Very unhappy with the chain of events that happened on a recent American Airlines flight and vacation to Cabo. Our trip was scheduled to leave American Airlines at 8:40 am on July 6, 2015. We arrived and parked at 7:27 am in short term parking. Photo of ticket and time parked available upon request. We went to the inside American Airlines to check in at the kiosk.
According to travel impressions we were a no call no show. That's not the case. We were at the check in kiosk at 7:36 am. Upon submitting info for check in I received a printed message that said I was unable to check my luggage. I normally do not trust most airlines because of complaints.
I went to the counter to find out why and asked what my options were. I was told by an AA representative that and by an airline attendant we could not check our luggage as it needed to be checked 1 hour before the flight. I said it is, our flight is not until 8:40. She said not to worry and to go to the next counter and they could check us in on the next flight with our luggage at 10:10.
We went to the next counter and after waiting in line we spoke to an American Airlines rep named Denise who advised us that she could not get us on the next flight. She advised we would need to call our travel agent and have her change our ticket. We contacted our travel agent Katherine Redden at 8:05 but since she was not in until 9am so we called travel impressions directly. {Call logs available upon request}. We spoke to Gail in customer care at 866 313-3684 Travel Impressions.
She contacted the airlines and informed us she would try and get us on the next flight at 10:10 am. Gail advised that they were talking to another department who was getting the ticket updated with the airlines for the next flight. What a sense of relief. After over and hour on the phone with Travel Impressions on hold,I called on a second phone and spoke to a rep in customer care. She advised that Denise was working on getting our ticket updated and not to worry.
She advised me to hang up the line with her and Denise would return shortly with our new flight info. When I went to the counter to explain what was going on to the AA rep we were told by American Airlines rep Denise that the we had now missed the check in time for the 10 flight and would not be able to check our luggage.
I asked to speak to a supervisor ans talked to Iris. She advised that Travel Impressions could change the ticket to to 12:30 or we could pay the American Airlines $200+ change fee and she could update the ticket. She said they would try to get us on the 12:30 which was the last flight.
We agreed, Iris American Airlines supervisor then informed us that the system was not allowing her to make that change on her end and that the travel agency had removed the ticket entirely. After more time on hold Gail (travel impressions) came back and said it could not be done. She said we would have to purchase new round trip tickets at the public rate. She then cancelled our entire ticket . Including the return ticket. (Not sure why, nor where we informed of this prior).
I called my travel agent at AAA and together we called Travel Impressions customer care and asked for Gail to find out why the return ticket had been cancelled. I was told she was at lunch and not available. I then spoke to Candice at Travel Impressions who after over another hour on the phone advised us she was trying to get our ticket adjusted to get on the last flight.
Even though she was able to locate the return ticket we still had to purchase another round trip public fare for the next flight. This made no sense to me. Here lies my issue. We had to pay for a flight home for the exact same flight we had ready paid for. The alternative was to lose the vacation in its entirety. Why are we having to pay for another return flight home when the original one could have still been used as long as we got there?
With hindsight and per the Airline manager Irene, she advised that we could have exchanged our luggage for a carry on bag and still had more than enough time to make our original flight at 8:40. This was never presented as an option in the first scenario.
Nor was having the luggage sent on the next flight. This would have been a far cheaper option than two full round trip tickets. Having to pay $800+ for two round trip tickets was an unexpected and stressful experience. Especially after having been misinformed by both American Airlines and Travel Impressions, time and time again.
Upon arriving in Cabo at our hotel, we purchased a massage session at Secrets. Instead of charging $30 I was charged $300. After paying $1000 for unexpected tickets and charges I had no money to enjoy my trip for excursions or sightseeing. I remained at the hotel the entire time. This was a miserable experience. (The money for the massage was credited after I returned to the states).
To add insult to injury, upon our return flight home at American Airlines in Cabo we were informed by American Airlines agent Javier Zacarias that we had double reservations on our return flight home (YHKLEG and QMTKNZ}, which confirms that the return flight home had never been cancelled as we were informed, so we were charged for the exact return flight that we had already paid for. {Same date, same time, same airline) {Receipt available upon request}Here lies my issue. We had to pay for a flight home for the exact same flight we had ready paid for.
The alternative was to lose the vacation in its entirety. Why are we having to pay for another return flight home when the original one could have still been used as long as we got there? With hindsight we could have exchanged our luggage for a carry on bag and still had more than enough time to make our original flight. This was never presented as an option. Nor was having the luggage sent on the next flight. This would have been a far cheaper option that two full round trip tickets.
I am requesting a reimbursement of the round trip tickets that were paid. I am a frequent traveler of both American Airlines and Travel Impressions but this has left such a negative experience for me. Due to the misinformation that was received I am reaching out to you to have this rectified first.
