Poster: A snowHead
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I would like to warn all snowheads about the misleading website and appalling service of a company called Connecttotansfers.com (the “Company”) which advertises the provision of private car transfers from 345 airports in 51 countries.
The Company’s website comes up at, or near, the top of the results of an internet search for private airport transfers from European airports. The website is in English, entirely plausible and offers a London (0208) telephone number. However, the company behind the website is Connecto Mare d.o.o, based in Croatia.
The Company claims on its website to have a fleet of standard or luxury vehicles and dedicated drivers – “All our drivers are experienced professionals in possession of all necessary licences while all our vehicles are new and in great condition”. The reality is that the Company merely operates a online platform, taking bookings and then sub-contracting the work to local taxi drivers, who may or may not turn up at the appointed time.
I booked a private car transfer with the Company from Geneva Airport, in Switzerland to Les Gets, in France, on Tuesday 29 January, with a return journey from Les Gets to Geneva Airport on Saturday 2 February.
I made the booking by phone on 11 January 2019. I received an email confirmation from the Company on the same day and gave credit card details to secure the booking.
Our flight arrived at Geneva Airport on time on 29 January 2019. The driver was not in the arrivals hall to meet us, as promised. After 3 phone calls, the driver arrived, some 40 minutes late.
Our return journey was worse. I received an email confirmation on 1 February 2019, confirming the time and location of the pick up in Les Gets and the time and other details of our flight from Geneva Airport. Just after 5pm on 2 February, the appointed pick up time, I had a call from the Company saying that no car or driver was available and advising me to “make alternative arrangements”. I pointed out that this would be difficult, if not impossible, at 5pm on a Saturday evening in a ski resort and that I would almost certainly miss my flight. The caller refused to accept liability for the cost of missed flights or overnight hotel accommodation, if necessary. I was told to file a complaint and claim for compensation with the Company by email.
We eventually managed to book a taxi but had to wait nearly two hours before we were picked up. As a result, we missed our flight and had to buy seats on a later flight to London at a cost of CHF 350. This cost was directly caused by the Company’s failure to provide the car and driver booked some three weeks earlier and confirmed by email the previous day. If the Company had warned me earlier in the day, either by email or by phone, that it would be unable to fulfil the booking, I might have been able to make alternative arrangements.
I have called and emailed the Company several times over the last 4 weeks, seeking an apology and compensation. I have not received any response – no apology, no explanation, no denial of liability and no compensation. The Company clearly has a complete disregard for customers and for the stress, upset and additional expense arising from their appalling and cavalier attitude to customer service.
I have since discovered from internet searches that my experience is not unusual.
The Company’s website is at best deliberately misleading, at worse fraudulent.
Please pass on the warning to others.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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thanks for the heads up
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Angryskier, If you want this warning to be searchable you have misspelt the company name.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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You should be able to make a partial claim against your credit card company for the payment you have made to the transfer company. You have paid for a service you haven't received.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Angryskier wrote: |
and gave credit card details to secure the booking.
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go file a section 75 claim with credit card company then.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Andyhoth wrote: |
You should be able to make a partial claim against your credit card company for the payment you have made to the transfer company. You have paid for a service you haven't received. |
Not just a partial claim. Make a full claim!
It’s highly unlikely “the company” will respond to the challenge. These flight by night companies typically only profit by scamming the “easy marks” who don’t file claims.
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Thanks very much for the heads up, so easy for anybody to get taken in nowadays by scammers with fancy websites that appear legit. Glad you got home and I hope the credit card issuer will refund you.
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Instead of trying to save a few quid by going through someone you've never heard of, you will get a much better service if you book direct with one of the established companies. Sorry, I have no sympathy, you get what you pay for.
For Les Gets, Skiidygonzales are the masters and pretty tough to beat on price.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@bar shaker, so going for a bargain means you should expect to be completely let down? What a horrible attitude.
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@bar shaker, bit harsh there. I think the point @Angryskier, is making is that the company that let him down gave every appearance of being an established operator. In fairness many of us visit different resorts each year and it's very difficult to know who the "established operators" are so many resort to a google search to find a transfer. Of course a SH search is generally more reliable but not everyone will know that!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Angryskier, sounds like a bad experience with them. I've used them a few times from Salzburg and Innsbruck and found them excellent on each occasion.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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leggyblonde wrote: |
@bar shaker, so going for a bargain means you should expect to be completely let down? What a horrible attitude. |
When you put more people in the chain, to reduce the cost, the odds of being let down increase dramatically, yes.
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@bar shaker, that's not what you said previously And its still a crappy attitude
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You know it makes sense.
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bar shaker,
Ridiculous, awful, unhelpful response.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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bar shaker wrote: |
For Les Gets, Skiidygonzales are the masters and pretty tough to beat on price. |
I echo this, Skiidy have been superb when I've used them. For New Year week I think we paid about £450 for a private minibus (Renault Traffic type thing) from GVA to Avoriaz and back. Brilliant service, nice staff and all in all very easy. Only slight negative is having to pay full whack on booking, which means you may be exposed if they were to go pop (depending how you pay). Also something that I didn't have an issue with (but some may) is that the sub-out to people on occasion. E.g I'd booked a shared transfer with them but they didn't have enough bookings for the outward leg, so they passed it on the Action Transfers instead. Still the same service but some people get funny with stuff like that.
I think that, in the case of price comparison type sites, there is definitely a risk to some budget operators and I'd always look to google the name of a company before hand (as I did with Skiidy) to see what reviews are like, particularly in relation to how they deal with problems.
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