I just got screwed by Air Transat!

SwanSong

New member
Jan 19, 2002
22
0
0
Well, I read all of the posts on here about AIr Transat and thought "hmmm.. couldn't happen to me" Well it did!!
We are supposed to fly out of Pearson (in TO) next Monday at 6:00 am, direct flight arriving in Dr around 11:00am. We now leave at 8:00, have to change planes in Buffalo, clear US Customs and then fly on to DR. Arriving around 3:00. There goes half a day!
Coming home we were supposed to leave DR at 10:45pm, direct flight home. We now leave at 4:00pm in the afternoon and arrive god knows when in TO. There goes another half day!
I can't tell you how freaked I am right now!!!
I want compensation for the 2 half days I am missing!! As Deb said in another post the squeaky wheel gets the grease... I just have no idea what kind of compensation I should demand from them.
Have any of you had a similar experience that you were duly compensated for.
Do any of the travel agents out there have any idea of what I should be asking for?
BTW - there are 7 of us going on this trip - 4 flying in from out of town and connecting.
 

Latino2002

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
974
2
0
Air Transat

Swuanson , call Customer Care Department for Air Transat.
Tell me if you fly as a Charter or Schedulle flight???

There is a Big diference.
Charter you really are on you own...(for example flight cancellations, divertions, delay).

WHy they chages the Departure times, Delay or Schedulle changes ????


Good look and I hope next time you enjoy 200% you vacations.

sam
 

Latino2002

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
974
2
0
Air Transat

Swuanson , call Customer Care Department for Air Transat.
Tell me if you fly as a Charter or Schedulle flight???

There is a Big diference. (please read the contract on your ticket).
Charter you really are on you own...(for example flight cancellations, divertions, delay).

WHy they chages the Departure times, Delay or Schedulle changes ????


Good look and I hope next time you enjoy 200% you vacations.

sam
 

doug

Member
Jan 1, 2002
266
2
18
Sorry to say

But you'll find right on the ticket....schedule changes may happen, and they are in no way respnsible for them! For those asking ....it is a charter.
I've been there done that with Air Transat and went as far as writing the CEO and to no avail......they just say...."it's stated right on the ticket .....we are not responsible for changes in the schedule.....I think the fine print is something ridiculus ....like unless it changes by 72 hours or something!I booked with Sears one time and I needed a hotel on both ends of the flight because we left at 6.00AM and we live 3 hours from the Airport, and we returned at 11.45 pm and we did not want to drive 3 hours after a long day.....and sears picked up the hotel for one night, after a lot of "disscussions". Originally our flight back home would of landed us at 3.30 pm ...so we could of drove, but after arriving back in Cnanda at 11.45pm clearing customs and everything, we needed a room!
 

john harper

New member
Jan 1, 2002
57
0
0
I would have a hard time with this plane change and customs in buffalo,something sounds fishy here.
 

TSS

New member
Jan 27, 2002
16
0
0
Swansong

3 years ago 4 of us flew with Air Transat to Mexico, our flight was for 7:00 pm Feb. 13. To make a long story short through a series of misleading communications, no communication and a lot of frustration we finally left at 6:50 pm Feb. 14. We were then told on the plane that we could have free drinks and head phones on the flight and that more information would be forth coming on the return trip. On the return trip we were told we would each recieve a $100.00 voucher for our next trip with Air transat. When I got home I spent 2 months going after them and finally the voucher and $150.00 per person. It was alot of work but worth it. if you would like more info on this matter you may email me, there is just to much to put in here now.

Tom
 

vanessa

New member
Feb 6, 2002
14
0
0
Welcome to the wonderfull world of AIR TRANSAT! I've flown Air Transat a least a dozen times and have yet to have a pleasant experience. And guess what it's not going to get any better, with Canada 3000 gone, AT now has the monopoly on charters outta Canada. And To the best of my knowledge you can only take charters from canada to PUNTA CANA! Theire tickets prices have also went way up. My ticket from Montreal to PC last year in March was $570 (ish) and this year in March $890! And when I booked my ticket a week ago, we were leaving at 8:00pm and now were leaving at 9:30. There is always something with AT. But they do specified that schedules are subject to change, so I dont know what kind of re-course you can have.
Good Luck and try and have a great trip despite getting there!
 

SwanSong

New member
Jan 19, 2002
22
0
0
Because they are forcing us to go through the US and clearing customs there it is considered beyond the "normal expected charter delays".
My travel agent has asked the 6 of us that booked through her to write letters of complaint to AT. She will add them to letters written by both her and the manager of the agency and send it on to them.
They so know that they messed up and have potentially massive complaints on their hands.
So much so that AT is VOLUNTARILY offering $50/per person (cash - not voucher) compensation.
Not enough compensation for me....
 
AT

My neighbours leave by AT on sunday at 4:30 pm for Punta Cana, but beleive it or not when you look at the scheduled flights on the internet, theirs is 6:30 am on the At web page and their tickets say 4:30 pm, we are on the phone now, now this is one real **** up. These people are going to DR for 1st time on my recommendation (not AT) and they have a sour taste in their mouth already.
Print em one way and post them another.

and Swansong: $50 is not nearly enough, threaten them with a law suit, get a lawyer (Friend if you have one) you know to fax them a letter on letterhead and watch their offer go up.

I had no hot water for 2 days with another company and they gave us $400 per person in form of cashiers cheque(no voucher) and I will continue to use them, because they care.
 

Latino2002

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
974
2
0
Air transat

i HOPE YOU GUYS GET A REGULAR AIRLINE SCHEDULLE FORM CANADA TO RD.

