Scenic Flight Voucher - Seeking Refund

JoeBrown1990

*Note, this is a repost of my thread on the Legal section. Posting here just in case the original was not in the right section*

Hey people,
Just wondering what are my rights here, legal advice? Here's the situation.
About two or three months ago, I bought a voucher from an online store for a half hour scenic flight for three people, to take off from Airport X (not Dublin Airport).
The original date had to be rebooked, cuz one of my fellow passengers fell ill. So I called up the airport, got a new date for last Sunday (November 5). I confirmed that the number the online store gave me for the airport was indeed correct by going to the airport's website.
Come last Sunday, myself and the two other people get to the airport, after a journey of about two hours. To our shock, the receptionist says there is no booking information for us. She also states that there are no pilots booked for that day. She apologizes, gives me her number (I do not give her mine) and we leave.
Half-way home (about an hour later) I get a phone call from said receptionist, who apologizes and says she found my booking info. Too late now, but so as to not cause a scene on the bus, I accept her apology and tell her I will be seeking a new date.
I get home and I write an email to Airport X's management.
On Monday (November 4), the receptionist calls and apologises again. She does not mention that she had told me there were no pilots available (which I had pointed out in my email would have meant my journey to the airport would have been wasted if true, even if there were no mishaps with my own booking). She offers to rebook me for a later date.

I write a second email on Monday, in which I state that while I do accept the apology, no offers of any kind of restitution have yet been made. Tuesday goes by, no emails back, no phone calls.
Wednesday afternoon, I give the airport a call. I get a pilot, who tells me that he was in fact at the airport that day, and was my pilot, in complete contradiction to what the receptionist told me on Sunday. Given that I was busy at that moment, I tell him to contact management to get back in touch with me.
Three hours later, I get an email from them. They apologise and say there were pilots available Sunday, they say they're confused about my attitude, and ask for a copy of my voucher.
On Thursday afternoon, once I get the opportunity to, I email them a copy of my voucher and explain how this all looks to me. I also explain that in restitution, I would accept taxi vouchers, if not Dublin Bus vouchers.
Thursday evening, I get my to date, last reply from the airport. They say they can offer me a 60 minute flight, and if I don't find this agreeable, to contact them.
On Friday afternoon, the 10th, I explain that I cannot accept a 60 min flight. The reason being that one of my fellow passengers is a 7yr old girl, on her first flight, and does not sit still for longer than a half hour.

As of the time of writing, it's now Sunday morning, a full week since we were supposed to have flown. I have not yet received a reply regarding my non-acceptance of the 60 min flight.
What are my rights here, what can I do legally? To make it clear, the voucher that I bought and paid for came from a third party company, who on their site, state that once a voucher is activated, no refunds can be made.
Can I seek a refund from the airport?

rock22

A mistake was made. They have offered you another flight.
What more can you reasonably expect?

ArthurG

Why would you bring a seven-year-old was never flown on a flight like this? I’d imagine it’s a small turboprop plane which tend to be very noisy and bumpy.

JoeBrown1990

ArthurG wrote: »

Why would you bring a seven-year-old was never flown on a flight like this? I’d imagine it’s a small turboprop plane which tend to be very noisy and bumpy.

It's a Cessna and I thought she'd be okay with given that it's for a half hour.

JoeBrown1990

rock22 wrote: »

A mistake was made. They have offered you another flight.
What more can you reasonably expect?

As I explained in the OP, they initially did not offer me anything. I had to go chasing them for it. All I got last Sunday and Monday were apologies, it wasn't until Thursday, after I had called them back and sent them more emails, that they even bothered offering me anything at all (upgrading 30 min flight to 60 min).

swampy353

JoeBrown1990 wrote: »

As I explained in the OP, they initially did not offer me anything. I had to go chasing them for it. All I got last Sunday and Monday were apologies, it wasn't until Thursday, after I had called them back and sent them more emails, that they even bothered offering me anything at all (upgrading 30 min flight to 60 min).

So just to clarify, you didn't get a response to an email you sent Friday evening? And they have offered you a flight twice as long as you had originally booked?

