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On January 3, 2023, we booked our Alaskan trip under reservation #2367210. Unfortunately, after booking, we encountered challenges in obtaining the necessary information. Gate1 informed us that they were experiencing IT issues at the time and were unable to assist with these matters. Consequently, we decided to cancel reservation #2367210 and created a new one, #2369766. Despite reviewing the documents, there was no mention of a vaccine mandate, and both our travel agent and I failed to find this information.
However, on July 16th, Gate1 sent an email to our travel agent regarding our upcoming trip on July 21st, including an attachment that stated a mandatory vaccination requirement. After thoroughly reviewing the email and attachment, it became clear that vaccination was necessary. Our travel agent promptly contacted Gate1 on July 17th to inquire about this mandate, which is in effect until November 1st for Gate1. To our surprise, Gate1 claimed to have sent us an email on January 3rd detailing this mandate, but we have no records of receiving such communication.
We requested that they resend the email, but Gate1 stated that it was not possible. As someone who works in IT, I understand that resending emails from a system is feasible, especially for companies subject to auditing requirements, which often mandate email retention for at least 7 years. Furthermore, Gate1's assertion that opening an email constitutes a signed document is a dubious practice, as I learned during my interactions with legal matters.
We explored alternative options, such as proceeding with the trip but arranging excursions independently. However, Gate1 informed us that if we showed up without meeting the vaccine requirement, they would send us home. We also inquired about rescheduling for the following year, but Gate1 indicated that we had to utilize our trip by November 1st. This forced us to cancel a trip we had meticulously planned for seven months, resulting in a substantial loss of $9,899.02.
We find it deeply troubling that a company would consider it acceptable to retain such a substantial sum from a loyal customer in this manner.
In light of the unexpected circumstances and the significant inconvenience caused by the lack of clear communication regarding the vaccine mandate, we kindly request a full refund of the $9,899.02 we paid for our trip. In light of the unexpected circumstances and the significant inconvenience caused by the lack of clear communication regarding the vaccine mandate, we kindly request a full refund of the $9,899.02 we paid for our trip. Given the confusion surrounding the information provided and the impact on our plans, we believe a refund is a fair resolution to this situation.
Desired outcome: Refund
