[Resolved]  MakeMyTrip — Amount deducted and not refunded for failed air ticket booking

Address:

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

On 8th June, 2011, I tried to book an airticket from Trivandrum to Bangalore by Indigo Airlines with www.makemytrip.com . I tried paying with my Icici bank credit card an amount of Rs.2,834/-. Due to low session timeout (a technical defect in makemytrip.com) the session was timed out and I received a mail from makemytrip.com with following details:
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Booking Unsuccessful
MakeMyTrip Booking ID -NF[protected]
Booking Date - Wed, 8 June 11
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Within a few minutes I received an alert from Icici bank that an amount of Rs.2,834/- was deducted from my credit card for the failed transaction. I immediately called the Customer Care division of makemytrip.com at[protected] and the Customer care representative informed me that the amount will be refunded shortly and there is no need to worry and transferred me to sales department for another booking. I was on hold for nearly 15 minutes and nobody from the sales department was responding to my calls. Since the flight was at 5.45 PM and since I had only 2 hours left, I tried the online booking again and it was successful. I received a booking confirmation mail from makemytrip.com with the following details:
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MakeMyTrip Booking ID -NF[protected]
Booking Date - Wed, 8 June 11
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A further amount of Rs.2,834/- was paid and the matter was again informed to their customer care. I informed icici bank credit card division regarding the debit for the failed transaction and to initiate a chargeback if makemytrip claimed the amount.

On 10th makemytrip claimed both the amounts and I called their customer care personnel Poonam Nagure (Call Reference No: 1106B05103) and she assured that the amount will be refunded within 48 hours. I received an e-mail from Chitra Jha (Reference No:[protected] stating the following:
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We have forwarded your concerned to our concerned department.We request you to wait for 48 working hours
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Till 13th evening there was no response from makemytrip and I send an e-mail again and here is the reply I got from Chitra Jha on 14th June, 2011:
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With reference to your email about the refund status for Booking ID IN1106B05103, we understand there has been a delay and we have forwarded your query to the concerned department. We request you to provide us 72 working hours to resolve the same. We will continue to follow up on the request to get your refund processed in due course.
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48 hours has been revised to 72 working hours...I have send them all the relevant details and called them several times and still they are not refunding the amount wrongly deducted from my account for a failed transaction.

1. How can they charge me for a failed transaction???
2. How can a customer rely on makemytrip.com. An e-mail send to [protected]@makemytrip.com bounced.
3. If we call their customer care department we need to explain the whole story again even after providing the Reference ID. I called Roopali on 13th and even after providing a reference Id she was unable to understand what the matter is??? From this we can understand the way Customer relationship is managed at makemytrip.com . They have no proper systems in place and there is lack of professionalism.
4. Just now I have send an e-mail to Chitra Jha that I will wait for 72 working hours. After that I am going to approach the media (including Press and Televison) to make the public aware of the dangers hidden while dealing with makemytrip.com and their lack of customer care. I am going to approach the consumer court too. I need to get a reply on how they have charged me for a failed transaction???
5. I received a e-mail from my bank on 13th, that they have initiated charge back proceedings on makemytrip.com for the false claim.
6. We need to think twice before dealing with makemytrip.com . They work like a government organization with inordinate delay in refunding an amount which they have falsely claimed for a failed transaction.
7. I am waiting for their reply to initiate further steps and I will inform this forum regarding further developments.

Shelley