Expedia will steal your money. Review on Expedia

Here is the copy of the complaint I sent to the BBB:

''On May 31, 2005, I booked an airline ticket using Expedia.com. The ticket was for travel from Denver, CO to Miami, FL on June 6, 2006. The itinerary number was 113071730670. The cost for this ticket was $480.39, which I charged to my MasterCard.

On June 3, 2005, I attempted to change this airline reservation. My travel plans required that I fly from Washington DC to Miami and then back to Denver on June 6 and June 7, respectively. I tried to perform an online exchange via Expedia.com and was notified via the website that I must call the customer service center to perform this transaction.

I made this call and spoke to a representative who informed me that she could book me on the necessary flight, but that she would have to cancel the original ticket and refund the cost to me. She then proceeded to book me on the new flight. The cost of this flight was $390.39 and was logged under itinerary number 113106589871. This cost was also charged to my MasterCard.

After a few days, I called Expedia.com's customer service number again and asked when I could expect a refund. At the time, a man told me that it would take 6-8 weeks to show up on my credit card statement.

On August 11, 2005, I called Expedia.com again to check the status of my refund. I spoke with a representative named Trixie, who was very helpful in tracking down the problem. However, she told me that the status of the ticket was suspended and that the value had been lost. She told me that the reference number for this matter was 20849225. She did give me a $200 travel coupon I could use to book through Expedia.com in the future, but could not refund me the full amount of the ticket.

I would like to receive my full $480.39 in the form of a credit to my MasterCard or as a check mailed to me. I had no choice in how the tickets were either cancelled or changed and relied on the expertise of the agent to make sure this transaction was processed correctly. If this amount is refunded, I do not wish to have the $200 coupon for future use on Expedia.com as I plan to discontinue use of their service due to this incident. ''

Here is Expedia's response:

''August 15, 2005

I am writing in response to the complaint filed by Mr. Greg Roche. We apologize for the unreasonable amount of time it has taken for the issue of her complaint to be addressed by our organization. We are appreciative of your help in mediating a resolution of this issue, and want to assure you that we believe the appropriate resolution was reached. We offer our deepest apology to Mr. Roche and we hope that any ill will created by this situation can be cleared.

In looking through the documentation in Mr. Roche's account, there is no indication that he ever called to exchange his ticket. He contacted us on the 3rd of June to inquire about making a new reservation. The agent who took the call assisted Mr. Roche with booking a brand new reservation. According to the notes, there was no mention of a previous ticket. Our documentation clearly shows that he only called to book a new reservation. Please see the following documentation as written directly by the agent Mr. Roche spoke with:

6/3/2005 13:48 (agent's name excluded for privacy concerns)

Greg Roche called to purchase flight. Recapped flight details. Read legal scripts. Advised passenger to print the itinerary and bring a valid government issued photo id. Customer okayed all. Completed AAB (Agent Assisted Booking) as per passenger's request.

Unfortunately, there is no indication given that the agent was ever made aware of the existing airline reservation. Unless Mr. Roche specifies that he wants to change an existing reservation, the customer service agent will assist him with booking a new reservation. Since Mr. Roche's original flights were never cancelled or changed prior to his departure date, he was considered a ''no show'' by the airline and his credit was forfeited. The airline will not allow him to use his unused ticket towards any future flights.

At this point, we are unable to override the airline's policy to allow Mr. Roche to use his credit. Our agent contacted American Airlines on his behalf and we were advised that the credit was no longer valid. Mr. Roche will need to pursue his request for a refund directly through American Airlines. Unfortunately, Expedia does not have the capability or authority to override the airline's rules and restrictions. We cannot guarantee that the airline will be willing to process a refund.

In a gesture of goodwill, Mr. Roche was given a $200.00 Expedia Special Rate hotel and package coupon. This coupon will allow him to take $200.00 off of a future ESR hotel or package purchase. We hop that Mr. Roche will allow us another opportunity to service his future travel needs.

We are truly sorry for the escalation of this issue to your agency; it is disappointing to us when our clients feel they have no other recourse. If there is any further assistance we can give you regarding this issue, please feel free contact us.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Wohlford

Sr. Research Specialist

Customer Advisory Department

Expedia, Inc. ''

Aside from the fact that Jeremy Wohlford identified me as a ''her'' after using the title of ''Mr.'' and the numerous typos, this reponse was outrageous. EXpedia.com recorded my call and could listen to it to determine that yes, I did ask for an exchange, and that the agent didn't properly understand the booking system. A $200 coupon is a ridiculous form of compensation as I plan to never use Expedia.com again.

Here's what I suggest for anyone using Expedia:

Use Expedia to find out what flight, hotel, and car you want, then go to those company's websites and book directly on those sites. Then Expedia won't have control over your money.

BTW: The BBB wasn't much help either...