40 families await refunds from travel agency over bogus offers
dubai — Scores of residents are up in arms against a travel and tourism company headquartered in Bur Dubai, claiming it was refusing to refund thousands of dirhams in membership fees.
Complainants said they had been chasing the company for repayments since November 2017. The Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) is currently investigating the complaints.
The complainants alleged they have not been able to avail a “single benefit” offered by the company. The membership packages included hotel stays in fourand five-star hotels, free gym memberships in leading fitness centres, and discounted air tickets in some cases.
The packages had a 10-year validity, depending on the number of holidays availed.
Residents said when they tried to claim the holidays, the company refused to honour agreements.
Several complainants approached Khaleej Times with copies of contracts with the company, legal notices issued to it, and complaint letters addressed to the DED.
“I paid Dh18,500 for a 105day package using my credit card in January. I converted the payment into easy monthly instalments and am still repaying the credit card debt,” said Dubaibased Aniqua Ekram.
“Many residents made the payments through credit cards. We are still repaying in instalments,” said Sameer Panjwani Ali.
Dubai resident Alwyn Mendonca said: “I realised there were others like me after someone posted a WhatsApp messenger link. That is when I realised there were over 40 of us. There could be more. We have been trying to raise awareness.”
Complainants said they were charged anything between Dh4,000 to Dh40,000 and were promised a 100- to 150-day holiday packages to any destination in the world. “I was told I could avail a six- to sevenday stay at any given time, except Christmas,” said Ekram.
Once the pressure from complainants began building, the managers of the company began writing refund promise dates on the company letterheads.
Daisy Mali, a complainant, said: “We have been following up since April this year. They gave us dates of refund in July but did not honour them.
“They cited reasons like no business, etc. for not releasing our refund amount of Dh30,000. We
received Dh2,000 during the second week of August.”
The complainants have pinned their hopes on the DED, and are hoping they will be repaid as soon as possible.
I converted the payment into easy monthly instalments and I am still repaying the credit card debt.
Aniqua Ekram
Many residents made the payments through credit cards. We are still repaying in instalments.
Sameer Panjwani Ali
I realised there were others like me after someone posted a Whatsapp messenger link.
Alwyn Mendonca