OT - BOOOOO Westjet and Westjet Vacations!

[yxe dad]

OT - BOOOOO Westjet and Westjet Vacations!
I'll start by saying that I've been a diehard Westjet supporter for the last 10 years or so. I've used them for personal travel and travel for work if the prices were close, even if the Air Canada schedule was better.

This all start's about 4 weeks ago when our friends booked a vacation with Westjet Vacations for a 1 week, all inc, 5 star resort in the Mayan Riveria. They got a great price, about $1500pp plus taxes from Saskatoon and called us right away, as we were planning the/a trip with them for Jan 2010.

I went to Westjet Vacations website and put in the dates and resort into the search area on their website. Up came the same resort and the same price our friends just paid 10 min ago. I hit continue and put our ages in the boxes and hit continue again. The travel summary pops up along with all the travel insurance stuff, and then in small print in the bottom of the page is the price. I was just about to hit continue when I notice that the price has gone to $2100pp plus taxes. I was a little shocked and as I've used Westjet's website 100's of times and every time I search for a flight, the price that comes up, is the final price. I then backed out of the booking and started the search over again. I did the exact same search and the price of $1500pp plus tax comes up again BUT this time the small print at the bottom of the screen says $2400pp plus tax.

Needles to say I was I little confused.

I then called Westjet Vacations and waited on hold for 45 min as this was around the time of there website improvements. I got a less then friendly Westjet CSA who said sorry that's the price, take it or leave it, but hurry I've got other people waiting. Shocked and upset, I said no thanks and she just hung up on me.
I called back because I was hoping to find a little Westjet love and an explanation on why the price is different at the start of the booking from the end. I got another grumpy Westjet CSA who this time said that all the prices are "from" and that all the initial prices that come up on their website are only updated every 3-4 days. I told her our friends just booked at $1500 and we were trying to book the same holiday. She said we could book it, but it would $2800pp plus tax, and the worst part, she laughed at me because the price went up. Trying to keep my cool, I then stated that NO WHERE on the website after you do a search does it state the prices are "FROM". She then laughed again saying tough luck.

I do understand that the prices with flights and vacations do go up when the seats at those levels are sold out. I do understand that Westjet had/has problems with their website and that the CSA's were taking a lot of BS from angry customers. I also understand that the CSA's have no control over pricing, but for a company that prides itself on great customer service, I didn't get an hint of it.

I emailed Westjet that day as I wasn't prepared to wait on hold yet again. I was just asking for clarification on their Westjet Vacations website and to report the 2 CSA's who clearly need more training or a holiday. I then waited 4 days and checked the prices displayed after the search, guess what, still $1500 and the prices stayed like that for 3 weeks. Last week I emailed them again as I still hadn't got a response from my first letter and as of now, no response from either.

Thanks for letting me vent!

Shayne

 

[*~PrincessBelle~*]

I really hope you get an answer and find someone who can help you..ive since had my itinery change not once but twice now and no one at the call center is the least bit friendly in handling my situation...(after sitting on hold for 60+ minutes)

I cancelled my flight and re-booked with Air Canada.

I really hope this works out for you!!

 

[dis_guy]

That's too bad. I can feel your frustration just reading about your less than great experience.

I've had bad WJ experiences, bad AC experiences, bad United experiences, bad Northwest experiences, several bad Delta ones (You mean you need a crew AND a plane? lol) and at the end of the day, they are all about the same.

I just tell myself that it's still better than driving 40+ hours to get to WDW(or where ever)!

Better luck next time.

 

[yxe dad]

I think the part that makes me so upset is that Air Canada, United and Northwest don't promote how great their customer service is so, you don't really expect it. Westjet has way too many TV ad's promoting how great their customer service is, but doesn't back it up!

 

[yxe dad]

I really hope you get an answer and find someone who can help you..ive since had my itinery change not once but twice now and no one at the call center is the least bit friendly in handling my situation...(after sitting on hold for 60+ minutes)

I cancelled my flight and re-booked with Air Canada.

I really hope this works out for you!!

Thanks for the kind words!

We booked a cruise instead of this trip to Mexico and used Aeroplan for the flights but couldn't fly into Ft Lauderdale or Miami due to no seats. The closest airport was Orlando so we are extending our holiday before and after our cruise at WDW, which means a Disney fix.

Funny thing you mention a flight change, there was a schedule change for our flights down to Orlando getting us into Orlando at 1252am only 22 min later then our original time. Aeroplan called to let me know of the changes and asked if I needed anything else. I joked about an earlier flight and said I was fine and thanks for letting me know of the changes. The CSA said she'd look into it and came back with a flight that gets into Orlando 7 hours earlier. So we get to have a nice dinner at the WDW instead of a food court at the airport. Thanks Air Canada for stepping up when Westjet isn't.

 

[dis_guy]

I think the part that makes me so upset is that Air Canada, United and Northwest don't promote how great their customer service is so, you don't really expect it. Westjet has way too many TV ad's promoting how great their customer service is, but doesn't back it up!

Yup, you'd expect the cabin crew to be spoiling you rotten! Not so. They do the required runs with the carts and then disappear to visit with each other in the back, just like on the other airlines. I was on one flight from YEG to YHM where the WJ FA was audibly disgruntled with having to get up to attend to a passenger. She had her shoes off and was curled up in her seat with a book.

I kind of miss the late '80s when I flew YEG to YYZ almost weekly on AC 154. Got to know the cabin crew quite well and the (then) new 767s were a treat to fly on. Sigh.