Consumer body warns about EDreams as travel plans become nightmares

(Source: Bigstock)

Consumers in New Zealand have been warned against using online travel agency EDreams.

Watchdog Consumer NZ says it has received many complaints from Kiwi customers who have encountered difficulties in receiving refunds and support from the travel agency.

Headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, EDreams is an online agency that provides discounts on domestic and international flights, charter flights, low-cost airlines, hotels, car rentals, flexible packages, vacation packages, and travel insurance.

Consumer NZ suggests customers should book directly with airlines or use a New Zealand-based travel agent to ensure that issues can be resolved more quickly in the event that things go awry.

Alesha Canham booked flights with EDreams for a vacation with her toddler son and terminally ill partner. According to Consumer NZ, Canham spent weeks attempting to have her son’s name corrected after realising it was spelt incorrectly. However, EDreams was unable to fix the problem. Finally, Qatar Airways intervened and resolved the ticketing issue directly.

Consumer NZ also notes that there are numerous online posts from users who accuse EDreams of defrauding them.

“It can be very stressful when travel plans go wrong,” said Consumer investigative writer Rebecca Styles. 

“If you can’t get help and support from your travel agent, it makes a bad situation even worse. To prevent travel nightmares, we recommend you book with a New Zealand-based travel agent with a good reputation for customer service, or book directly with the airline.”

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