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Skybus secret: credit card dispute is shortcut to a refund

November 1, 2007

For most airline problems, a credit card dispute is a last resort — a step passengers take just before dragging the carrier to small-claims court. But Skybus isn’t like most airlines, so when Chuck Pappas had an problem with a booking, he didn’t hesitate to enlist the help of his charge card.

What happens next came as a surprise to me.

Here’s Pappas’ problem:

Skybus just started flying Portsmouth to St. Augustine/Jacksonville direct. I received an e-mail announcement about the new service, so I thought I would book all the possible low fares I could on my travel dates.

I booked four flights. Three booked correctly.

However, I booked one around Thanksgiving, which the Web page showed as available. When I received my confirmation it showed my flight as being from Portsmouth to Columbus. Apparently, they were not flying direct to Jacksonville on those dates yet. I believe I booked as soon as they announced the new routes and there was a glitch on their Web site showing that they were flying on these dates.

I immediately sent Skybus an e-mail, to which their reply was we will NOT get back to you in a timely fashion. When they finally responded, it was a generic boilerplate letter, which suggested they didn’t even read my letter. Not even a concern for a first-time customer.

Just a warning to all, there is NO customer service at Skybus.

I offered Pappas the e-mail addresses of key executives at Skybus, but they bounced back to him. Apparently, the execs didn’t want their customers contacting them, so they changed their addresses. Not nice.

But it isn’t just customers that they’ve been ignoring, as Pappas discovered.

I disputed the charge with American Express. Apparently they seem to have just as much trouble contacting Skybus as a consumer does. The end result is American Express removed the charges without a question and I received their letter of confirmation saying that they will not honor the charge to Skybus.

My recommendation to anyone booking on Skybus is to use their American Express. I am just happy I was vindicated.

Hmm. Under ordinary circumstances, I wouldn’t recommend a credit card dispute until all other avenues are exhausted. But what do you do when the airline ignores you? Pappas did the right thing, and he got his refund.

I’m concerned about Skybus, though. The new airline has been going through some well-publicized growing pains, which are perfectly normal. But this case, and a few others like it, are not normal for a healthy airline. Ignoring customer complaints. Even ignoring inquiries from a charge card company.

What’s going on with Skybus? If there’s anyone inside the airline who cares to comment, I’m listening. Send me an e-mail or post a comment here.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

18 comments

  • Stephanus Surjaputra

    Looks like Skybus is going the way of Spirit Airlines (I believe). This reminds me a lot like the story you published a while back about Spirit’s CEO “accidentally” forwarded to the customer saying that he’ll never fly Spirit again anyway.

  • CW

    I received an email introducing the new routes from Portsmouth to St. Augustine as well. If he would have actually read the email he would have known that Skybus is not starting that route until December. Therefore, the tickets for thanksgiving were not available. DUH! They released the tickets early so people could plan!!!!

  • ev

    I had almost the exact experience as Chuck Pappas did with Skybus. Skybus’s website malfunctioned and changed my departing flight without giving me a chance to reject or confirm the change. I immediately emailed Skybus to ask it to change my flight back to the original schedule, but I received a form response — the customer no service did not even read my email. In fact, Skybus stated that it had no control over bookings on its website!! What? Who does?

    I had to pay $170 to change my flight back to the original schedule. Skybus has IGNORED my 3 emails for a refund. I will not fly Skybus again.

  • SkybusFA

    I do work for Skybus and I booked flights online before I ever applied. You need to make sure everything is correct before you click purchase. Just like its ground ops Skybus outsources its websales to a third party service so it is difficult for them to secure you a refund do to an error – either technical or human, made while booking. I always check and double check everything I purchase or book online before confirming the sale. I’m sorry some of you have had a bad experience with Skybus but honestly I have had much worse when dealing with some of the legacy carriers and for 7-10 times the price. It is difficult to change a booking on Skybus because we only currently have 12 planes in our fleet. Those seats fill quickly and changing your reservation through the 3rd party sales is a little more complicated than the traditional customer service line. We are essentially trying to teach people to travel in a whole new manner. Plan ahead – know your travel dates. Have some flexibility to accommodate unforeseen circumstances. Get your flight for cheap with no extras. If you want the extras (food, checked bags, priority seating) then you pay a small fee. We are formated for families and pleasure travelers. However, we welcome business travelers.

    I know myself and my fellow flight attendants and the pilots do everything within our power to make your travel as enjoyable as possible.

    Try contacting sales@skybus.com attn: Buckler and Cunningham. These two individuals can help you out. However – we do not release personal e-mails becasue of issues like these (dealing with outsourced services like ground ops or web sales) when people tend to get nasty, violent, and threatening. Our executives are very busy with the daily operations of the company. When you see them on the plane or at the airport they are always happy to talk with customers. I often forward customer complaints to Bill and Ken and have several times been copied on responses to those complaints. Skybus is a company that cares – but we can’t please everyone all the time – no company can or does. I suggest you read our contract carefully before reserving a flight and double checking your booking before you purchase. Happy Flying!

