Does Buyer's Protection apply to flight tickets?

[marcoaita]

Hi, In Jan 2022 I booked a flight (from Chile to Peru) from Lastminute.com, for £159.97, via PayPal. In February, the airline Latam cancelled the flight. I asked Lastminute.com for a refund (Latam would not deal with me directly, they refer to the travel agent for refunds). In March Lastminute offered a refund of £8.54, which I refused. I asked PayPal to intervene and apply the Buyer's Protection, PP first contacted Lastminute (without giving me any detail of the information exchanged) and then refused the claim saying that "the purchase is ineligible for PayPal's Buyer Protection in accordance with our User Agreement". I complained that nowhere in the Buyer's Protection policy or in the User Agreement is stated that flight tickets are not covered, but have received no reply/explanation from PP. Is this normal??

[PayPal_JonK]

Hello @marcoaita, 

Welcome to the PayPal Community! I'm sorry a recent purchase for plane tickets hasn't gone exactly as expected. I wasn't able to find an exclusion in our Purchase Protection for airplane tickets, so please accept my sincerest apology for your experience so far. I would recommend reaching out to our Customer Support teams via Facebook PM or Twitter DM to see what appeal options are available. 

Good luck with your dispute!

 - Jon K

[marcoaita]

Hi PayPal_JonK,

Thanks for your message. It has been very difficult to talk to PP. Initially I got incoherent (bots?) answers to my messages then the unexpected email declining my claim. A few days ago I tried to complain again through the internal messaging system. I received no answer and my message seem to have disappeared.. Email doesn't work either (replying to PP emails is not accepted). No email is available on the web site to contact customer service - but in a survey I am asked if I am going to email PP  (???).

I just sent a message through Facebook but I am not expecting much. PP doesn't seem really interested in doing a good job.. 😞

[kernowlass]

@marcoaita 

Contact options for each countries Paypal customer services are accessed by clicking help/contact bottom left of Paypal pages.

1. Paypal phones (you can use the guest option if you can't log in).
2. Live chat is also randomly available.
3. You can send them a message, (during business hours you may also be able to message whilst logged out).
4. Have you considered contacting Customer Service via Facebook or Twitter?
You can send them a personal message from their Facebook or Twitter pages.
It's: https://www.facebook.com/PayPal and @AskPayPal for Twitter.

[marcoaita]

Hi kernowlass,

Thanks, I am aware of the ways to contact PayPal, but if you have seen my reply to PayPal_JonK, I was complaining about PP being non responsive and chaotic. The fact that they ask me if I am going to contact them via email when this is not a possible communication channel is just an example.  Three days ago I have sent a message to PP and have not received any answer. Yesterday evening I've sent another message through Facebook and received no answer. I try to avoid phoning because I have no track of the discussion. When I tried the live chat it was like talking to a computer who was picking up the buzzwords and giving automatic responses..

..and they told me porkies about my claim not being eligible, and now it's like talking to a black hole.. (I think this is going to be a case for the Ombudsman)