FlyerTalk Forums - 1stair.net is scaring me

Sorry my 3rd post is so negative, but I am concerned. I needed to make a quick trip to BKK and was going to be working in San Francisco right before leaving, so I decided to try the services of 1stair.net, a first and business class consolidator to buy a OW ticket. I registered online and was quoted various rates for F class on various carriers, and because of scheduling, chose to fly TG via LAX. The online rate quoted was $US2407.74 vs. the published TG fare of $2782.50, a savings of 13% or about $US374, plus an additional $US20 for shipping. They sent an email confirming the schedule and price and I confirmed back via their site that I wanted to buy the ticket and provided credit card information. Then they sent an email with a formal form to fill out for credit card authorization and fax back. Because I live in Mexico, for systems reasons it was a hassle to download and print the form itself, so I sent back a letter authorizing the charges and containing all the requested information. I received another email saying that this wasn’t good enough, I needed to complete the form. After a brief phone conversation, they faxed it to me. Several hours later, they sent the following email:

We have received your credit card authorization and your tickets are now being processed through 1stAir's network of distribution partners. You will receive a second e-mail once your tickets have been sent with the courier name and the package tracking number. When you receive your tickets, please double-check all documents to make sure that all information is correct. This includes the spelling of names, the travel dates, and itinerary.

My ticket was to be delivered to an address in San Francisco. 24 hours after receiving the above mail and after checking a link provided at their site and trying to contact them by phone, I wrote the following mail:

It is now 24 hours after I sent the credit card authorization. I was then given a link to see my itinerary online, and apparently the ticketing is being handled by Livingston Travel. Their number on their website is not reachable…or always busy. They show a reservation for me in both first and business class with Thai...my reservation and payment authorization was for first class. When is this going to be ticketed and when is the ticket going to be sent? And what is going on with the two reservations when all I requested was first. I am beginning to question the value of your service if I can't reach people, the service seems questionable and the only thing I am saving is $US350..plus having to track this all over the place to get answers. Please respond.

This morning, they responded as follows:

Dear Mr. Chilango1K,

That's correct, we are using one of our distribution partners (Livingston Travel) to issue your ticket. Don't worry, you will have a first class ticket. We are using Thai Airways' special upgrade program for your pending trip, thus the reason why we also need to hold a business class reservation as well. The business class reservation will be cancelled once the tickets have been issued. Please note that a few working days is required for Thai Airways to authorize the upgrade.

You will receive the ticket by Saturday. We will send you the FEDEX tracking number once the tickets have been issued.

Regards,

I then sent this mail, which was not answered.

“Quite frankly, this seems shaky. Will I get miles for first class? I am also not comfortable waiting until Saturday to receive the ticket. I live in Mexico and arrive in San Francisco tomorrow night, then leave on Sunday for BKK. This leaves absolutely no room for error. And all of this to save $350 over the published price? It just doesn't seem worth it. And since obviously the upgrade from business will cost you less than regular first class, you make more money this way...what can you do to assure me that everything will be fine and that there is some added value in using your service?”

After several hours with no response, I called the representative (who I would like to name but I won’t). Her customer service attitude was really, really bad. Seems that TG had changed its deals with travel agents without notifying them and that they were waiting to hear back from TG because this was costing them money if they didn’t honor the upgrade arrangement, blah, blah, blah. She said she couldn’t guarantee when the ticket would be sent, whether I would get F or C miles, and went so far as to say when they heard back from Thai that we may have to talk about “splitting” the difference because it wasn’t fair that they hadn’t been notified of a change in the upgrade arrangements with travel agents when they quoted me the fare. I made a few comments about customer service and lasting impressions, and I was told I shouldn’t judge a company based on one transaction and that if I were flying to Australia or Europe I would be saving a lot of money. I asked what she could guarantee and she asked what I would like guaranteed. I said that they would send the ticket today or tomorrow and that everything was going to be fine. She said she would like to guarantee that but she couldn’t. I was about to cancel and go reserve and buy it with a travel agent but since they had my credit card info…and she said that she was going to hear back from TG this afternoon, we agreed to discuss it again tomorrow morning.

Naturally, it would have been so much easier just to pay the difference and buy this from a travel agent at the published fare and saved myself all this hassle and time, but “lo barato sale caro” as we say here. Live and learn. But I am really concerned about the fact I have no ticket, no assurances from them when I will get one and they have my credit card info. and can essentially do what they want with it.

Anybody have any experience with these people? Any advice?

[This message has been edited by Chilango1K (edited 09-10-2003).]