Don't be donkeys, don't help scammers. How Garuda Indonesia and Aviakassa.com tricked us.

On December 2019, I bought 7 tickets of Garuda Indonesia airline for a total amount of $1660. The airline changed this flight several times, and then Indonesia was closed for foreign tourists because of COVID. The ticket was bought on aviakassa.com, which refused to help in negotiations with Garuda Indonesia.

I immediately refunded the canceled flights to my customers and expected to receive money back from Garuda. Starting from August 2020, I have been trying to get the money back (by money or at least by voucher), but the airline keeps coming up with new reasons for refusal. One of the requirements, for example: to send ALL copies of the passports of all passengers.

But that is not all. Later I received a letter that ... my flight was simply postponed - from August to ...December!

I was faced in 2020 with many flight cancellations and refunding dozens of tickets, but no one airline in the world behaves like Garuda. I will list my claims:

1) Passengers have nothing to do with refunds, since the money for the tickets was paid from my card. Garuda airline did not require me to attach copies of passports when buying tickets, but now, when it's time to refund, it requires.

2) In accordance with legislation, I have no right to send anybodies the copies of my clients' passports, since the contract with them has been terminated.

I see no reason to sue, as it will take too much time. However, I think this is exactly what Garuda is counting on, refusing to refund. For me, $1660 is a lot of money, and the travel community has to know about the scam.

It is extremely interesting that tripadviser.com refused to publish this review, citing the fact that they "only provide reviews based on substantial experiences". So for tripaviser, stealing by Garuda Indonesia $1660 is not a substantial experience? Hardly. I think the reason is different: the largest national avia company in Indonesia just asked tripadviser to remove this review.

I understand that now is a difficult time, and many companies are simply drowning, including Garuda and aviakassa.com. But don't be donkeys, don't help scammers, do not use the services of these companies.

Dmitry Chernyakhovskiy, Secret Meridian, Sept 2020.