Denied Boarding: How a Family Secured a Full Refund
Denied boarding on their international flight, a family turned to the PissedConsumer Club for guidance and successfully secured a full refund.
When travel plans go wrong, finding a resolution can often feel like an uphill battle. For one family, their journey from Nigeria to Birmingham in October 2024 turned into a frustrating experience when they were denied boarding at the airport. Fortunately, with guidance from the PissedConsumer Club, they were able to secure a full refund.
This is a story of how this successful outcome happened.
The Issue: Denied Boarding
A family of three had booked their flights through eDreams, with Air France as the operating airline. On the day of travel, they arrived at the airport with what they believed were all the necessary documents—Nigerian passports and UK visas. Yet, they were told they couldn’t board their flight due to a missing transit visa.
“There was no clear communication from the eDreams team and the airline that a transit visa was a prerequisite for the booking. The team failed us in this respect.” - says the author of the review on PissedConsumer.com.
Calls to eDreams’ customer service brought no solutions, only dismissive responses. Meanwhile, the airline staff at the airport reportedly handled the situation with a lack of empathy, raising their voices and further distressing the family. What should have been an exciting journey turned into a traumatic experience, especially for the children.
Seeking Justice
Travel disputes like this highlight the critical importance of clear communication between companies and their customers. In this case, the lack of clarity regarding the transit visa requirement left the consumer feeling betrayed and questioning the trustworthiness of the booking platform and airline.
Initially, the consumer sought a full refund of £1,590.99 from eDreams but they dismissed their request. Frustrated by the lack of accountability, the traveler turned to PissedConsumer Club to seek guidance and advocacy for a resolution.
Persistence Pays Off
Following the consumer’s request, the PissedConsumer Club experts provided them with a guide for contacting both companies. As a result, eDreams denied the claim, pointing the family back to the airline. AirFrance apologized and requested the traveler’s account details to solve the issue. Unfortunately, the refund appeared to be partial—for just one of the three tickets. It seemed like a small victory but was far from the resolution the family had hoped for.
PissedConsumer Club didn’t stop there. Having the member’s consent, they followed up with Air France, navigating the company’s complex refund processes. The airline representative was helpful during the call and confirmed that to recover the rest of the funds, additional refund requests needed to be filed for the other two tickets. With the platform’s guidance, the family submitted the requests and, finally, saw their efforts rewarded. They received a full refund for all three tickets.
“PissedConsumer Club has been helpful in resolving the consumer issue I had,” the traveler said. “Very useful company. Thank you very much.”
Lessons Learned
This case highlights a critical gap in how some companies communicate travel requirements. Transparency isn’t just about following regulations—it’s about preventing moments like this, where a lack of clarity leads to unnecessary stress, financial loss, and damaged trust.
For consumers, the story underscores the importance of persistence. Documenting every interaction, following up consistently, and seeking external help when needed can make all the difference in achieving a fair outcome.
