Middleton Travel Inc.

Review: I tried booking my wedding through Middleton Travel in the Fall of 2013. My initial contact was with [redacted], whom rather than assist me with finding a location for a destination wedding told me "to just google until I found a resort that I liked." She failed to provide me with any information about the resorts or that there were significant cost differences in resorts, but I had never been to a tropical location and did not know any better at the time. She was however, very happy to take my money to book after I picked a resort. As soon as [redacted] had my deposit, she virtually vanished. I tried to contact her several times from September 2013 (when I booked) up until February 2014. After not being able to get her to return my calls and emails, I decided to look for a different travel agent that was interested in actually doing their job rather than just taking my money. Eventually (less than 2 months before my destination wedding) [redacted] tried to contact me to see if I needed "help" with anything. All of the planning needed to be done prior to February when she finally decided to contact me, the only reason that she was contacting me was that the balance of my trip was due. She was incredibly short and rude once she found out that I had cancelled her booking despite it being self inflicted on her part.

After discussions with [redacted] were less than successful, I contacted [redacted], the owner of the business. Initially [redacted] was very helpful and agreed to refund the cancellation fee and part of my trip. However, she told me over the phone that the remainder of what I had paid (the travel insurance) would be refunded one way or another. She wanted to contact FunJet (the insurance company) first to see if they would refund my travel insurance since I had to change it due to the incompetency of her employee. She also implied on the phone that if FunJet did not refund the cost of the insurance that she would do so herself. A few weeks later, when I contacted her to ask what the status of the refund was, I was told that FunJet would not issue a refund and never addressed the issue of the refund not being provided. So I again emailed her to ask that she provide it herself as she had promised in our initial phone conversation. That was several weeks ago and she has ignored my email. She is no intention of following through with her word and I do not feel this is right or ethical for a business owner when I did not receive any of the agreed upon services.Desired Settlement: Refund the cost of that travel insurance as was verbally promised to me by the owner of the business (~$240).

Business

Response:

[redacted] contacted my office to plan her destination wedding. I have specialists in each area and [redacted] worked with [redacted] who has been in the industry over 10 years and has planned many weddings. Her attention to detail is extreme and rarely misses any kind of communication with her clients. [redacted] and [redacted] spoke and communicated many times throughout the planning process of her destination wedding. Informational material was provided to [redacted] regarding the different types of hotels, their ratings, pricing and amenities and location. A number of these correspondences are in email and can be provided if necessary. As required by the tour operator a deposit was needed and [redacted] paid it, [redacted] processed it and the tour operator received it. Once the deposit is made it secures the booking for the rooms, everything is confirmed. Often times there is a minimal amount of communication from the agent and client during this “waiting” period as it is up to the bride to contact the wedding planner directly for detailed preparations for the wedding. We do not plan the wedding ceremony itself but only the travel arrangements.. [redacted] and [redacted] did communicate more than the average bride and agent throughout the period of time from September to February. Many of [redacted]’s guests contacted Middleton Travel for rates, availability and information of which [redacted] provided, again this information is available in email form. Even one of her guests booked the trip with Middleton Travel. Apparently [redacted] was unhappy with the service she received from [redacted] and approached another agency. During this time of rebooking her wedding she did not notify her guests of the change of agency as we continued to receive inquiries for her wedding. Eventually it became clear [redacted] rebooked her wedding through another agency which was several weeks prior to the communication [redacted] had made with [redacted] in February. [redacted] made her decision much earlier and did not let Middleton Travel or her guests know of her change of plans. It was then that [redacted] contacted me regarding a” Cancellation Fee” Middleton Travel imposes on any customer that requires a great deal of research and then chooses to cancel the trip. We often call this a “plan to go” fee. [redacted] had collected the $100.00 “plan to go fee” when she initiated the booking process. All details of cancellation penalties are printed on our paper invoices which [redacted] received. We made it very clear what the procedures are, what the process is to cancel or change and what the potential costs are to make changes both with Middleton Travel and the tour operator. Again, this was provided to [redacted] in writing. When [redacted] contacted me regarding her disgruntled feelings about her experience I offered to refund her the $100.00 immediately, which was done within two days. The other question of the tour operator’s (Funjet Vacations) insurance came into discussion. [redacted] purchased the insurance from Funjet at the time of booking which is the only time this can be done. Again, [redacted] was provided the parameters of this insurance policy, what is covered, what happens when a claim would be made and the deadline for this procedure. She was even provided a link to their terms and conditions. This policy is purchased from Funjet and not Middleton Travel as we act as agents for Funjet. All of this was in writing. When she asked for a refund for the insurance I went to Funjet on [redacted]’s behalf trying to get it transferred to her new agency. Funjet (again I have an email trail of all communication) tried to get it transferred but found out [redacted] rebooked a similar trip but not the exact one so their hands were tied now that it was so many weeks later. Funjet did comment that if the new agency had lobbied on her behalf at the time the booking was made they may have been able to do something positive with the insurance company. I explained all of this in an email to [redacted] onMay 1.

[redacted]: [redacted] was not happy with the service Middleton Travel provided. [redacted] did not communicate her dissatisfaction until months after she had rebooked her trip. I could have helped in the process had I known she was unhappy. She decided to take her business elsewhere and then came to me months after her decision was made to get money back. As stated earlier I did refund the $100.00 but I cannot refund monies that was sent to Funjet for the insurance. I did not guarantee I would be able to refund it only that I would try my best, which I did. Funjet can verify I went to the V.P. of operations to try to accomplish this. Her friends that booked with Middleton Travel had no complaints and had booked with Middleton Travel in the past.

Please let me know if you need additional information.

Thank you.