El Al Israel Airlines

Review: I have saved money for 7 years to see my family in Israel. I finally saved enough to go back this summer with my 3-year-old daughter, [redacted]. I purchased round-trip airlines tickets from [redacted] to fly on El-Al Airlines. The following is the necessary information: Los Angeles (LAX) - Tel Aviv (TLV) Tue Jun/**/2013 - Mon Jul/*/2013, 2 round trip tickets BOOKED EL AL #[redacted] Flight Detail: 1. DEPARTURE, Los Angeles - New York Flight# EL AL [redacted] Operated by American Airlines New York - Tel Aviv, Flight #EL AL 4 2. RETURN, Tel Aviv - Los Angeles, Flight #EL AL 5 (Nonstop) Traveler Information: Traveler 1: [redacted] (Adult) $1,433.97 Traveler 2: [redacted] (Child) $1,295.97 Total: $2,729.94 These tickets were purchased well in advance in December, 2012. Unfortunately, in January of 2013, I felt a lump in my breast and visited a doctor. I was diagnosed with [redacted]. At that time, doctors did not know what stage I was and told me that I may still have a chance to go on this long awaited trip. It took approximately 2 months after numerous testing and a surgery on April **, 2013, to determine that I was a stage [redacted] and will require [redacted] (which I am still doing), a second surgery in the future, which is yet to be determined as to when, and finally, radiation treatment. The extensiveness of this treatment has yet to be revealed as we won't know how well [redacted] treatment will be when completed in September. Immediately following the news, I called El Al and they told me not to make any changes until I am certain if I can fly or not and because it is a medical emergency, I may cancel the flight if necessary. In May, 2013, when [redacted] told me I will have to cancel the trip, El Al told me to contact EXPEDIA to do so, which I did. The following is [redacted]'s information: EXPEDIA ITINERARY NO. [redacted] Airline Ticket No. 1 - [redacted] Airline Ticket No. 2 - [redacted] Case # [redacted] I did as told and canceled my trip. Expedia then told me to call El Al in order to receive a refund. When I called El Al, they told me to call Expedia. This went on for an untold number of times. I became frustrated and these funds are extremely important for my ongoing treatment because my insurance does not cover all the necessary treatments, co-pays and thousands of dollars in deductibles. Friends began to help and they contacted El-Al, as well. El-Al finally asked to send in or fax a letter stating the following: 1) The reason for the request 2) The email address associated with the account 3) Case ID# 4) Names of all affected passengers 5) Name of ill or deceased person 6) Is this person traveling on the affected itinerary? 7) The relationship of the passenger or traveling companion 8) The number of tickets needing to be refunded 9) Copy of Military orders, if applicable reason for the refund. They also said that they will credit the debit card used for the transaction within 30-days. Although there was a lot of work to be done, we were happy that we will finally be able to put this issue to rest. Little did we know! We sent in all the paperwork via Fax (###-###-####) and mail on June *, 2013. Yesterday, July *, 2013, we called Expedia to complain. They heard nothing from El Al. We called El-Al and no one seems to know anything. I became very emotional! I don't understand. I chose EL-AL because of their safety and customer service. I did not plan or expect to become sick with this dreadful disease. Where is the empathy? Not only did I HAVE to cancel this long-awaited trip, but the money has to go to medical bills. I won't have a chance to enjoy a cent of those funds. Please help me and see if you can find some humanity in these monsters! Where is the heart? It's very saddening for me. Expedia gave me a # to call (###-###-####), which I called, but I'm only getting the run-around. We sent out all the information to theDesired Settlement: EL-AL has a responsibility for their customers. They were informed well in advance of my cancellation and had plenty of time to fill these empty seats, which sell out very quickly. They need to return funds that don't belong to them. This is nothing less than stealing. I demand a refund.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted],

I am replying to you in regards to your letter received regarding a refund for unused EL AL tickets due medical reasons. We are currently experiencing a higher than normal volume of correspondence and consequently our response to your

letter has taken a little longer than usual.

At the onset allow me to express our regrets at the circumstances, which compelled your and child to cancel their reservations to Israel. We wish [redacted] a speedy recovery and many years of good health.

EL AL does not have any waivers or medical provisions. Refunds are processed according to the rules of the fare. Regretfully, the tickets purchased are non-refundable.

Should the tickets be covered by travel insurance or by insurance provided through the credit card issuer, you may be able to request reimbursement through them.

If the cancellation was due to hospitalization, you can provide us with the following:

1. A copy of the ticket being submitted for a refund.

2. A copy of the original letter sent to us.

3. Copy of the hospital document. (doctors' note is not accepted)

4. Any other documentation they may have to substantiate your claim.

Please ensure all copies are legible and e-mail them to [redacted] or fax them to [redacted] or mail them to EL AL at:

[redacted] [redacted]

[redacted]

Make sure to include your case number on all the documents and subject field:[redacted]

Provided all requested documents are sent to us, I will forward them to the manager of our ticketing department for a special approval.

Rest assured that we would contact you upon receipt and review of all the information.

