- Tour package not delivered and booking amount not refunded ^Open

Dinesh kumar tyagi filed this complaint against Sotc Travel Limited on Aug 03, 2019

I booked a customized tour package “Wonders of Ladakh-*N/*D” on **th April, **** to visit Laddakh for ** travellers planned to be started from **th June **** based on quotation submitted by Mr Amol Patil (sales executive, SOTC) by paying an amount of ₹*****/- through online banking on account of booking advance. But the package was not delivered to me. Following is the brief history regarding the issue.
• Subsequent to payment, I was disappointed as I didn’t get any response regarding my booking details from SOTC even after making a no. of repeated reminders through email as well as call. I tried to contact Mr Amol and his boss Mr Amar many times but remained irresponsive on pre-notified contact details. When I contacted SOTC customer care initially I was informed that they (Mr Amol & his boss) belonged to a different office so could not be contacted. Later on, I was informed that they (Mr Amol & boss) had left the job and there was no record of my booking with customer care.
• After a lot of persuasions and follow up in the second week of June-**** customer care created a file “FS//********//FS******* and assigned a contact person. On **th June ****, I was informed by Ms Samreen that hotels being offered were not as per earlier quotation made during booking. In fact, offered hotels belonged to a lower grade package “Wonders of Ladakh-Cost Saver”. When I asked to offer the package as per earlier quotation then the extra cost was demanded. It made me further disappointed.
• On **th June ****, I wrote to all concerned officials (Mr Amar, Mr Aman, Ms Samreen & Mr Abdul) of SOTC to whom I could and also raised the issue at SOTC escalation level * (Mrs Dadwal) but I got no response. When I contacted Ms Samreen telephonically she told me that I had only two options i.e. “Either I pay an extra amount of ₹ *****/- to get the original offered package or take a full refund. I couldn’t expect that type of behaviour from SOTC like reputed firm which made me fully disappointed.
• Considering the shortage of time and experience of various communication with SOTC, I couldn’t take the risk. So I preferred to move for the second option of taking a full refund. Accordingly, I sent an email to communicate opting of a full refund on **rd June **** which was acknowledged by Ms Samreen but I didn’t get a refund. Then a reminder email was sent on **th June **** as well as repeated calls were made at customer care but I didn’t get any support response. Again an email was sent to SOTC on **th June **** for a refund but still, I didn’t get any response.
• It made me full of tense as the tour was preplanned with booked flight tickets and I had to manage it in **th hour by paying too much extra cost as well as full of tension. Being a senior scientific officer in a reputed PSU, I can’t expect this type of behaviour/cheat because I never make deals with unreputed companies.
• Thereafter during the journey, an email was received from SOTC official Mr Abdul informing about the applicability of ₹*****/- against cancellation charge. It was a big setback to me as I opted SOTC offered option due to failure of SOTC to provide quoted package and I was entitled to get a full refund.
• On *th July ****, I wrote to customer care and subsequently raised the issue of a refund at SOTC escalation level-*, level-* & level-* in the second week of July but didn’t get any adequate response. They only refunded Rs **,***/- on ** August ****. I strongly believe that it is a designed model of SOTC to cheat the consumers by offering good tour packages during the booking and demanding extra money during starting of the journey. If consumer resists their unfair trade practice then they will offer the full refund but deduct cancellation charge.
As a consumer, I have been victimised by SOTC and I rightfully claim;
• For refund of balance Rs **,***/- with interest and compensation of ₹ *****/- against financial loss incurred in making own arrangements at **th hour on escalated cost in peak season because of SOTC.
• For compensation of ₹**,***/- per person for mental harassment caused due to misconduct and irresponsible behaviour of SOTC team e.g. sales team member not traceable. Asking for an extra cost to provide offered package, not confirming booking till last day and not responding to refund request etc.

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