Business ProfileforGlobal Travel Alliance

Global travel is still holding my full refund for THEIR trip cancellation hostage. Friends of mine received 75%, some of us only got 50%. They gave arbitrary amounts to people whose children worked very hard to earn money for a trip that never happened. As we all know, during the pandemic airlines, hotels, tours and even broadway (there was supposed to be a show) FULLY refunded any payments, so Global Travel had not put anything out. They would not show proof that they were not refunded. Because of all of this I have had to tell my 2 younger kids that they cant go with this untrustworthy company on a school trip. I cant believe our school still uses this company when they did this to so many families. We know that they gave some 50%, some 75% and no one got all their money back. Seems like a ponzi if they werent able to give the industry standard refund at that time.

On March 4, 2019 this customer agreed to our Booking Terms and Conditions, including policies on refunds based on trip dates. According to our terms and conditions, travelers on this trip were offered a 50% refund.Due to the extenuating and unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic, we also offered three options to families that went above and beyond our Booking Terms and Conditions. This traveler had the opportunity to participate in the original postponed trip at no additional cost (which traveled successfully), partake in the FIT area trip (which traveled successfully), or receive a 75% value fully transferable trip voucher for future travel with our company.
Of the options available, this traveler chose the 50% refund totaling $1,157.50. A check was issued and deposited by the individual on 6/17/2020.

I do not accept this comment. The choices given were never ok with me and I made them aware of that. They were hard to reach and very unprofessional about it. I did not deposit the check for months hoping this would be resolved. They would not budge for me and most others - even though they canceled (not postponed) this specific trip eventually and bumped those who did nothing to a much later (years) trip of different 8th graders. What makes me most angry is that the refund given was arbitrary. It was like dealing with a used car salesman in that some people got 75% if they canceled just a month after I did. There was no difference in anything but timing. The trip WAS NOT RUN as it was supposed to be. They spent nothing. Airlines, ******* broadway, baseball, tours were all refunded to them 100% - they wont admit that, but it was all over the news. Still they kept HALF of my money. My current 8th grader was pretty said to miss her trip this year because I will not give another ***** to a company that stole ***** from me and is so horrible to customers when things dont go perfectly. I have an incoming 6th grader who will not be going either. There is a different company that most of the schools here use (I am still trying to convince our school to cut them off, but I think there are kickbacks involved where the school works for GTA) and I will send them on high school trips with the other company since they have a much better reputation than GTA for being fair and reasonable when problems arise. That you expected a high schooler wait to eventually go on an 8th grade trip is unreasonable and I dont know anyone who took that option. I did not have a choice of your options because, as a leukemia survivor, I was told too bad and the insurance was worthless. At that time we could not take the risk of traveling when there was no end in sight for the pandemic in spring 2020. Meanwhile, I have a friend who was undergoing treatment for breast cancer and because she pushed back harder then I was able to, her daughter got 100% back. Same situation, arbitrarily and unfairly resolved.

Global Travel Alliance offered refunds in accordance with our Standard Cancellation Policy, which all travelers agreed to upon enrollment. The postponed group trip traveled May 5-9, 2021, and the ******** traveled June ****, 2021, both successfully. The transferable trip voucher offered was above and beyond our Booking Terms and Conditions due to the extenuating and unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic. 

We understand the frustration and disappointment of missing out on an experience with peers, and we would be happy to discuss how your 6th grader could enjoy the experience with their classmates. Should you wish to connect with our team, please feel free to reach out to ** at *************************************.

I am going to contact you about my 6th grader. I will post about what happens right here.