge with using a credit card.

I called an hour or so later as I wanted to get the ball rolling and organise transfers so needed flight details. Danny sent me an email and I immediately noticed that the flight numbers started, “EZ”. These are Easyjet numbers so I called straight back and explained the situation. Danny’s tone changed almost immediately when he realised I wanted to cancel and he told me there would be charges involved but he couldn’t help me, I needed to call customer services. After calling customer services and explaining that I wasn’t aware the flights were with Easyjet I was told I would get a call back the next day but it was likely that I would be charged a cancellation fee of £160!

The next morning I decided to call Airborn Direct rather than wait for them. A man answered the phone and explained that the customer services department didn’t open for another 30 minutes. I explained my problem and to my amazement he told me that the rest of their 2 million customers are perfectly happy so he didn’t know what my problem was!! Unfortunately I didn’t catch this man’s name.

Later on I spoke to someone who was more polite. Her name was Anna and after short conversation she put me on hold, talked to her boss and confirmed that I would receive a full refund. I asked for an email confirmation, which I received.

Two months later I received a refund of £250. This was £130 less that my original payment to Airborn. Once again I called customer services and repeated the same story once more. I was told that the £130 was a cancellation fee!! I asked to speak to Sam Irvine, the customer services manager and was told she was busy in a meeting. I called many times over the next 2 weeks and each time she was either out of the office or in a meeting. Every request for her to call me was ignored. At the end of my tether I decided to take legal action so I wrote a letter to their managing director and copied it to Mrs. Irvine.

My letter detailed two issues. Firstly, breach of contract as my original contract was agreed with a company called Air UK. The second was a misleading omission. Danny (the sales rep) neglected to mention Easyjet as he knew I would not purchase the flights had I known.

This did the trick. The next day I was contacted by Mrs. Irvine who asked me to wait 7 working days for her to investigate the claim.

7 working days pass and I receive no contact whatsoever, so I emailed once more to remind her that her time was up and legal action would follow. The next day my bank account was £130 richer but I received no email apology, no reply from the managing director and no phone calls.

This company are a disgrace and I urge all of you to avoid them at all costs.

Mr_Lahey · 11 February 2010 at 4:54PM

Air Uk :rotfl:

Link for website is here: http://www.airborn.co.uk/

In the end did Easyjet pull the flights you had feared?

mikeyc77 · 15 February 2010 at 4:15PM

Yep, they pulled the flights! It's at that point they agreed to refund my money but still wanted to keep £130 cancellation fee!!!

baloo · 23 February 2010 at 11:20AM

Mikey - I've had a very similar problem with Airborn. Mine was booked back in November of last year. My actual short break was to have been in early Jan of this year.
I'm STILL awaiting a refund (as promised) from Airborn. Totally ABYSMAL customer service!
I finally received a letter confirming that a refund is "being processed" yesterday. I wait with baited breath to see how much that refund will be - as a FULL one has been assured on the phone.
My biggest bug-bear is the fact that Airborn knowingly sold flights from an airport (East Mids) that they knew Easy Jet were no longer going to be operating from. I was told the same as you by the sales people - the flights aren't with Easy Jet.....LIES, LIES, LIES!
Of course, it's only when you get the confirmation - after you've paid - that you realise that you've been had.
So - watch this space for news on my refund!!!!

mikeyc77 · 23 February 2010 at 11:23AM

It was only after I threatened court action that I got my full refund. Neglecting to give you all information relating to the flight in order to complete a sale is known as a Misleading Ommission. This is illegal and should hold up in court. In addition, your contract is with whoever Airborn told you on the phone. If they gave another name other than Easyjet when you asked, then they are also in breach of contract.

Good luck and keep us posted!

shudd1967 · 27 April 2010 at 3:42PM

Does anyone have any direct email addresses to make complaints to? I have now sent 25 emails in the last week to the admin and sales team and only had 2 fobbed off responses " we are a bit busy right now" - yes I know there have been other issues but I have a complaint that i want sorted! :mad:

Also if anyone can find out names of Chief exec or managing directors! The link to my complaint is -

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2417393

mikeyc77 · 27 April 2010 at 4:25PM

You can try emailing Mrs. Sam Irvine : sam@airborn.co.uk who I think is in charge of customer services. The director I contacted is Mr Jeffery Fowler. I don't want to publish his address on here but I'm sure you can get hold of it through companies house.

It was when I threatened court action that I got a response. It seems these idiots only respond to threats.

antifreeze · 7 December 2010 at 4:30PM

I booked some flights with airborn. Before handing out my credit card details, I checked several times about extra charges, and was given a figure which included credit card fees. When I asked for an invoice a week later, I had payed around £60 more! Apparently I had to pay a "bonding fee" of £14/pp,for ATOL coverage!!! I think Adam briefly mentioned something about £14 somewhere along the line of taking the flight dates, but never mentioned it again when I asked about the final payment. I spent the whole day trying to get hold of him and was fobbed off with "he is on the phone and will call you back in 15 mins." he is at lunch etc. When I finally did speak to him to ask about the bonding fee (and he confirmed his name), he put me straight through to a colleague who denied that he was even working that day and he re-christened him and finally hung up on me when I asked ask why everyone had told me he was in. Needless to say the manager was not available, and I was told to write an email. I am now lying in anticipation of a reply.

Has anyone had the same problem. I am not sure which organisation I should approach to complain about them. What I did manage to get out of Adam! was that if you book online-and I cannot find this in the t&Cs, you are NOT ATOL protected!

Alan_Bowen · 7 December 2010 at 8:06PM

How you book should have nothing to do with whether you are ATOL protected or not. ATOL protection costs £2.50 per person and is payable if an agent cannot issue a valid ticket within 24 hours of you paying for your flights. Did they send you a valid eticket within 24 hours, if so then there probably isn't any ATOL protection, and no need for it since the airline will carry you. If not then you are protected but this sounds very strange, have you received an invoice which might explain the £14 pp fee? If not then you may want to contact the CAA who licence Airborn to sell tickets, the CAA advice line, with real humans, is 020 7453 6424

antifreeze · 8 December 2010 at 1:51PM

They sent me an itinerary the same same, at my request. i don't know whether this is the equivalent of an eticket. it has the passenger names at the top, and a worldspan reservation ID. Since receiving the invoice yesterday, which incidentally does not break down the total cost, as confirmed by the admin dept,i was told by them that it had something to do with ATOL. I was told by the agent that I was protected if the flight was cancelled and would be put on the next flight. I contacted ATOl, who told me the same about the £2.50 charge, but this is not payable by passengers under the age of 2, and I am travelling with an infant! The email invoice alone states a bonding charge of £14/pp, which I thought was odd.
Btw, thanks for your help. I have complained about this to airborn, and Sam said she would look into this. I am waiting with baited breath.

HoofeHearted · 8 December 2010 at 2:39PM

They sound like a right set of cowboys.

In hindsight, you should have looked at the Travel Agents & Tour Operators Reviews at HolidayWatchdog.

Airborn Direct - AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!

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