  • Paul

    Well, after hearing the employee response, that was enough to stop me from booking my flight on Skybus. I’ve tried everytime to get the $10 Airfare when they open new dates, but the website frequently timeouts or changes fares after being chosen which makes it nearly impossible to get the promotional fare. I was just going to book at one of the more expensive fares, after this 3rd snafu with the crappy website, since it was still a little cheaper than southwest. But honestly its just not worth the minor savings. I’d rather have less stress and fly with an Airline I can trust to take care of me. I’ll be flying Southwest.

  • Kim

    I had confirmed flights for eight people for just over two months that were recently delayed more than the alloted 3 hour delay. We had the option for a full refund, which we selected. The delay came because “skybus is saving on fuel and not taking multiple trips to St. Augustin/Daytona” as originally posted. Is that a valid delay with confirmed ticketed passengers? Just curious.

    This airline is great for people traveling alone, without luggage, that don’t have to eat or drink or be at their destination on any given date or time! If you do not fit this description, go far far away and never look back!

  • Kim

    From Clark Howard’s website…

    Consumer Help:

    Department of Transportation –
    Federal Aviation Administration
    Consumer Hotline – 800-FAA-SURE
    Security or safety complaints – 800-322-7873

    DOT Aviation Consumer Protection Division (ACPD)
    For complaints about air travel service – 202-366-2220
    Or write to: Aviation Consumer Protection Division
    US Department of Transportation
    Room 4107, C-75
    Washington, DC 20590

    FloridaDept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services
    For Florida problems only:
    In Florida – 800-435-7352
    Outside Florida – 850-488-2221
    Travel problems – 850-922-2966

    Responsible for protecting consumers from unethical sellers of travel. Before contracting with a travel business, call to determine
    whether it is registered and if there are any complaints against it.
    Or write to:
    Division of Consumer Services
    235 Mayo Bldg.
    Tallahassee, Fl 32399-0800

  • http://www.elliot.org deirdre

    I am having two seperate issue with Skybus. My husband and I were scheduled to fly on Feb 22nd. There was a snow storm that day in the Northeast and we were encourged by a bulletin on the Skybus website to change our flight(they would waive the $40 transfer fee) as they were not sure our flight would be able to take off. I rebooked the flight for April. I also had to rebook the flight coming back on the Sunday, because if we weren’t flying out on Feb 22, there was no way we would be reutrning from Columbus on the 24th. Makes sense right? When I got my credit card bill they charged me $80 for the transfer for the return flight. I e-mailed them explaining that if I couldn’t fly out to Columbus I couldn’t be there to fly back!!! Needless to say the response I got was illiterate and no help. I am disputing it with my credit card company.
    My second problem-My daughter flew back from Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday March23rd. They lost her luggage. Then they said they found her luggage and sent her someone elses bags. The woman at the Columbus airport had her write her information on a scrap of paper. I called Columbus several times and Greensboro as well. I called in to a radio program yesterday and was advised to call Bill Diffendefferer(whom has since stepped down) Someone actually answered his phone, took my information and said they would get back to me. It’s now Thursday. No baggage, no return call, no nothing. I have e-mailed and left messages with every number published. Anyone have other suggestions?

  • Pattie

    I am also having a problem with skybus. I reserved a round trip flight from Greensboro, NC to Biloxi-Gulfport, MS departing April 7 and returning on April 22. About a week after I booked the reservation, I received an email from skybus that as of April 15, they would no longer be flying between these two cities and that I would be receiving a full refund. SO, still needing to make my trip, I booked a flight for the next day April 8th (since Skybus canceled my flight and was giving me a full refund) and made other arrangements on how I would return to Greensboro on the 22nd. After I reserved my new flight, I checked my “canceled” reservation to make sure that it had been “canceled” only to discover that Skybus had only refunded my money for my RETURN flight. I have emailed skybus numerous times and have yet to get a response. All I am asking is that my money be refunded for either my original flight to Biloxi-Gulfport, MS or the one that I made for April 8 (after I was told I would be refunded in full for my flight schedule). Is that too much to ask? Either way, they will still be getting my business, for now.

  • Pattie

    UPDATE: Last night I emailed Sales@skybus.com Attn: Buckler and Cunningham like SkybusFA suggested above. Today, I received a reply that I would be receiving my full refund. Maybe somebody in skybus is listening. I suggest anyone that is having a problem with the “customer service” department, try emailing the above mentioned email address. Worked for me!!!

