1time: I just want my money back

A Fin24 user is still trying to get his money back from 1time. He bought his tickets on October 11, 2012, barely a month before the low cost airline announced that it filed for liquidation and grounded all flights with immediate effect.

He writes:

I purchased a holiday package on October 11 2012 from 1time holidays. It was for December 4 to December 8 2012, from Johannesburg to Cape Town. I have attached the booking confirmation email also (received by Fin24), which I got after making an EFT payment from my FNB account.

Now the problem is, FNB is only helping those people who paid either through their credit cards or debit cards. They say that we need to contact 1time on below addresses:

Both of these numbers are not working and when I sent an email to br@1time.co.za, I recieve a reply:

An email to info@1time.co.za invokes this response:

All I want is to get my R14 268 back from 1time airlines.

My questions for 1time airlines are:

1. If they had planned to liquidate, why didn’t they give people’s money back before this decision?

2. Isn’t it a big fraud from a well known company?

3. Why didn’t they send any notification that my bookings no longer exist. I just went to their site and came to know that this had happened. It was a shock for me.

4. Now I have to do bookings from other websites again at higher prices as I have just one week left in my holiday time.

This is really frustrating. I just want my money back.

Other Fin24 users share his pain. One user wrote that he tried numerous avenues to try and get his money back, but he can "now say without a doubt that I will not be getting my money!".

"My first stop was the FNB branch at which I made the deposit. A consultant told me to email br@1time.co.za... I was redirected to info@1time.co.za."

He received the same response as above.

"I have also tried calling 1time on 01106868000, 0110868300 and on 011086800011 but on all occasions prerecorded voices would constantly tell me that my turn to speak to a consultant is close, but I would be left on hold for up to half an hour and until I decided to cut the call!

"I think by this one can see that we will not be receiving our money back and all the statements being released by 1time representatives are just fronts to try and keep us calm and to fool us in believing that we will receive our money back.

"This is heartbreaking for those who have saved up for their tickets, especially for students like myself!

Another Fin24 user writes: "I am one of the customers that paid in cash direct to the company's account.

"Shortly after the liquidation announcement, I was advised by 1time call centre staff to send an email to br@1time.co.za. They said this email goes directly to the business rescue people.

"I've found that 1time and the banks speak a different language... What a mess!"

FNB responds:

FNB is able to refund customers who purchased tickets on 1time using their credit, cheque or debit cards.

The refund will take place after the customer has requested a charge-back due to non-delivery by the merchant. The charge back (according to VISA rules) to the customer’s account takes place after the flight date has passed due to the requirement of non-delivery.

FNB (as per all the banks) is not able to reimburse customers who purchased tickets with cash, cheque or via EFT.

Unfortunately, these customers will only be able to recover their money via the liquidation process of the airline.

If you have purchased 1time flights using your FNB Cheque Account or FNB Savings Account, you can fill in the enclosed dispute form and send it and a copy of the unused flight ticket or flight confirmation to DebitCardDisputes@fnb.co.za or fax it to 011 371 4320.

- Fin24

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