We had booked a package for Singapore and Langkawi (Malaysia) from Youngistan Travellers through Travel Triangle. After discount the package was amount to be paid was fixed at Rs.1,88,225/-. Our ...
package was booked and the initial payment was made on 25th August 2016. It was for a trip from 7th October 2016 to 15th October 2016.
Our stress started the moment our flight vouchers were issued. We were shocked to see that the flights which were selected were not booked and they had changed the flights without our consent. When we rejected the voucher there was no response from either Youngistan Travellers or from Travel Triangle (It is important to note that all the payments were made to Travel Triangle). Ultimately we had to call them and inform about the discrepancy. But then they said now it was not possible to change the tickets as they were already booked. In Kuala Lumpur we had only 1 hour to do our immigration check and get our self transferred from International airport to the domestic airport and board our Langkawi flight.
Thereafter on 9th September 2016 at around 3.00 pm, Mr. Anshul sent and email to send him the photographs and forms for Visa. Thereafter on the next day i.e. 10th September 2016, Mr. Anshul called me and told me that I should send the visa forms, our passports and photographs as soon as possible as the Malaysian Visa fees was going to increase from 15th September 2016 and they would have to incur extra expenses. The documents had to be sent to an agency in Delhi called Visawale. It is important to note that he never mentioned that the said additional expenses would have to be borne by us. I informed him that my sister was out of town and we will be able to send it only after she comes back. My sister even spoke to Mr. Anshul on 13th September 2016 before despatching the documents and he said that we should send it and even if they receive the documents on 14th September 2016, they will process the visa. She also informed him that if he wants our sister would be in Delhi and will be able to collect the passports, he said that they were only going to process the Malaysian Visa in Delhi, the Singapore Visa would be applied in Mumbai and their agents would deliver the passports to us in Mumbai itself. On 14th September 2016, my sister received a call from Visawale’s office and she was informed by the person that since the passports were issued in Mumbai they will not be able to process the Visa in Delhi. She informed him that Mr. Anshul had asked us to send the documents to them and he should call him once and speak to him or even she would call Mr. Anshul and speak to him. He said that he will speak to his senior and get back to her till then she should wait. After speaking to his senior the person called her up and said that there was no need to speak to Mr. Anshul and they will file the application but the Visa would be issued in Mumbai.
After a day or 2, Mr Anshul called me up and told me that I had to pay Rs.6000/- as our photographs were not proper and our visa was rejected. Now since the new fees was applicable we had to pay it to him. We had got the photographs from Kodak and were sure that there was no problem in the said photographs. Mr. Anshul told us that he had got the photographs modified, which is highly unbelievable. He said that he had modified my photograph from the one sent to him by whatsapp. But on enquiring about how he modified my sisters photograph he had no answer.
Let me tell you we had to pay Rs.6000/- as both Travel triangle and Mr. Anshul of Youngistan Travellers insisted that we should pay it. Having already paid Rs. 1,88,225/- we had to pay the extra amount to them.
We made all are payments as per schedule. Inspite of that we were sent several emails from Travel triangle for balance payment which had already been made.
Both TRAVEL TRIANGLE and YOUNGISTAN TRAVELLER did not respond to us and left us at the mercy of their travel partner RED APPLE TRAVEL when we were in Singapore.
Their travel partner RED APPLE TRAVEL Singapore were disastrous in providing services. Youngistan travellers had booked our flights from Malaysia to Singapore on 11th October 2016 and on reaching the hotel there was a pick up for night safari. The pickup from Singapore airport on 11th October 2016 was scheduled to be at 16:30PM. But there was no one to pick us up. Hence we contacted Red Apple Travel helpline and informed them that the driver was not there. We were told that “the driver will come there just stand near the information desk”. Since the driver it was18.00 pm and the driver was still not there we again tried calling them up but the calls were not answered. All the calls were directed on voice mail. Ultimately the driver arrived at 18:20PM.
We tried calling Mr. Anshul but he did not answer the call, even other person from Youngistan Travellers were not ready to help. They said that “Anshul is on leave”.
TRAVEL TRAINGLE was really bad, Mr. NISHANT from TRAVEL TRAINGLE who was our coordinator never bothered to reply or answer our calls or reply any query sent on whatsapp or on the Travel Traingle chat app provided on their website. The message sent on whatsapp on 11th of October 2016 at 15:33PM was answered on 12th October 2016 at 20:58PM asking us which was the agent from whom I had booked the package.
Further, as per our itinerary we were supposed to go to the Night Safari at 18:15PM on the same day (11th October 2016) from the hotel. Since the pick up was delayed and the person came at 18.20 pm, we requested Mr Prabhu of RED APPLE Travel to reschedule the NIGHT Safari. Initially he told that it is not possible and insisted that we should go from the airport itself. He even told us that we must contact our Indian agent and not to contact RED APPLE if we want to reschedule the night safari. After that when we again called him then he said to Pay 75 Singapore Dollar to change the date.
On 13th Oct 2016 we had booked RIVER SAFARI including Amazon River Quest Boat Ride and Cruise Ride at River Safari. But when entered the park we were informed that they had closed Amazon River Quest Boat Ride for maintenance and the same notice was published on their website also. We had to bear the cost with no ride.
Further, as per the itinerary of 14th Oct 2016 we had WOT, S&L RIDE at Sentoza. The scheduled pickup was at 13:45PM. We called the RED APPLE Travel office in the morning asking for the drivers number to coordinate, but they refused to share any details. At around 14.00 pm we called them up to check what time the driver would come they said we had to wait in the hotel lobby and the driver was on his way. Thereafter when we called them again 14.30 pm, they did not answer. Fortunately the driver arrived around 14:35PM at the hotel. When the driver came and saw our itinerary he was amazed, he said that the S&L RIDE will get over in half an hour and the WOT ticket which the RED APPLE has given was of 20:40PM this means the free time we had between the two, ride and show, was more than 4 hours. On reaching Sentoza we enquired at the counter if the show timings can be changed but they said only the agent who has booked the ticket can change. As per the Sentoza there are no charges for changing the show timing. If the seats are available it can be done by the agent. So we called RED APPLE to the horror again it was Mr Prabhu. According to him he had booked some cheap tickets for us therefore he will not be able to change the timing. But for your information the standard rate for the tickets was 18SGD. At the same time Anshul called saying that he will try to sort and that the RED APPLE will call me and sort my issue but till date I have not received any calls from RED APPLE. We completed the S&L RIDE ride at 16:00 PM and had to wait in Sentosa for the show for more that 4 hours. Our entire day was wasted due to their mismanagement.
We feel that the services provided by both these agencies were not up to mark and deficient. Their partner agent was worst to interact with. When we plan a vacation it is for leisure and not for stress and the amount of stress given to us by these three agencies in this trip was enormous. Hope this is helpful and no one falls a prey to them again.