StudentUniverse
reviews and complaints

I was suppose to take a flight last friday, november 5th, from Washington DC to BUrlington, Vermont.
I called around 12pm to check on the flights available that day, their time and make a reservation. Once I received the information that I needed, I had to hang up and call back a few minutes later the time for me to check on the Greyhound operating hours that day and see if it fits with my flight. I called back a few minutes later and talk to a man that gave me a reservation code I told him I was going to call back in a few minutes the time for me to check my credit card and everything ready. When I did, I talked to an agent named Marc. I gave her the reservation code that I was given and after putting me on hold for 10 min, she told me that the reservation code was not valid and we had to go through the hole process again which we did. At 2pm she was still not able to confirm my seat and make me pay for it. She asked me to hold and finally told that they were going to call me back in 30 min, which they did not. I called back 45 min later, to notify her that the flight was at 5pm and it was the only flight available that day that would get me to Burlington. I needed to know what was happening and if they could not get it done, I would just call United myself and pay for my flight directly with them, which I guess, they did not want me to do.
At 3.30 pm I was still on hold and nothing was done, they had my credit card information but were not able to confirm my flight. I was trying to explain to them all day long that I needed to get to Montreal that night and if there were any other alternative they should tell me. They kept on saying that the only flight to Burlington was this one. I also tried to explain to them that it is already 10 mins from 4pm and my flight is at 5pm. When At 4pm they were able to finally confirm my flight, they wanted me to pay for it but talk me that if I get to the airport late and miss my flight, they would not refund me.
I asked Marc, if she realizes how annoying that is? I was waiting all that for Student Universe to confirm my seat, which they were not able to do before 4pm, they still want me to pay for it and tell me that if I miss my flight, because they were not competent enough to do their job correctly, I would not get a refund?
To whoever is reading this right now, I do not know if that makes sense to you but it does not to me.
I asked them that, if there was a way for me to tried to get to the airport at around 5pm and get this flight, could they confirm my flight directly form the airport? Marc told me yes, which I wised she did earlier.
I got there at 5pm but the plane was gone. I was on the phone with Marc and I asked her, now what do I do?
My sister was sick in Montreal, I needed to get there on friday night, if they knew they could not have done their job on time, they should not have had wasted my time all day on the phone for no reason.
I told her that it is because of them that I missed this flight, so I want them to take responsibilities for it. I missed that 5pm flight, so I also missed my Greyhound bus to montreal that was leaving at 7pm, and they did not have anymore flights to Burlington. So I asked them to get me on a flight to Montreal because this is where I was suppose to be if they had done their job correctly. But I didn't want to pay more than I was suppose to. Because, I tried everything to get this flight and because of them I missed it. I wasted $160 on the taxi to get to the airport along with the entire day that I spent on the phone with day.
After at least a hour on the phone with Marc, she directed my call to the supervisor that was there that day. This is where things got even worst.
I explained to him what my situation was stuck at the airport not knowing what to do. I explain to him what I wanted them to do because it is their fault if I miss my flight and I do not see any reason why I should be the one paying for everything that happened when I already spent my entire day and energy trying to get on that plane.
He told me that I was not being reasonable, that I missed my flight on purpose so I can get on a flight to Montreal. I begged his pardon. And he kept on telling me things like that with such arrogance, I never in my life, felt that disrespected. I told him that he must me out of his mind to tell me things like that. He kept on talking not even listening to me and told me that this was the price to get to MOntreal and if I do not want to pay this, they cannot do anything for me because he sees what I am trying to do here.
Excuse me, but my sister and I have been costumers with student Universe of at least 2 years now. I am from Mali, west Africa, and I go there at least once a year and the ticket to get there is at least $1, 500.00. I never had to talk about money with anybody on this earth because money is not an issue for me. He disrespected me so much by trying to make it look like I was trying to get on a more expensive flight by paying less. I never had any problem booking a flight with them during 2 years, I do not see any reason why it will happen now. I told him that I could not get where I needed because of them, I could not be in MOntreal that night and help my sister out, I wasted $120 in the taxi and on the top of all that he is disrespected me on the phone, well my thought is to take this case to my attorney because I cannot and I will not leave this situation like that.

I appreciate that you took the time to read this.

They are a huge con. My friend and I thought we were getting a good deal on a hotel in the UK and when we got there the hotel had our names in the computer but under a rediculously more expensive rate (one that the hotel doesn't even charge), all because of student universe. Then when we emailed them about it they said that there was nothing they could do and basically left us with out a place to stay. Apart from the prices being fake adverisement its also fraud. This all happened one month ago and I am still trying to get the "manager" to call me back. Do not use them under any circumstances.

I have dealt with Studentuniverse.com twice and both times felt like I was being conned. I booked a flight with this sham of a travel agency and had to jump through several hoops to get an actual conformation. Their customer service department is completely useless. I was told by a service representative that they cannot even communicate within different departments BECAUSE SOME DON'T HAVE PHONES. The second time that I dealt with this site, I booked a hotel in Glasgow, Scotland for two nights. I received an conformation number and payed the down-payment for the room. I get to the hotel to find that I had no reservation and conformation number was useless. This site has the lowest prices around. However use at your own risk. If you book anything through them, check the source. Call the airline or hotel. User beware.