[PA71]

I am so glad I found this site as I am at the end of my tethers with Emirates and a booking that has taken over 2 weeks and is not yet completed.

Two weeks ago I rang Emirates to make a booking for my family of two adults and 2 infants. After being cut off a few times I was told that only one infant is allowed per booking, otherwise one of the infants will have tyo purchase a full seat! I suggested that he makes two bookings, one for one adult and one baby and other the same. The reservations were made and I rang the next day to pay but their system rejected my credit card. I called my credit card company who said they have had no request and everything is fine from their end. So I called Emirates again and they told me to call back the next day while they investigate. I rang the next day and no one knew why this was happening. Finally they speculated that it could be due to making two separate bookings while third party payments are not allowed. So they suggested I make a single booking for the 4 of us! I mentioned that's what I had intended to do but was told I would have to pay a full seat for a child. Apparently that was not true so the chap made me another booking for four people.
I then paid for the ticket and there was again a problem with my card. They went away to investigate and apparently the error was from their end and the tickets were issued the next day and emailed to me. I reviewed the ticket only to find that they had got the wrong dates (February instead of April)!!! So I rang back to have it changed and they said it would cost me $50 per change, which would be a lot for 4 tickets. I was sure that I gave the correct dates as I had them on paper in front of me when I rang. So they went away again to investigate (listen to our telephone conversations) and they agreed the mistake was from their side. So they voided the booking with the mistaken dates and made me another booking with the correct dates.

Anyway, this is where the problems really began because they had taken the money from my credit card and I do not have more credit to pay for the new booking until the money from the first booking is refunded. They said it would take 3-4 working days but I have now waited 8 working days and still waiting.

In the meantime, the keep extending the time for the booking, but this means I have to call every couple of days to extend this until the money appears back into my credit card account. Each time I phone I speak to a new person, who then puts me on hold to check with a supervisor and each time I am at least 20-30 minutes on the line.

I am extremely frustrated and angry because it never occurs to them to at least call me instead. Oh and I was told they can not guarantee the same price they first quoted me because as we approach the flight date then ticket prices increase! This is all through no fault of my own. I have spent so much time and money calling them for what should have been a simple booking had it been dealt with competently by Emirates staff.

I have sent an email to theit UK affairs complaint address detailing everything that took place but haven't heard bac. And if you are wondering why I insist on flying with them, it's because they are the only flight to Dubai where I intend to stay on my way to my destination.

I wonder, will they do anything to compensate me for the time and money I lost calling them and the inconvenience and annoyance they caused? I doubt it. They might even give me a more expensive price now on top of everything. It's a complete disgrace and I have never had so much trouble making a simple booking with any other airline.