Sincerely,

Customer Relations, USA

Review: After successfully purchasing an on line e ticket for my daughter with confirmed reservation number, my daughter traveled 4 hours to the airport for a midnight flight. After waiting in line, she was denied boarding on a false and incorrect fraud allegation. She was offered no assistance by rude and callous employees, and stranded in the airport in the middle of the night. Since local gate employees stated the office was closed and there was nothing further they would do, in a mad rush, I called the airline's New York office who cleared the problem and informed the gate, but they steadfastly refused boarding "on orders from main office". ElAl fraudulently charged my credit card four times and I had to cancel my credit card due to a fraud investigation against ElAl by VISA. My daughter's trip was completely re-booked on another carrier at additional expense and severe inconvenience.Desired Settlement: In compensation of severe mental distress, lost time off work, additional ground transportation and other ancillary expenses associated with severe customer abuse, we are seeking ten unrestricted first class round trip tickets from New York or Newark to Tel Aviv.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted],

I am writing to you in reply to your comments regarding your Flight 007 from Tel Aviv/TLV to New York/JFK airport on June **, 2013.

I offer you my sincere apologies that the delay of our arrival into JFK Airport adversely affected your travel plans; the delay was due to local air traffic. Situations of this nature are rare and unplanned and while I regret that this delay adversely affected your trip, EL AL cannot assume responsibility for any loss incurred as a result of the delay. EL AL strives to provide excellent customer service to its passengers, and we are sorry that on this particular flight you were inconvenienced. Unfortunately, delays and schedule changes are sometimes unavoidable due to operational or technical reasons such as those experienced by your flight. Because you were traveling round-trip from the United States to Israel, your claims are governed by an international treaty known as the Montreal Convention. Pursuant to the Montreal Convention, EL AL is not liable for damaged caused by delay where it took reasonable measures to avoid the delay. Moreover, the Montreal Convention does not permit recovery for damages resulting solely from inconvenience. EL AL works very hard to adhere to pre-determined schedules.As we hope you can understand, this is not always possible.

The incident has been brought to the attention of El Al management who meet each week to discuss customer complaints and make improvements. I assure you that they will do their utmost to correct the shortfall of our service.

Our records show that you did not go to the EL AL arrival counter in order for them to rebook you on an alternative flight.In reviewing the ticket purchased, EL AL has special agreements with certain domestic airlines to transport our passengers to gateways that we do not have service.

There are severa I gates ways that are "common rated" with our New York gate way. This means that our airfares from DCA/BWI/BOS are common rated in other words they have the same fare with New York. Your ticket has no refund value on the unused flight coupon.

How did you travel to Baltimore?

Passengers involved in the delay have not been compensated. Should you have out of pocket expenses

Business

Response:

The following is EL AL Israel Airlines, Ltd.'s ("EL AL") response to the Revdex.com's (the "Revdex.com") correspondence of August ** 2013 requesting that EL AL address "additional concerns" of [redacted] with regard

to this complaint, and supplements EL Al's initial response of August *, 2013.

As set forth in the complaint [redacted] attempted on June **, 2013 to book round-trip transportation-TelAviv, Israel to Newark, New Jersey on EL AL Flight No. [redacted] on June **, 2013 and Newark, New Jersey to Tel Aviv, Israel on EL AL Flight No. [redacted] on July **, 2013. What the complaint does not note is that this was an internet purchase at 11:28 a.m. Israeli time on June **, 2013, just 13 hours prior to the 12:35 a.m. June **, 2013 flight to Newark.

[redacted] used a credit card issued to [redacted] to purchase the ticket. As EL AL advised in its previous correspondence, because the booking was made so close in time to departure of the flight, and the cardholder for the credit card used to purchase the transportation did not match the name of the passenger, the transaction raised an internal fraud alert. EL AL, however, did not cancel [redacted]'s reservation as a result of the fraud alert. Rather, her reservation was held in suspense, and would have been confirmed upon her arrival at [redacted] International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel had she been able to produce the credit card used to purchase the transportation. Because [redacted] was unable to produce the credit card, EL AL in Tel Aviv attempted to telephone [redacted] to verify the credit card purchase.

[redacted], however, did not answer his phone.

EL AL offered [redacted] the opportunity to pay for the ticket in cash or with another credit card, but she apparently did not have sufficient cash and [redacted]'s own credit card had a limit of only Clyde & Co US LLP is a Delaware limited ability partnership with offices in Atlanta, New Jersey, New York and San Francisco. Clyde & Co US LLP is affiliated with Clyde & Co LLP, a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales.

US $500, which was insufficient to pay for the transportation. Accordingly, EL AL in Tel Aviv, which did not have proof that [redacted]'s purchase of the ticket was authorized, did not permit [redacted] to travel on EL AL Flight [redacted] to Newark.

While [redacted] was speaking with an EL AL agent at approximately midnight in Tel Aviv, [redacted] spoke with [redacted], an employee in EL Al's New York office. [redacted] verified to [redacted] in New York that the credit card purchase was not fraudulent. Unfortunately, despite [redacted]'s sincere efforts to assist [redacted] and his daughter, the proper individuals in Israel were unable to verify that [redacted] was authorized to use [redacted]'s credit card prior to the flight's departure.

[redacted] gratuitously described EL Al's employees in Tel Aviv as having "arrogantly and callously" denied boarding to his daughter. However, the denial stemmed from a last minute internet booking coupled with an inefficiency of communication between New York and Israel. EL AL acted in good faith in the handling of this circumstance- EL AL does not wish to turn away paying customers but exercises caution when receiving a last minute internet purchase on a credit card that is not held by the prospective passenger.

The incident involving [redacted]'s daughter was unfortunate, but it resulted first and foremost from her last-minute booking of transportation using a credit card that was not in her name and which was not in her possession.

Sincerely your

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because: el al should not have taken a reservation they intended maybe to honor. Validity was proven but boarding was still denied.significant harm was caused by el als poor judgement and treatment. They put their own financial interest ahead of customers travel concerns.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,