Expedia. I hate it right now.

[KJIM]

I'm trying to contact them regarding a flight that's been canceled.

All I need is a person.

Average hold time, according to the computer voice: three hours and 57 minutes.

Yesterday, I was on hold for 1:07.

These were the fifth and sixth calls I've made regarding the same itinerary.

I hate these people now.

 

[KYSportsWriter]

KJIM on hold:

 

[da man]

You should try to get someone from the IRS on the phone.

 

[Flip Wilson]

You should try to get someone from the IRS on the phone.

I actually did talk to someone from the IRS on the phone about a tax situation involving my mother's business, after Mom had a terminal medical diagnosis. The IRS lady said her bosses needed some documentation about Mom's diagnosis. IRS lady then called her bosses "a bunch of assholes."

I appreciated that.

 

[da man]

I actually did talk to someone from the IRS on the phone about a tax situation involving my mother's business, after Mom had a terminal medical diagnosis. The IRS lady said her bosses needed some documentation about Mom's diagnosis. IRS lady then called her bosses "a bunch of assholes."

I appreciated that.

This year? You actually got a human on the phone?

I bow in your general direction.

 

[Iron_chet]

See if you can get someone on Twitter. I kow of at least 2 airlines where the social media person will push customer service issues.

 

[KJIM]

I don't have a U.S. phone number so they can't return my call.

I'm on hold again today but have gotten a real person. Marge.

 

[Southwinds]

An inability to reach folks with third-party travel sites in a time of need, in addition to the constant blame-passing between Expedia/Orbitz/Travelocity and the airline and/or hotel, is why I've stopped using them altogether. The slight difference in savings is never worth the headaches that can result.

 

[KJIM]

What do you use? Unfortunately, with my location, I can't use the airlines' sites directly. What other alternatives are out there?

I think with my 40-minute phone call with Marge might have finally gotten this one resolved. Nine calls, which is down from the 13 that it took me to cancel the Katmandu itinerary.

 

[HC]

We used Expedia to book a hotel for our upcoming trip. Turns out, we needed only one night rather than the two that we booked so tried to amend our reservation (which is over 2 weeks away) on the Expedia website. They told us this 'couldn't be done as there are no rooms available'. Well I'm not trying to BOOK a room ... I'm trying to cancel one night. Tried calling the hotel who said we can only change through Expedia. Expedia's customer service page has the following:

For self-service change
1. Sign in to view your bookings.
2. In Upcoming, choose the itinerary you wish to change.
3. In Manage Booking, select Change Reservation.
4. Select Edit for the change you wish to make.
5. If the Change Reservation link sent you to this article, cancel your reservation and book it again.

Well, I follow their instructions and cancel the reservation and immediately try to rebook. Hotel not available for booking. So now we're staying somewhere else and I booked directly with the hotel this time.

What the hell kind of system is this? Buh bye, Expedia.