Bad Experience with Opodo (through IWTF)

Circly on 24/10/2017 - 11:13

Hi all,

I booked return flights from Adelaide to Queenstown using IWTF which then redirected to Opodo.The flights weren't that cheap but for the dates it was the best we could find.

Total cost of the reservation was AU$1,677.53 for two people return. The confirmation email from Opodo says the following will be charged to my card:

  • Jetstar : AU$ 637.31
  • Virgin Australia : AU$ 973.15
  • Opodo : AU$ 67.07

However, when I checked my bank statement I was also charged AU$973.15 by Opodo as well. Basically I was double charged for the Virgin leg of the trip.

Contacting Opodo has been quite difficult. Managed to get through to someone on the phone and they told me to send evidence that they have double charged via email. A couple days later they responded and said that they (Opodo) have not charged me the amount and that it was from Virgin and to contact them.

It is pretty clear from my bank statement that it was Opodo that charged me.

So now i'll probably need to wait a few more days for a response.

At this stage I would not recommend booking through Opodo and its a lesson learned for me to just book through the airline. Also, I paid for 23kg luggage and the Jetstar itinerary says 15kg…

Will my bank reverse my charges for me? Is there anything else I can do?

Travel

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Comments

  • altomic on 24/10/2017 - 11:40

    so, there are 2 charges of 973.15 on your bank statement?

    • Circly on 24/10/2017 - 11:59

      Yes.

      Jetstar : AU$ 637.31
      Virgin Australia : AU$ 973.15
      Opodo : AU$ 67.07
      Opodo : AU$ 973.15

      Im guessing they weren't supposed to charge me the extra $973.15.

      How does booking through a third party work? We pay them and then they pay the airline?

      • djsweet on 24/10/2017 - 12:24

        Every online agent I've ever used has charged me. The airline hasn't.
        That includes eDreams which is Opodo's parent.

        • Circly on 24/10/2017 - 12:41

          So how come Jetstar charged me for their leg?

          On the confirmation email from Opodo it said I would just be charged $67.07 from Opodo.

        • djsweet on 24/10/2017 - 12:59

          @Circly: I really have no idea I'm afraid. They definitely should have only charged you for whatever was on your invoice though. I would first hassle them about it (by phone). If it cannot be resolved, dispute the transaction with your credit card company/bank. I would do this as a last resort though, would be terrible if they canceled your ticket because of a chargeback.

        • Circly on 24/10/2017 - 13:47

          @djsweet:

          At this point I don't mind if the trip I'd cancelled… Would save on the stress.

  • Stewardo on 24/10/2017 - 12:48

    I booked thru Expedia this year, was charged by Lufthansa double the price! Overdrawing credit card, had to call Expedia then Lufthansa, took a week to sort out. That’s the problem with online agents, better to price match with flight centre or book direct with airline.

    • Circly on 24/10/2017 - 13:49

      Lesson learnt :(

  • Drew Peaballs on 24/10/2017 - 13:26

    I would investigate through their booking terms and conditions. Be thorough. If you have proof that Opodo has charged you as per your bank statement, and receipt, then throw it back at them. I would say that you're going to get Virgin telling you that you're going to have to go back through the selling of the flights.

    The other thing is because Opodo is not an Australian based company or ABN holder, then they really have you by the ropes. Companies that do not have an ABN for tax purposes like this make it hard to try and get your money back.

    • Circly on 24/10/2017 - 13:51

      Yeah it's weird they told me to sort it out with virgin.

      I'd have thought they have to sort it out since I booked through them.

      Do you think it was virgin that charged me wrong or Opodo?

      Confirmation email says I'll only be charged the $67 by then so I assumed Opodo stuffed up.

      Not to mention I paid for 23kg checked luggage and the Jetstar itinerary says it's 15kg.

      • Drew Peaballs on 25/10/2017 - 14:13

        Have a copy of your statement handy if they deny the transaction.

        Go into your booking reservation on the virgin website, see if it's still valid. Just in case that Opodo sold your flights twice under the same name. Flight regulations states that if you are holding seats of the same name, the airline has the right to cancel both reservations.

        The problem with multi ticket combinations is you get stung by the baggage. If when you search through Opodo and they find a Jetstar flight the cheapest and a Virgin flight back the cheapest, they will sell it as a multi ticket under one transaction.

        You can't get around that one unfortunately. All you can do is jump on the jetstar website and purchase the 20kg option so you're on par with Virgin's checked luggage.

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