Henry do you have any info about AirTransat

sam
 

Art Covey

New member
Jan 2, 2002
57
0
0
AT not ALL bad

Flew AT Jan 16 TS228 Calgary to POP and Jan 30 TS229 POP back to Calgary. Both flights a little ahead of schedule, no flight problems BUT did get food poisioning on return flight.
Art
 

Transat

New member
Jan 1, 2002
318
0
0
HI Hlywud
i look at the ts web page and your friend filght is on time departure time from toronto sched. to depart at 16:30
tell your friend to look for departure airport TORONTO and destination PUNTA CANA and their will find the flight i dont know where they saw that their flight leave at 6:30 am? they may not saw the 1 in front of the 6 i dont know
but tell them to go back to the web page and have a look to the departure and arrivals.
hope they will have a great time in PUJhttp://www.airtransat.com/en/5_2.asp
take care.

Results



Toronto , Canada /Buffallo , Usa
Monday, February 11, 2002

Flight #
Departure
Arrival
Duration

TS520
08:00
08:50
00:50





Buffallo , Usa /Punta Cana , Dominican Republic
Monday, February 11, 2002

Flight #
Departure
Arrival
Duration

TS520
10:05
15:05
04:00





Toronto , Canada /Punta Cana , Dominican Republic
Sunday, February 10, 2002

Flight #
Departure
Arrival
Duration

TS574
16:30
21:30
04:00





Toronto , Canada /Punta Cana , Dominican Republic
Saturday, February 9, 2002

Flight #
Departure
Arrival
Duration

TS622
16:10
21:05
03:55





Last update: Saturday, February 9, 2002. Time: 19:45:49
 

Malibook

Bronze
Jan 23, 2002
1,951
167
0
www.yourtraveltickets.com
I had a bad experience with AT last year going to Puerto Vallarta.
Our 2PM flight was delayed 12 hours.
Our return flight was delayed from 6PM to 9AM which is okay had we known about it. Also, in the morning, there was no bus as promised so we scrambled to get a cab and rushed to the airport only to find out that the flight is delayed 6 hours. They should have told us this before we left the hotel. We could have slept in and enjoyed a few hours.

I found AT customer service to be quite good.
In Toronto, we were given a room at the airport Sheraton and food vouchers.
They put us up at a very nice hotel the extra night.
We were given food vouchers at the PV airport, although I would have much rather stayed at the hotel.
I sent a letter to complain to AT.
Even though it was a charter and they were under absolutely no obligation to compensate me whatsoever, they sent me a check for $300 cash.
 

a1999heel

New member
Jan 8, 2002
5
0
0
I work for a major US airline and after reading this post on AT I don't understand why you all continue to use the airline if it is so terrible. As any airline will tell you fares, schedules and almost every aspect of your flight is subject to change at anytime. I was a Flight Attendant until 9-11-01 and then was "furloughed" into reservations. Everyday I get calls from irrate passengers about a slight schedule change and yes, sometimes there are major changes. However, common practice among US airlines whether they are chartered or scheduled is that if the flight change is unacceptable to the passenger for any reason then the money can be refunded. Maybe you all should check into that as an option.
Also, I do realize the advantages of a nonstop flight, but if the difficulty you face in getting one and keeping it that way is this bad, maybe you should consider making a connection somewhere. Changing planes is not my favorite thing to do either but when you buy a cheap ticket or no ticket at all you cannot complain.
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
4,837
0
0
Charters vs. Scheduled

a1999heel said:
Everyday I get calls from irrate passengers about a slight schedule change and yes, sometimes there are major changes. However, common practice among US airlines whether they are chartered or scheduled is that if the flight change is unacceptable to the passenger for any reason then the money can be refunded. Maybe you all should check into that as an option.
[/B]

Any other airline might refund, AT and the other charters won't - they say it is the tour operators responsibility for delays and complaints and they are working for as many as 4 or 5 per flight. Even a air only ticket on them is sold to you by a tour operator - sometimes owned by the airlines company/parent and often others. E.g. World of Vacations is doing a cruise starting in SDQ. They are filling a plane non stop Toronto to SDQ for the end of March.

I have been delayed on AA or United but they have more than one plane per route and thus usually figure out something - but on these charters - they get delayed, Oh Boy, they are REALLY delayed.

And tough beans if you get mad.
And I agree - use AA, Continental via Newark of US Air via Philly - my March 29 ticket on AA is less than AT air only ticket for the 31st for a week.

Makes the "get what you pay for" rule go out the window when a scheduled carrier costs less.
 

Travlwizz

New member
Feb 2, 2002
23
0
0
Screwed by Air Transat

Hi SwanSong...not sure what has transpired with your flight but it does sound strange that AT would go from a charter flight to one via Buffalo. Perhaps they were not able to fill the flight from Toronto and needed to pick up passengers from the US to enable them to make the money come in. Just back from the DR this morning at 1 am....all was wonderful. Air Transat flights were on time...hotel was great despite the comments on site about the Casa Marina Beach...we were happy with it! Food was good for all meals and the El Batey restaurant was a good atmosphere to dine in. The Sea Scape has great ambiance but the food is not that great. People are very eager to please in the DR...and will do just about anything to make money.

As I said previous....be a squeaky wheel...get your travel agent to write letters or forward letters from yourself and your travel partners and be persistent. Also ask your agent to call the Air Transat Sales representative for you and see what can be done. Most of us agents have a good rapport with these people and they are sometimes able to speed things up. In my area, the Edmonton area, we know all of them but I am not sure what the Toronto area would be like. Good luck amiga and if you need any tips...send me a note at Travlwizz@hotmail.com

Deb