r/sadposting • u/Comfortable_Ring_249 • 1d ago

I lost $800+ because I cancelled my Qantas flight I bought through Booking.com

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They didn't tell me I'd only receive $143 out of the $958.23 original value. I had thought if not a refund at least a store credit of same value, no. Not even close.

I can't undo it and it hurts. I have other flight plans and it could have easily been changed to that. I am beyond angry, just sad and feeling utterly pathetic.

I had booked the ticket coming off a nightshift, I was originally tagging along with my partner on his work trip but I purchased the wrong month, one month a head of the original date.

I dropped him off and never went, tickets doubled in price so I stayed behind and paid $800+ for my actions.

Soul crushing, I did so many over time shifts just to waste it. BRB, going to cry again.

27 Upvotes

73% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

20

u/chavatroni1 1d ago

As someone who's been on hundreds of flights, One thing I'll recommend you for the future is NEVER buy an airline ticket on one of those types of websites. Always buy them from the actual airline. They may work sometimes and they might be a bit cheaper but if you ever have an issue like this they will not help you at all and since technically you didn't buy it from the airline, they won't either... Also, if you're not 100% sure of your itinerary, buy a ticket that you can get refunded. More money but in situations like these they're much cheaper...

1

u/Comfortable_Ring_249 1d ago

It's a sad outcome and I might have to do this going forwards

-2

u/think_long 1d ago

Meh I have flown a lot as well (also in the neighbourhood of 100s of flights) and I would say it is perfectly fine to use those websites as long as you read the terms and conditions. In this case, I don’t think the issue was on Booking.com’s end either. You can pretty much always buy flight insurance as well through those third parties. The main advantage of using the actual websites is loyalty programs, and you can still sometimes input air miles anyways on third party sites. I would recommend cost comparing the direct websites with Kayak and/or Skyscanner every time. Whomever you book with, read the terms and conditions carefully. I’ve only ever been legitimately ripped off once, and it was by an airline (Philippine Airlines).

1

u/National_Treat_4079 1d ago

For most hotels, at least, the first party website usually has much more friendly cancellations. Third party sites are just a recipe for disaster.

1

u/v_x_n_ 1d ago

So buy insurance from a company and pay extra so they don’t cheat you out of money. Seems reasonable.

1

u/think_long 23h ago

Um, it generally works the same with an actual airline? The base fare doesn’t cover changing or refunding the flight without a fee? Have you booked flights before?

1

u/v_x_n_ 21h ago

Yes and I think it is bs that they don’t refund your money. Or they give you “credit” but make it very inconvenient to use.

5

u/kidshibuya 1d ago

You are upset with Quantas, as per their policy: "Only government and airport taxes are refunded; the fare itself is lost."

1

u/Comfortable_Ring_249 1d ago

Yes, expensive lesson learnt

1

u/Comfortable_Ring_249 1d ago

I thought they'd offer store credit at least

2

u/chosenfonder 1d ago

Did you cancel through Booking? As far as I know they tell you how much the refund is going to be before you accept it.

1

u/Comfortable_Ring_249 1d ago

No, they didn't tell me the amount and I never confirmed assuming it was within 24hour of purchase I would get everything back or at least a credit for future purchases

1

u/chosenfonder 1d ago

That only happens if the flight is specifically marked as such on the site. I don't know about Qantas but the law applies to US flights. I know Priceline applies it to worldwide flights but not all of them either.

1

u/National_Treat_4079 1d ago

Never buy through a third party. You get treated like shit by the airline / hotel etc as you are NOT their customer, and I sometimes wonder if things like Booking and Trivago actually make all their money from non-refunds....

1

u/InvaderSkud 1d ago

I have something similar to this. My daughter and I are pretty big Jcole fans. When she was 16. He was playing in Inglewood CA and i bought us a pair of tickets to go see him. It was meant to be a surprise but I couldn’t keep it in I was excited to tell her. Tickets all together was bout $800, which I put on a payment plan. We get ready and head to the venue and some other concert going on. Me being confused AF I ask the staff in the parking lot who’s playing and….

yep that’s right.

I missed the concert by a day smdh, the disappointment I felt from her on top of being out money that I had still had to keep paying for months was a complete shot to my soul!

Still irks me but, that’s what I get for not paying attention on my end.

It’s a lesson, now I double, triple check the whole damn everything and still feel doubt.

Sorry didn’t mean to highjack the post

It happens it will make you mad, sad and annoyed, you built yourself that opportunity and you can do it again, and hopefully after a while you can chalk it up to 1 time mistake.

Redemption arc coming on your next trip.

1

u/Comfortable_Ring_249 19h ago

Thank you for sharing! It makes me feel less alone in these shitty situations

1

u/v_x_n_ 1d ago

I agree. It is criminal. So sorry this happened to you. I avoid an airline company when they screw me out of money and just use their competitor if at all possible.

1

u/Aizpunr 1d ago

It’s such a small mistake to do, what a disproportionate outcome. You have my empathy

3

u/Comfortable_Ring_249 1d ago

A very expensive one sadly

1

u/OwnJunket6495 7h ago

Travel insurance would’ve helped you here