A traveler who did business with Air Canada was outraged that the airline had paid double the price for a plane ticket.
• Also read: An Air Canada supplier turns to Quebec for help with maintenance on A220 aircraft
• Also read: Airline Complaints: Here’s the complaint that’s causing the Canadian Transportation Agency the most work
“I don’t have the money to repay such a large amount,” Cristhel Fernandez told Global News.
Last May, the Surrey, British Columbia native, booked two round-trip tickets to the Philippines for herself and her husband. The young woman planned to travel with her dog Maki.
The flights were scheduled for December, departing from Vancouver and ending in Seoul, South Korea en route to the Philippines. The couple then reportedly returned to Vancouver via Hong Kong, China.
After the $5,000 tickets were purchased, Fernandez confirmed that she had contacted the airline to arrange for her dog’s boarding as required. The woman was only told that her pet could not stay in the cabin on the return flight from Hong Kong to Vancouver.
“This flight is operated on an airline that does not accept dogs,” she explained.
The Air Canada agent reportedly asked him to make the necessary changes to his online reservation, which Fernandez completed within four hours.
The bad has already happened
But it was already too late: when it was time to buy groceries, the checkout refused her credit card. When her husband called the bank, he was quickly met with a shocking surprise. “They billed us twice for the same thing,” Fernandez explained.
The couple now owe the airline more than $10,000. When the young woman called Air Canada and asked for an explanation, the company offered a $10,000 credit toward a future flight. A solution that the couple did not like.
“Even if a customer has made a mistake, that’s no reason to leave people’s money the way it is,” said Gábor Lukács of the nonprofit Travelers’ Rights.
Lukács recommends that those in a similar situation contact their credit card bank to dispute the amount charged or file a lawsuit against the airline.
Global News attempted to contact Air Canada before receiving a press release.
“Our customer service teams are looking into the incident related to this booking and will be contacting the affected passengers,” it said.
However, Fernandez emphasizes that she is still waiting for an answer.
“I just want a refund for the amount they overcharged me,” she sighs.