Anita Auerback

Feb 17, 2023

Gate1 reached out and resolved my problem!

My previous review: I was formerly a big fan of Gate1 travel and always recommended them to friends and family. I have gone on 3 trips with them and was looking forward to many more. I was booked to go to India on February 22 and was very excited about the trip. I had paid in full but did not take any trip insurance. At the time I made my final payment, there were no health issues and I was ready to go. Unfortunately, on January 20, 2023, my previously healthy brother was diagnosed with melanoma and I had to cancel the trip as I am his primary caregiver. I did not want any money back - but rather was hoping I could just apply the amount I had paid to a future trip. Unfortunately, Gate1 was completely inflexible and told me I qualified for a refund of only 50%. I recognize that all of this could have been avoided had I taken out the insurance. But I honestly felt that the company could have bent the rules and helped me out, but that is not the case. Fortunately, there are lots of other travel companies and I will be taking my travel dollars and spending them elsewhere. In the short run, Gate1 may have saved less than $2,000 by not giving me a full refund or applying the funds to a future trip but they will lose at least $50,000 in potential revenue. I will note that the person I spoke with on the phone was very sympathetic, but ultimately it made no difference. I am very disappointed in what I previously thought was a great company. Instead of singing their praises, I will make sure to tell people NOT to use them. Update: The Gate1 people did in fact, call me and rectified the situation. By that time I had received the refund for 50% of the trip. The person I spoke to reviewed my account and saw that I had been a loyal customer and agreed to apply the remaining portion to a future trip, so I am not out of pocket. I felt it was important to provide the follow-up here and tell the whole story. Looking forward to travelling with Gate1 again!