Flight centre charged me a fee that they shouldn't have. What can I do?
Hi everyone. Super frustrated with this situation and was wondering if someone coupel please advise.
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Thought Flight Centre I bought 3 Jetstar tickets (return) from Victoria to Gold coast on Thu 12.09 for $1015.98 for 25th and 27th of June.(3 weeks away)
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Immediately as I made the payment realised I made an error departure location and needed to correct (MEL) Tullamarine to (MEL) Avalon.
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Immediately called the Flight Centre brach who said I needed to contact Flight centre online which i called at 12:16.
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I explained my error and that I needed to change the departure and arrival flight from Tullamarine to Avalon. He kept me on hold as he sorted it out with Jetstar agent on his end. He told me the flight needed to be "rerouted" and that to make the changes I needed to pay a $222 per person fee to Jetstar and $30 to Flight Centre.
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I disputed it because I literally called them immediately and it cant be that costly to correct the error. He kept insisting its as 'per policy...and hopes I understand". I told him I DO NOT understand, and this repeated back and forth about 5 times him insisting to make the booking changes I need to pay $697.39.
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After being on the phone with him for 1.5 hours of him trying to fix it up with Jetstar and then reiterating to me over and over that I need to make that payment of $697.39 to make the changes I finally agreed. But I asked what number can I call to dispute this. He said to contact Jetstar.
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Immediately after I called Jetstar who said and the representative told me she fill fix it up for me and refund the 'flight changes fee' as they she mentioned they have a police that changes can be made if done within 12 hours of making the booking.
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She said she will generate Transection ID which will be sent to Flight Centre and I will receive a refund of the extra fee they charged me within 7-15 business days. And I just have to pay the ticket difference. Mind you the tickets from Avalon were actually $150 cheaper in total but she told me there would just be no extra charge.
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I emailed a complaint to Flight Centre stating that they forced me to pay extra which they assured me over and over on the phone was a must and if I didnt follow up with Jetstar I would have grossly overpaid.
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Flight Centre emailed me back the next day, saying quote:
"When a booking is confirmed, the fare rules come into effect immediately. You purchased a "starter" fare initially and it is the most restrictive, so you would have needed to upgrade the fare to be allowed to make an origin change. The change fee of $70.00 per person plus any fare and tax difference of $152.00 was correct.Flight Centre also charges a $30.00 administration fee. I have chatted Jetstar today to confirm why they are refunding the$222.00 per person charged, and they advised that it was done as a once off gesture of goodwill.
- After that I called Jetstar to ask them to email me WHY they are refunding me the money and they woudntt give me a clear answer and just muffled around saying that the refund for the extra payment will be reinstated. I asked her if she could email me the reason for the refund and she said she cant do that and that she doesnt have access to an email. I asked to speak to someone who does. She put me on hold for 2 minutes and then came back and stated the same things and then the phone line miracuoulsy cut off.
Even though I'm getting refunded for the extra payment I'm super frustrated that they made me pay it in the first place and if I didn't investigate further they would have kept it.
I was wondering if this kind of thing can be reported or could I even ask for a full refund?
Posted Jun 5, 2026, 4:40 AM UTC