Tsunami incident, hotel booked via PL...

[Desirees]

Hello,

Am not sure what to do, husband's cousin is missing, we were not aware of it till a couple of days ago (his family did not want to tell us anything until they were sure) and I have purchased a Bangkok hotel room via PL for our upcoming trip in March. I know hubby is not in the mood to go anywhere, I am leaving for India in about 2 weeks and will come back here in March. What should I do? It is about $400 and I did buy travel insurance, however only the death of direct relatives are covered. It is like another thing to handle in the middle of all the grief...

D.

[thereuare]

Sorry to hear of your situation... i would contact both the insurance company and Priceline to see if either will help.

Good Luck during this difficult time.

[LoneStar]

Desirees' situation is particularly heartbreaking -- and good luck, Desirees -- but it does point out another serious problem with the priceline program. With its purchases completely non-refundable, it's easy to risk forfeiting a significant sum of money. Stuff happens in life, and the ability to travel can be particularly unpredictable. Buy a resort stay for a few nights and you can easily be at $500. And as Desirees pointed out, travel insurance doesn't always help.

It seems to me that priceline could easily adjust the program to award travel credit for a future purchase if an individual needed to cancel. It could have a large fee -- say $100 -- that would discourage routine cancellations ("I didn't like the hotel they gave me") except in truly dire circumstances. Priceline could even give most of the cancellation fee to the hotels, which would no doubt make them more than agreeable to such a program.

But priceline seems to have a particularly tin ear to customer service issues, so I'd be (pleasantly) surprised to see them alter their general rules.

[thereuare]

I think the non-refundability factor is becoming less and less of an priceline-only issue.

While all of the facts above are true, just about every major hotel chain now offers traditional rates and discounted, internet-only, advance purchase non-refundable rates. Most of us, when given the choice, would choose the cheaper non-refundable rates (assuming we thought our plans were firm).

It used to be that hotel-direct rates were always refundable, but with more and more of them switching to the above 'tiered' plan, the fact that Priceline is non-refundable becomes less and less of an issue on an apples-to-apples comparison (imo).

[LoneStar]

I don't buy many hotel stays directly from the chains (because when I'm staying in major markets, I usually use priceline), but when I do check rates, it seems that complete non-refundability is still more the exception for discounted rates than the rule.

I think I've also seen rates where only the first night is non-refundable, and that seems like a much "fairer" deal for the consumer.

I'd also note that if I ever had to get out of a non-refundable reservation, I'd much rather deal with Hilton or Marriott or Starwood, than with Priceline. I simply don't expect much sympathy from priceline. Whether that's a good way to do business, I'll let others decide.

[Desirees]

thanks for the feedback, I will try calling PL today and see what they say.

D.

[Desirees]

So, I called PL and was basically told that they will refund my money only after they get a police report and or information with funeral timings and all. I told them I am not aware of what is happening in India, that I will be going there next week and will find out what is happening, whether they are at all accepting police reports, and how our religion handles the final rites of a missing person. I asked them whether there is any other way of doing this, if there is a memorial service she said she wants the name and phone number of the preacher, when I tried to explain that in our particular religion the priest lives in the temple and is not available for calls, she kind of closed me off with a mechanical "that is all I can do for you, we dont even give refunds but are willing to but you HAVE to provide us with the details". Details of what??? I explained to you how things work in our culture but you still want the "preacher's name and number" when we have a memorial service.

At this point, I will swallow the $400+ I paid, but I do wish PL was a bit more receptive to what I was telling them.

D.

[lwitchel]

Desirees -

I understand your problem, and the grief you are feeling, but they've got to have some sort of documentation. The customer service person you are talking to needs to record and defend her actions, which are not standard with company policy. Essentially, you're asking her to just take your word for it. Is there some sort of written proof you can give them? A newspaper obituary? A death certificate?

[Desirees]

Hello lwitchel,

thanks for your feedback. I would like to stress though that I did not, for once, expected that they would take my word for it and give me a refund. My main point is, different countries have different systems and they just vaguely saying "a police report" or the name and telephone number of a "preacher presiding over the funeral services" does not make any sense based on the current situation. A death certificate will not be issued right now based on the body not being found, and when I asked whether I could send them a card that is usually printed with such information the representative simply repeated "name of preacher and telephone number". At this point, I could simply give them a number of anyone and the name of the priest since in our cultures, priest do not have a telephone number and they usually live in the temple complex itself.

So, again, I am not looking for a refund without showing any proof. I just wish they could ask for something more plausible. Also, I told them that I will be in India from next week and can I email them the info. She said no I have to call it in. It is just all these reasons that is making me wish PL was a bit more helpful.

D.

[lwitchel]

If you have the energy to pursue it, I'd ask to speak to a supervisor - or better, not bother with the phone and put the entire story including your contact with them (just so they know a rep offered you a refund) into a written letter, along with whatever written details you have to substantiate and send it to them, explaining the situation. I'd say that I understand the need for documentation and why the customer service rep asked for it, but that I hope that this documentation, which is all that is given and what is customary in the region, is sufficent for them to ascertain the veracity of your claim. You may get a more carefully reasoned response to a written request, and it will save you time explaining and re-explaining the same thing.

Good luck with this, I hope it works out one way or another.

[Desirees]

Thanks for the tip, will get all the needed info once I reach India and send it to them.

D.

[dahammer]

Desirees, first of all, my condolences to you and your family at this time. The following link will take you to a list of the top management and board members at Priceline. You may want to send an email or a letter to Lisa Gillingham, Senior VP of Customer Service and carbon copy Jeffrey Boyd, President. Best of luck to you and your family.

corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=pcln&script=2260

[LoneStar]

Working your way up the "food chain" of customer service is certainly good advice, and I would do that as necessary. Frankly, I'm surprised (and relieved!) that priceline has enough sense to "do the right thing" and appears willing to help you. My guess is that, at this point, ANY proof that your husband's cousin is missing will work. I'm sure there is SOMETHING official-like in which his disappearance has been reported or noted? Even a letter from his employer would probably do it.

Good luck, and God bless your family.