Booking flights online can be a gamble, and sometimes, the promise of cheap tickets comes with hidden costs and headaches. My experience with ASAP Tickets serves as a stark warning for anyone considering using their services. While my first booking with them in 2019 went smoothly, my recent attempt to book flights to Egypt turned into a two-month ordeal filled with frustration, anger, and near disaster. This ASAP travel review details why you might want to pay a little extra and book directly with the airline.
Flight Cancellation Chaos and Zero Communication
Initially lured by a cheap price for flights to Egypt for four people, I booked through ASAP Tickets. Everything seemed fine until I decided to check my flight status directly on the airline’s website. To my shock, I discovered that my flight was cancelled. The real problem? ASAP Tickets hadn’t bothered to inform me. No email, no call, nothing. It was only through my own initiative that I uncovered this critical issue.
The Rebooking Fee Trap and Customer Service Nightmares
Upon contacting ASAP Tickets, I was met with a demand for a rebooking fee of around $400. They claimed that because one of the final legs of the journey was cancelled, the entire ticket for all four passengers would be forfeited unless I paid this hefty fee. This was despite their website advertising “free exchange” – a blatant misrepresentation in my experience. When I contacted the airline directly to try and rebook, they informed me that because the ticket was purchased through ASAP, they couldn’t make any changes. I was trapped in ASAP’s system.
Forced to rebook through ASAP, the options presented were far from ideal. They initially booked me on a flight with a ridiculously short 50-minute layover in Chicago O’Hare for an international connection – a recipe for missed flights and further complications. Despite requesting an earlier flight, they refused unless I paid even more money.
Weeks of Yelling and Still No Resolution
What followed were weeks of frustrating calls with ASAP Tickets’ customer service. Politeness got me nowhere. It was only when I resorted to yelling and escalating my complaints that I finally saw some movement. After dealing with numerous unhelpful agents, one finally rebooked me through Denver to Montreal, but still not on the earlier flight I had initially requested via Chicago.
Weeks later, I received another email, this time from Air Canada, informing me that my connection time was still too short! It took further intervention from ASAP to finally rebook me on the original early morning flight to Chicago that I had wanted from the start. Two months of constant arguing and stress, and the issue was only resolved because Air Canada changed their departure time.
Airport Chaos and a Near Miss Disaster
The problems didn’t end there. Upon arriving at the airport for my finally “resolved” flight, I discovered that my flight to Denver (the supposed new connection city at one point) was cancelled! Fortunately, I had already been rebooked back through Chicago, but this highlighted how close I came to complete travel chaos. Had I not been rebooked to Chicago, I would have been stranded, likely missing my organized tour in Egypt. I was also informed that if I had missed my initial impossible connection, the airline would have offered no assistance, and I would have been forced to contact ASAP again, likely facing more fees and delays.
Customer Service Failures and a Clear Warning
My experience with ASAP Tickets was nothing short of a disaster. The customer service was abysmal, with many agents seemingly based overseas and unwilling or unable to resolve issues effectively. They are quick to sell you a ticket but disappear when problems arise. Their advertised “free exchange” is misleading, and their handling of flight cancellations is unacceptable.
Stay away from ASAP Tickets. While the initial price might seem tempting, the potential for stress, hidden fees, and travel disruptions is simply not worth it. Pay the extra and book directly with a reputable airline. You’ll save yourself a lot of headaches and potentially salvage your travel plans. This asap travel review is a testament to the fact that sometimes, cheaper isn’t better, especially when it comes to travel.