From the sounds of it, the company is trying fairly hard to rectify the problem, quite possible there is no one to answer emails at weekends.
Think it's unreasonable to expect replies to emails at the weekend

SmartinMartin

The sense of entitlement is strong in this one.

JoeBrown1990

SmartinMartin wrote: »

The sense of entitlement is strong in this one.

Yes it is. Airport admitted that I am owed something in their email. All I'm trying to do is not be out of pocket for travel expenses when going to the airport a second time.
Is it somehow morally wrong to feel entitled when a company screws up and ruins your day out with a child?

JoeBrown1990

swampy353 wrote: »

So just to clarify, you didn't get a response to an email you sent Friday evening? And they have offered you a flight twice as long as you had originally booked?

From the sounds of it, the company is trying fairly hard to rectify the problem, quite possible there is no one to answer emails at weekends.
Think it's unreasonable to expect replies to emails at the weekend

They have a receptionist, who was there last Sunday. And when I called on Wednesday, I specifically asked to be put through to whoever is in charge and what I got was the pilot who was supposed to fly me. So that's two people who would be likely to work weekends and answer emails.

godtabh

JoeBrown1990 wrote: »

They have a receptionist, who was there last Sunday. And when I called on Wednesday, I specifically asked to be put through to whoever is in charge and what I got was the pilot who was supposed to fly me. So that's two people who would be likely to work weekends and answer emails.

but are they authorised to reply?

davindub

JoeBrown1990 wrote: »

Yes it is. Airport admitted that I am owed something in their email. All I'm trying to do is not be out of pocket for travel expenses when going to the airport a second time.
Is it somehow morally wrong to feel entitled when a company screws up and ruins your day out with a child?

I dont see why you are being difficult.

The air school made a mistake when they kindly accommodated your request to reschedule due to one of your party falling ill.

Legally they did not have to do that. Do you not appreciate the gesture they made to accommodate you? You can be sure there would be a cost either through lost bookings, staff schedules, etc.

CeilingFly

So the op cancelled the first flight and the flight place did not penalise him/her in anyway and allowed rebooking.

The flight place makes an error and the op wants them to bend over backwards, fall on their knees begging forgiveness and to lavish the op with loads of free stuff AND give a refund.

Bollox

JoeBrown1990

CeilingFly wrote: »

So the op cancelled the first flight and the flight place did not penalise him/her in anyway and allowed rebooking.

The flight place makes an error and the op wants them to bend over backwards, fall on their knees begging forgiveness and to lavish the op with loads of free stuff AND give a refund.

Bollox

Where did I even hint that I want "loads of free stuff AND give a refund"? At the very least, I am seeking coverage of travel expenses for when I go back.
I started this thread because it's been a week since it happened, and I was getting tired of constantly emailing the airport and was looking to see what my rights are.
I must say...CeilingFly is insane, in that s/he reads stuff that I quite simply never wrote.

CeilingFly

JoeBrown1990 wrote: »

Where did I even hint that I want "loads of free stuff AND give a refund"? At the very least, I am seeking coverage of travel expenses for when I go back.
I started this thread because it's been a week since it happened, and I was getting tired of constantly emailing the airport and was looking to see what my rights are.
I must say...CeilingFly is insane, in that s/he reads stuff that I quite simply never wrote.

try reading your own post

"I want taxi fare / dublin bus vouchers"

+ thread title

"SEEKING REFUND"



They could refused your initial cancellation, but did the decent thing.

They then made an error and are upgrading you - but you whine away and you want refund + the equivalent of a taxi fare?

Good luck to you.

JoeBrown1990

CeilingFly wrote: »

try reading your own post

"I want taxi fare / dublin bus vouchers"

+ thread title

"SEEKING REFUND"



They could refused your initial cancellation, but did the decent thing.

They then made an error and are upgrading you - but you whine away and you want refund + the equivalent of a taxi fare?

Good luck to you.

Oh. Guess I wasn't paying attention to my thread title. Might as well make it clear and official. All I really want is either a refund or coverage of travel expenses.
I'm not going to be greedy and want both.

JoeBrown1990

Mod - Can you close this thread? Airport have just replied saying they'll pay my taxi fare. Thanks.

dudara

Closing at OP's request.

dudara