Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/06/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to file a formal complaint against this company regarding their unfair cancellation policy. The policy in question imposes a charge of $50 per person if a cancellation occurs less than 30 days from the scheduled date, and I believe this policy to be unjust and detrimental to consumers. In my case this has resulted in a $250 charge to my family of 5. In my specific case I tried cancelling this booked excursion 28 days before the scheduled trip. They said I could not, I could only reschedule, so I changed the date. Unfortunately, this day ended up being an issue as well, so I called to cancel 49 days before the excursion, and they said the 30 days is from the original date we booked??? I understand that businesses need to protect their interests and mitigate potential losses. However, I strongly believe that the current cancellation policy goes beyond what is fair and reasonable. Imposing such a substantial fee for cancellations made within 30 days of the event fails to consider the uncertainties of life and the genuine reasons that may necessitate a cancellation. The policy was not clear upon booking and rebooking. The charge of $50 per person appears to be arbitrary and excessive. It does not accurately reflect the actual costs or damages incurred by Owl Rafting on the Ottawa River due to a cancellation. This exorbitant fee seems more like a way to generate additional revenue at the expense of customers, rather than a legitimate measure to offset the company's losses. I have attempted to resolve this issue directly with Owl Rafting but have not received a satisfactory response. Therefore, I am turning to the ****** ******** ****** in the hopes that you can mediate this dispute and advocate for a fair resolution. Thank you for your attention to this complaint. I trust that the ****** ******** ****** will take appropriate action to address the unfair cancellation policy of Owl Rafting on the Ottawa River and safeguard the rights of consumers.

  Business Response

  Date: 22/06/2023

  Hello, 

  OWL Rafting's online bookings require payment in full. OWL Rafting's over the phone bookings allow for a $50/person/rafting day deposit to hold a rafting booking up until 30 days before the rafting trip when the full balance is due. Once the full balance is due the cancellation policy is in full effect and the rafting booking is subject to a $50/person/day cancellation fee applies to cancellations. Within 7 days of a rafting trip OWL Rafting does not allow for any refunds or transfers of date. 

  ******** ******* booked her rafting trip online on March 9th 2023 for a Soft Adventure Rafting Day Trip on Sunday July 16th, 2023. 

  March 13th, 2023 ******** called the OWL Rafting office to make a change to her booking and moved the date to Sunday June 25th, 2023. As her booking was more then 30 days away this change was within the policy and permitted.

  On May 29th 2023 ******** ******* called the OWL Rafting office and requested to cancel her rafting booking. She was informed that as the 30 day payment window had passed she would be able to cancel with a partial refund. She was told the $50/person/rafting day cancellation fee would be applied and the remaining balance could be refunded. ******** requested to speak to a ******* and had this policy reinforced by the *******. The ******* informed her that OWL Rafting allows for transfers of date up until 7 days before the rafting trip as an alternative. ******** said she needed to think about it and find another date. She called on May 31st to rebook her trip to Sunday July 30th 2023. 

  June 12th 2023 ******** ******* called to cancel her rafting trip. A flag had been put on her account as a transfer of date had been allowed informing that a cancellation fee would be in effect as the 30 day rafting date window had closed on her June 25th booking. ******** ******* protested the fee and was told that OWL Rafting would allow another transfer of date but once the 30 day window closed once it would be in effect on her booking. ******** ******* chose to cancel her booking. The cancellation fee applied and was charged. 

  OWL Rafting has had this policy in place for over 30 years.It was developed as customers often viewed OWL as an amusment park and would think they booked a ticket as opposed to a specific seat on a limited trip. OWL Rafting does consider special circumstances: a loss in the family and medical emergencies when a cancellation is requested however in this case ******** ******* expressed her situation was due to other commitments on the same date. OWL Rafting has a limited number of rafting spots on each trip and when these spots are booked and cancelled it is possible we had turned others away in place of the cancelled spots. For this reason we have a cancellation policy. 

  We would have happily rebooked ******** however she opted to cancel. 

  Sincerely, 

  ******* *****

  Customer Answer

  Date: 23/06/2023

  
  Complaint: 20176182
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Thank you for your response.

  I did not know that after I rebooked my trip that the 30 days counted from the beginning date that I booked?  It does not say that online and I did not have that communicated to me.  I think the 28 days that I gave initially was enough time to fill the spot.  The more than 30 days I gave for the other date was also enough time to book someone else.

  Your policy needs to be updated with the proper wording.  I would appreciate the $250 refund.

  Sincerely,
  
  ******** *******