UPDATE FROM ASHWIN (dated 20th Jan. 2013):
“Well i have received the refund. Well done Yatra, now this does give me the confidence to undertake future Yatra’s through you :))”
added by Asha Chaudhry
Editor
20/1/2013 – 9.35am
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I had booked a Kingfisher Flight flight (Mumbai-Delhi) for 9th Dec 2012 through www.yatra.com. The flight got cancelled due the reasons know to all. I received a call from the Customer Care of yatra saying that the refund will be processed in a week. But till date i’m waiting for the refund. In fact there has been no communication from yatra its me who is doing the follow up they do not bother to keep me informed about it.
Status: Still waiting for the refund.
Now take this for comparison:
I had booked a connecting Jet Airways flight (Delhi-Bagdogra) for 9th December 2012 through www.makemytrip.com. I cancelled this ticket 1hr 45 min before the departure of the flight normally you need to cancel 2 hrs before the flight. I called up the customer care number at around 9.50 am the departure from Delhi was at 11.35 am. The Customer Care was so good that they helped me with the entire process when i explained how i was unable to find my ticket number. Not for a moment did they tell me that you are late and hence the ticket will not be cancelled, they could have very well said so. Now some would say why did i not cancel earlier. All this while i was of the view that the ticket is non refundable. But my sister who was taking the same flight on her way to the airport messaged me saying it is non refundable, then i sprung into action. To be very frank i was not very hopeful that my ticket will be cancelled.
Status: Refund processed within a fortnight without any followup.
Apart from mailing yatra. I have send tweets to @TheVijayMallya, @flykingfisher and @YatraHolidays. In response to one of my tweets i get the following response from Yatra.
The mail says untill KF pays them i shall not get the refund. Now when the entire flight was cancelled how can the company keep the money. Isn’t this cheating??
Best part is yatra tells me that i should call them up if i want an update on the status of the refund. Now isn’t that the duty/obligation of the company to do so.
After the experience i have had i would strongly advice using services of www.makemytrip.com for their excellent customer service and high standards of quality they adhere to. Clearly avoid yatra.
However i have written to Dhruv CEO Yatra today let me see what response do i get. Not very hopeful though.