Online travel booking company, Travelstart, has been accused of defrauding passengers who book flight on their website.
According to a passenger who booked a flight via Travelstart, the booking conned them by refusing to reschedule a flight that was cancelled by Qatar Airways.
The passenger said that he had booked a return ticket from Nigeria to Canada but about two weeks after he arrived in Canada, Qatar Airways sent a mail informing him of changes to the return flight.
The passenger with booking reference V7M8PB said that many Nigerians are forced to use Travelstart because airlines demand that they pay for tickets in dollars.
“Qatar Airways did not reschedule the flight, they just announced that changes had been made to our flight and that we should contact our local agent to reschedule or seek refund.”
The email sent by Qatar Airways which was sited by Chronicle NG read, “Dear valued customer, We are reaching out to inform you that unfortunately, your booking has been changed due to operational reasons and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
“Please note that this is a no reply message. On receipt of this notification, please contact your travel agent to amend your booking or arrange for a refund*.
“To remain updated with any changes to your travel plans, please download our mobile app or simply scan the below QR code.
“We sincerely appreciate your understanding on this matter,” Qatar Airways said.
On contacting Travelstart, the booking company said that it could not reschedule the flight or refund.
The passenger said that a visit to the Travelstart office in Ikeja, Lagos did not help matters either but an email was eventually sent on 23 August, 2022.
It reads, “Dear Guest, We have checked your booking and your partially used ticket has no refund value after deducting the cost of the one-way ticket , refund penalty, non-refundable taxes, and our admin fee.
“Should you need further assistance/clarification, do not hesitate to contact us.”
According to the passenger, “A follow up email asking Travelstart to open the ticket was not replied. A visit to the Ikeja office of Travelstart did not help matters.”
“All efforts to get Qatar Airways to act also proved abortive”
The passenger said the matter will now be reported to the Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission.
“I hope that Mr Tunde Irukera and his team will take urgent steps to curb the fleecing of Nigerians by Travelstart,” the passenger said.
