Complaint Rating:

Company information:
CheapoAir
Warrenton, Virginia
United States

I really hate to have to do this, but since reading others issues I feel there is something more going on with how this company and the employees are being asked to perform. My experience was that my family and I (who live in VA) were sent an invitation that my father in law was being given a special retirement celebration by the school in which he had been employed for more than 30yrs, the week of Thanksgiving, in Illinois. Since the notice to us was so short I couldn’t get the day after Thanksgiving or the weekend off to take my family there and back, so while we drove from VA to IL, I had to fly back to VA to be at work on Friday 11/23. I found that Cheapo, has some great advertised pricing, in fact my flight was advertised for $105. one-way, great I thought! So I booked it on-line, but made a mistake on the date, I had to be back at work on Friday 11/23 so I had to fly out on Thanksgiving day. I immediately contacted Cheapo, via the (212) number and was assisted by a friendly person who told me she could help with canceling the ticket and there would be $25 cancellation fee. When she told me she could also make the switch I thought great (save me some time logging back on) Suddenly, within a matter of moments the fare jumped $10 to $115, I originally wrote this off as an increase to being able to talk to a live person, the "taxes & fees" added another $64.65 for a total of $180. to Cheapo, for original $105 ticket! The nice lady told me the $105 seats were no longer available! (keep in mind I called within less than 5 minutes of making my $105 booking) My flight was half empty on Thanksgiving night, and to add insult to injury when I opened my statement a moment ago they dinged me for another $25 fee for booking the trip. While the invoice statement I received clearly states "your credit card my be billed in 2 charges totaling the above amount” I was charged $143.30 for my ticket ($115 ticket plus taxes?) and another $36.70 for "automation Service Fee" and my $25 cancellation fee, but was never told I would be charged an additional amount over and beyond the reflected price of my ticket. This would have amounted to an original $105 ticket escalated to $205, If I had not contacted these folks. After requesting the services of a supervisor they agreed to waive the added $25 not in my invoice.

So my original “advertised” Cheapo Ticket of $105 turned into a potential $205. Doing the math, I suspect that the first charge of $143.30 covered my fare plus taxes/fees the $36.70 was to go to Cheapo + whatever the airlines USAir gives them back? and then they went to my credit card for another $25. at a minimum this suggests they make $61.70 on an “advertised” $105 fare. Hey I am a “for profit guy” and will pay amounts that I am made aware of and agree to. Misleading promotions & “Bait and Switch” types of business practices need to be monitored and dealt with handedly, if you agree please, please let me know... and Cheapo folks while some of you may be new and nice, you need to pay attention to how your company operates...