DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: I booked two flights by GoToGate from San Jose, Costa Rica, to Mexico Metropolis, after which to Oaxaca, Mexico.
I bumped into an issue on my flight to Mexico Metropolis, which was on Avianca. I knew these had been small planes, so I pay as you go $33 for every checked bag. However once I checked in at San Jose, the agent had no file of my pay as you go baggage. I mentioned it with them and confirmed my receipt. I even spoke to a supervisor. However I ended up having to pay $90 per bag.
I’ve copies of my boarding go exhibiting “no checked baggage” and the receipt for the $180 charge. Once we arrived in Oaxaca, I known as the telephone quantity on my receipt, however after talking to a consultant, we had been disconnected. A consultant emailed me and stated there ought to have been no subject with the bags. She invited me to file a declare. I’ve heard nothing since. Are you able to assist?
— Peter Holt, Woodinville, Washington
ANSWER: You shouldn’t have needed to pay twice to your baggage. A fast telephone name to GoToGate ought to have cleared this up earlier than you left. As an alternative, it became a dropping argument with an Avianca supervisor.
GoToGate is a web based journey company, which suggests it’s alleged to characterize your pursuits (and it additionally takes a fee from the airline). Even when there wasn’t time to kind out the bags drawback on the airport, the company ought to have shortly refunded the additional charge. However once more, no refund. By the point you contacted me, it had been greater than a month.
Let’s take a step again. Why are airways charging a lot for checked baggage? As a result of they will. Airways know that we have to journey with baggage, so that they cost for it once we purchase our tickets — and if we don’t instantly say “sure,” they greater than double the value and cost us further on the airport.
In the future, when sufficient passengers refuse to play alongside, airways will cease this nonsense. Till then, it’s best to know that airways have constructed their complete enterprise mannequin on charging baggage charges. They’ll attempt to squeeze each crimson cent from you whenever you fly.
I observed that after you known as GoToGate, you shortly switched to e mail. That’s preferable. You want a paper path exhibiting that Avianca or GoToGate goofed. It seems to be like GoToGate meant to course of your refund, however by no means obtained round to it. The corporate wanted a reminder.
Evidently, your reservation was dealt with by a number of on-line businesses, which made your decision slightly extra difficult and should have led to the crossed wires.
Sooner or later, you additionally handled a 3rd company known as Mytrip, which is owned by the European on-line company Etraveli Group. I publish the names, numbers and e mail addresses of the GoToGate and Etraveli Group contacts on my client advocacy website, Elliott.org.
How do you keep away from one thing like this? E book immediately with the airline, as a result of going by intermediaries simply results in confusion and potential issues.
I contacted Etraveli Group in your behalf. A consultant contacted you and refunded the $180 in further baggage charges that you just needed to pay.
Christopher Elliott is the founding father of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit group that helps shoppers clear up their issues. Electronic mail him at chris@elliott.org or get assist by contacting him at elliottadvocacy.org/assist/.(c) 2023 Christopher ElliottDistributed by King Options Syndicate, Inc.
