[Resolved]  Redbus — red bus tied up with fake operators shama sardar travels, stc holidays, kodaikanal

We had booked a ticket through red bus app for traveling from kodaikanal to chennai for 4 people.

Ticket information below

Travels : hyderabad express cargo services (A/c sleeper (2+1).
Boarding date : 02 may 2018
Boarding time : 18:30
Boarding point : bus stand
Boarding point details : shamasardartravels s t c holidays in front of r. R. Restaurant,
Boat house road, seven road junctions, kodaikanal,
[protected] [protected] [protected] [protected]
Ticket number : tm5v75480792
Pnr number : 53aus7bd

We called the bus operator on 02 may 2018 around 2 pm (Phone number: [protected]). As we were not booked ticket thro’ them, he lethargic specified that wait at boarding board as mentioned in the ticket.

We reached the boarding point around 5:30 pm (One hour before the schedule departure of the bus). We have enquired about the boarding point to the bus operator (Shama sardar travels, s t c holidays office). He checked the pnr status and told that they were not received any booking for this ticket. He advised us to contact red bus customer care.

When we showed our ticket, he told that you were booking in hyderabad express cargo services hence it now showing in our list. He also mentioned that hyderabad express cargo services bus operation to kodaikanal got cancelled from past few days. Now they are not operating any service from kodaikanal. He also told that he will cancel our tickets to get full refund and he will do the alternate arrangement. Till now, the ticket is not cancelled.

After checking the ticket availability for other buses, he told that there is no ticket available today from kodaikanal. But there are tickets available from batlagundu with good buses. Hence he suggests taking the bus from batlagundu which is 60 kms away from kodaikanal. He told that he will arrange separate cab from us to reach batlagundu for that we need to pay the additional cab charges.

When we called the red bus customer care, they have told us do the alternate arrangement to continue our journey and they will take this as compliant and resolve this issue within 24 hours by refund the ticket amount.

I have called the red bus customer care again on 4th may 2018 around 10 am to know the status of my compliant. They have specified that it is under process, they will provide response before end of the day.

As i didn’t get response from red bus, again i have called red bus customer care again on 5th may 2018 around 11 am to know the status of my compliant. They have specified that it is under process, they will provide response before end of the day. I asked them, how long i have to wait for the status. They have specified that it is under process, if required you can proceed with legal. Hence i am raising this issue in the consumer complaints forum before proceeding to legally.

My questions are

1. Hyderabad express cargo services stopped there bus operation to kodaikanal. Are they not informed the same to red bus?

2. When we called the bus operator on 02 may 2018 around 2 pm (Phone number:[protected]. He knows that hyderabad express cargo services stopped.
A. Why he is not informed the same?
B. Does the bus operator’s wants to create panic situation to customers and tried do their business (Cab business & booking new tickets thro’ their travel agency) using the red bus customers?
C. Our understanding is that this bus operator doesn’t have any operationable buses. Just he is doing business with red bus customer. Is red bus aware of this?

3. Red bus customer care executive told that do the alternate arrangement to continue our journey which means red bus is not trustable one and if you are booking tickets with red bus, we need to alternate arrangements too. Is it correct?

4. Till today, i am available to see the buses from kodaikanal to chennai with different fake travel names with same boarding address in red bus app. We guess this is a scam done by both red bus and bus operators. Red bus is aware of these fake travels/ bus operators and don’t want takes any action against them. Is it correct?

5. What is the liability of red bus for the mental torture incurred by us and the additional costs we had to bear because of denial of service by operators on their platform?

Lesson learnt:

This is a severe critical issue from red bus

1. Booking through red bus app is not trustable one. Before booking with red bus do the alternate arrangement/plan.

2. In future, we will not book our tickets through red bus. We would like suggest the same to all.