ComplaintsforTop Business Class

• Initial Complaint

  08/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased 2 airline tickets for my parents to travel from ***** to *** on February 14th, 2024, from this website through their salesperson Mr. ***************** in the total amount of $7756. Unfortunately, my parents were unable to travel due to health reasons. As a result, I was forced to cancel their tickets on 4/8/2024. The business charged me $700 as the cancellation penalty (the customary airline cancellation fees for this ticket class is $200) but refused to refund the remaining amount of the purchase. As per my conversation with the airline, since the booking was done through topbusinessclass.com, only they could issue the refund after deduction of the cancellation charges. Therefore, I was forced to accept a credit with topbusinessclass.com for the amount of $7056 to be used towards further airfare purchase. At the time of the cancellation itself, I had informed ************ that I was planning on using this credit towards the purchase of tickets for myself and my husband later this year and confirmed that I would be able to do that. He had raised no objections to that at all and happily agreed to keep the monies.************ called me on 8/2/2024 seeking to promote his business at which time I reminded him that I was planning on using the credit towards purchase of tickets for myself and my husband's probable travel in December 2024. However, he then proceeded to tell me that I could not use the credit for myself, but only for my parents, in spite of the following facts:1) My parent's tickets have already been cancelled and a penalty of $700 has already been charged for the cancellation 2) The business is holding on to $7056 from the original payment and has refused to refund the amount contrary to the customary norm.3) The credit was issued to me to be used for future airfare purchase WITHOUT any stipulation (either verbal or written) as to who the credit can be used for. These tactics are nothing but a means to simply scam the payer of their monies.

  Business response

  08/09/2024

  We sincerely apologize for the frustration and inconvenience youve experienced regarding your recent booking and cancellation. We understand how important it is to have clarity and transparency, especially in situations like these.
  
  At the time of both purchase and cancellation, all relevant terms and conditions were fully disclosed. As per our policy, which aligns with industry standards, the credits issued are indeed for the original passengers and are valid for 12 months from the date of issue. We understand this may not have been the outcome you were expecting, and we truly regret any confusion or disappointment this has caused.
  
  Please know that we are currently working closely with the airline in an effort to obtain an exception or waiver to allow more flexibility with your credits. While we cannot guarantee a change, we are doing our utmost to advocate on your behalf.
  
  Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work to resolve this matter.
  
  

  Customer response

  08/12/2024

  I am rejecting this response because:

  1) *********** is lying when they say that all details were discussed.

  2) *********** is refusing to honor or acknowledge their responsibility to refund the monies following cancellation of the tickets as is the industry norm.  

  2) *********** has charged $350 per cancellation of tickets compared to the industry norm of $200/ticket. 

  
  

  Business response

  08/13/2024

  Unfortunately, we must disagree with the customer's statement. All relevant information was clearly communicated to the customer at the time of cancellation, both in written and verbal forms. Before finalizing the cancellation, the client was required to agree to the cancellation terms, which were explicitly presented.
  It's important to note that not all tickets are the same. Heavily discounted tickets sometimes carry higher penalties compared to full-fare tickets.

  Customer response

  08/13/2024

  I am rejecting this response because:

  This business has proven to be extremely untrustworthy and keep changing their terms on telephone calls initiated by their "manager" ****************.

  For example, they originally stated that the monies that they are holding since ****** would be valid for travel until 1 year from the date of the booking (February 2025), but in a telephone call as recently as 8/12/24, **************** changed this to say, it would only be valid until December 14th, 2024. When confronted, he changed his statement to say that the original deadline would hold. Furthermore, in spite of asking repeatedly, the business explicitly refuses to offer any written guarantee that they will honor their original statement wherein their salesman implicitly told me that I will be allowed to use this credit to purchase tickets for any future travel for anybody. I had clearly asked for such a written guarantee to be emailed to me when **************** had called me last week after receiving the compliant from BBB. To date I have not received any such email from him. Instead, *** ****** repeatedly asked to "talk to my husband" and stated that he would "have to review the details"----details of what?? He stated that the business would "consider honoring the credit, IF you take down the complaint first" which I refused. Furthermore, when pressed, he repeated that he wanted to "talk to my husband first".

  Additionally, **************** stated that the business would charge an additional $250 to "change the tickets to our name". What name change? The tickets for the original passengers were already cancelled. They have also already deducted that cancellation amount. So as of now, there are NO active tickets, let alone any tickets with passenger specific names. What is remaining with them is simply money that they refuse to refund or guarantee that we would be able to book alternative tickets using that credit, as was originally relayed to us. In very simple words, the business is simply bidding time in a very clear attempt to defraud us of our money by coming up with new excuses to somehow hold to the money by hook or by *****. 

   

  ***********************.

  Business response

  08/16/2024

  Unfortunately, we must respectfully disagree with the customer. The terms and conditions of the tickets are clearly stated before purchase. All tickets are valid for one year from the date of purchase and can only be used by the original passengers. Therefore, the credit must be utilized by the original passengers.

  Customer response

  08/20/2024

  I am rejecting this response because:

  I would like the company to acknowledge the resolution that was communicated to me via email on 8/14/24 in this forum. **************** was made aware of the same. 

  ***********************. 
  

  
  

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