  • http://elliott.org Peter

    I am disappointed that Skybus has gone out of business, in Greensboro there are NO air carriers who care about the area. US-Airways wants you to drive to Charlotte and Jet Blue & Southwest want you to drive to Raleigh. US airways is the worse airline in the country and we bailed them out!! Besides overcharging its customers and providing poor service, all of the employees hate their jobs and let you know it!! At Skybus you got a very low cost carrier who let you know its up to you to make sure your flight was ticketed correctly. I am sick & tied of paying outrageous prices and driving an hour and half one way to Raleigh or Charlotte. When Skybus was operating my flight to Ft. Lauderdale was $136 return, direct flight. Now my flight is $434 with two connections and $6.00 seat assignment on each leg of the trip, what a rip off. I hope ALL the major airlines go broke and the Feds don’t bail them out with our money so up start airlines like Skybus have a chance to offer service, price, and commitment to the traveling public. These “old” airlines are terrible!! I am a professional who needs to travel. If I treated my customers the way the airlines treat us I would have been out of business in one month. IF anyone has ever watched the TV show “Airline” which revolves around Southwest Airlines, you see why they need to go out of business. The best thing to happen to this Country would be a complete overhaul of the airline industry. From now on, I am cutting back on my airline trips by 80%. I hope the flying public does to and dive them all out of business.

  • Dean

    I had purchased tickets for my wife and son on Skybus a month ago and got notice 4 days before there flights that they went out of business.

    Skybus certainly could have worked it out to give 2 weeks notice.

    I went ahead and DISPUTED THE CHARGE with m credit card company within 10 minutes afer the announcment was made public. I have the conditional credit and will have to fill out the form. The short notice forced me to buy more expensive tickets which I really dont mind but it bothers me if by chance I dont get the money credited back from Skybus.

    Credit card disputes are for charges you did not make or if you purchased something with your credit card and did not receive the merchandise. I am looking at this as not receiving the merchandise.

    I am hoping the conditional credit stays becausse from checking around on the net, none of the credit card companies have had any luckk getting in touch with skybus.

    If Skybus gave notice then they would have been responsible for giving refunds which they dont want to do.

    I can understand a company going out of business but there still is a right and wrong way to do it.

    Dean

  • Anne Whalen

    7 of us flew Skybus from Columbus to Punta Gorda on Weds 4/2. Late Friday night we got a call from an attorney friend alerting us that Skybus was ceasing operations. None of our flights were cheap, around $277.00 apiece. Had to book $348.00 each for return flight to Columbus and felt lucky to get it and not be stranded.
    In addition 3 of us had travel insurance and were told that would only cover a terrorist attack scenario!
    I spent 3 hours on the phone Saturday morning on hold with my credit card to cancel payment on a late April round trip flight I had booked – eventually got conveniently disconnected so my payment for a flight that will never occur went through! So now I have to pay for another round trip flight on top of the other expenses. How can Skybus be allowed to take peoples money up until the last minute KNOWING they would not offer the service. That is out and out fraud.
    Do I have any recourse to collect on either of these trips?

  • stacey Butler

    I purchased tickets from skybus to fly in July to California on my debit card now I am totally out of my money. Do not ever buy tickets on your debit card I have learned a hard lesson.

  • Robert P

    Skybus got me too!! I am one of the lucky ones who did get 10 dollar one way tickets but never got to use them since I wouldve been flying out on May 1st. I got a hold of my credit card company like Skybus’ website had said and there was nothing they can do. I booked this trip in October of 07 and could not dispute something that old. Luckily, I am only out $81.60 and I can recover from that. The part that bothers me is that Skybus knew full well it was going out of business. They couldve offered me and every other customer their money back. It was shady and deceiptful for Skybus to act the way they did. I learned a valuable lesson and ill make sure I never go with the cheapest price again.

  • N G

    What a miserable airline. I booked three tickets (not at $10 a piece!) on December 1 for travel in January. I had the same experience as ev’s post on Jan 10. Skybus’ website malfunctioned and booked me on a flight the following day. I went back and forth with Skybus by e-mail and they said I would have to pay the change fees – that there was no possible way I was booked for a date different than what I selected. I was careful about my purchase, I know what date I booked my flight for. But, when they refused to help, I contacted my MasterCard company – Citi Cards. They issued a conditional credit and were helpful at first.

    Now, five months later, and after Skybus went out of business, I found out that the conditional credit has been rebilled to my account because Skybus told Citi Cards the same thing they told me – it’s not possible that their website malfunctioned. So, I’m out the $136.20 and could not be more disappointed in Skybus or Citi Cards.

    Generally, I like to support new business ventures – because new businesses create new jobs. I don’t mind not eating or packing light. Unfortunately, I guess my expectations for ethical business practices was too high.

  • http://www.mutuelle.tv mutuelle

    “Skybus secret: credit card dispute is shortcut to a refund” Is it true?
    By the way thanks for sharing this info.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PVXGXYCOOMQILGICPVIZRMCQQE Sheila

    Thanks for sharing this information. At least we know to stay away from Skybus…

    Carro Usado Df

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