ComplaintsforRiverside Flight Academy

• Initial Complaint

  10/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I decided to join RFA. However I was never informed there was an office manager who handles the financing and can go over the program etc. Information provided to me about the program was given by their employees and I was handed their brochure with the program and pricing. I completed the loan application with THEIR lender and was set to fly. However, information provided to me was inaccurate. I was not able to fly as much as I wanted to and late flights they stated was available was not available nor was weekend flights due to bookings from Groupon that took priority over paying student. There is no books, learning material available to students, ground school I was told I had to pay for when it was to be covered. Turns out the employees there have no idea about the program and provided me wrong information as per the office manager I met only then. The ground school was covered in my program fee however wouldn't be for another 3 to 4 months. If a class is missed there is no make up classes or material to learn from. Additionally with their limited availability. It would take me 2 years to complete the program and not 7 months as they stated due to their booking with one time fliers instead of prioritizing their students. They never told me there is a NO CANCELATION policy, only until I decided it was best, after my first flight to cancel the program due to the issues. They made an "exception" AFTER I mentioned they did not notify my of their no refund policy and I signed nothing stating I understood this policy. It had been 2 weeks since this was resolved and refund to the finance company was requested. Due to their delay in returning the funds and fees for them to debit it back to the finance company, I have accumulated over $800 in finance fees on top of 717.80 I have to pay the finance company. Their agreement with the finance company to mail a check in place of debiting back was without my knowledge and consent and cost me over $800.

  Business response

  10/27/2022

  I am the owner and operator of this flight school. This is non sense. We operate 7 days a week 8am-6pm and instructors often fly earlier and later with their students. There's zero problem flying as much as you wish. There's usually a few weeks booked out so you have to book in advance. Most our students book 2-3 weeks out. Which means within 2 weeks you have the time slots, plane and instructor you want. All students are given a package of rules they go through and sign so there's no confusion. The financing we offer is done by a 3rd party. They apply and get approved. The finance company pay us for the students flights. We had received payment and was told student had decided to stop flying and wanted a refund. Which we did minus funds used. I did not hear anything regarding this student except for the wish to discontinue lessons. We have all books and materials in office. Ground school is a 8 week course which runs consecutively as soon as it's finished the next starts. We have many students finish their training in 8-10 months if they pursue it full time. Not sure why 2 years is mentioned. We prioritize students and their lessons before discovery flights. But as mentioned you have to be willing to schedule ahead. We're very busy serving many students. I wish this student would have asked to speak work the owner and possibly we could have avoided any confusion. As far as I am aware we offered the same services to this students as we do all students. Iam sad we didn't get a chance to solve the concerns before there was a request to stop lessons. 
   
  
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