Ništa od skijanja u Gruziji! Zahvaljujući smeću od aviokompanije Wizzair...

Dakle, propalo putovanje u Gruziju. Lekcija naučena: nikada ne putovati s kompanijom poput Wizzaira. Puno se ljudi opeklo, a eto došao red i na mene... Službeno su postali prva aviokompanija na mojoj black listi.
Evo copy paste pisma koje sam uputio na više adresa. Sami zaključite...

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Dear Madam/Sir,

My name is Vedran Anelic and I currently reside in Zagreb, Croatia. In early November last year I booked a return flight with Wizzair using Wizzair's mobile application. The confirmation code is XXXXXX. The flight was from Budapest to Kutaisi and back to Budapest, departing from Budapest on 17th February 2015 and returning from Kutaisi on 22nd February 2015. The total fare was HUF 19980,00. On 11th February 2015 I added 'sports equipment' at extra cost of HUF 18600,00 for a return flight.
I did online check-in and on a day of departure I arrived on time to Budapest Airport. I presented my passport and boarding pass to a check-in desk lady and I wanted to check-in my sports equipment. The lady confirmed that I had indeed additionaly purchased 'sports equipment' option for both of my flights. My trip to Kutaisi, Georgia meant to involve some skiing in Bakuriani and Gudauri in the Georgian Caucasus, and therefore my sports equipment was actually ski equipment. I put my skis and poles in one ski bag and ski boots in another, only to be told by the check-in desk lady that my ski boots are subject to additional fee because I had two pieces of luggage. I regularly fly and every year I do between 40 and 50 flights, many of them for skiing purposes as I am an avid skier. So far I have flown with my ski equipment on regular airlines such as Croatia Airlines, Lufthansa, Icelandair and Emirates but also low-cost airlines like Ryanair, Easyjet, Germanwings, Pegasus and Southwest. Every single airline has the same policy with sports equipment – 1 bag with only exception being the ski equipment as ski boots are too big to be put together with skis and poles in the same bag. Skis and poles always go in one and ski boots in another bag.
«You have to buy another 'sports equipment' option for the boots!», I was told by the check-in desk lady.
I tried to argue that 'ski equipment' is a collective noun and that 'ski equipment' means skis, poles and boots because you cannot ski without skis as well as without boots. And it is impossible to pack boots in the same bag with skis as skis are long and slender and boots are shorter and wider. I asked what was the purpose of buying 'sports equipment' if I get to carry only half of the equipment? I received no answer but was directed to the Wizzair desk.
Needless to say that I wasn't the only one having this problem as at the Wizzair desk there were many other people with completely the same problem. Nobody couldn't understand this request to buy additional 'sports equipment' option only for the ski boots. I also want to add that my friend flew on the same route and his skis in 1 bag and ski boots in a separate bag were accepted under 1 'sports equipment'.
There were two girls working at the Wizzair desk. I had a communication with only one of them. I told her the same what I had told to the lady at the check-in desk. This girl wasn't really interested in listening what I had to say but was eager only to sell me additional things. She was completely uninterested in doing her job and behaved like «Oh, not another one...».
«Only 1 bag is allowed!», she kept repeating, although I tried to explain that I had ski equipment with me consisting of skis, poles and boots.
«You have to pay extra charge of 70,00eur for your boots as additional 'sports equipment'», she added.
I had already paid online approx. 30,00eur per flight because it is cheaper if you book it online. And when booking online the extra luggage using either Wizzair's website or Wizzair's mobile app, for hand luggage or checked-in luggage it gives you at the same time all the necesarry information regarding the quantity, dimensions and weight. The same information you get written also on your boarding pass. But for the 'sports equipment' there is no explanation at all, neither in the process of booking nor on the boarding pass. It says just 'sports equipment'. To be more ridiculous, it allows you only to book 1 'sports equipment' per flight. The question is how then to book 2 online (and save money) if skis are one and ski boots another 'sports equipment'? The answer is: impossible. This is Wizzair's not only lack of transparency but also extortion and blackmail – you're not going to fly if you don't do extra payment, regardless of lack of information.
I refused to pay 70,00eur per flight as this would considerably affect my trip budget. I wanted to speak with supervisor.
«No! You are not speaking with supervisor! I am here! You are speaking with me!», the girl at the Wizzair desk raised her voice on me.
«I want to speak with your supervisor.», I repeated the request.
«No!», she answered.
«Then I want your name or your function or your ID number so that I can complain later on and mention you.», I now requested.
«No! I am not telling you my name!», she was getting angrier.
I also requested book of complaints but she didn't want to hand over one to me.
«No name! You are not getting my name!», the girl didn't want to reveal her identity.
Then, as a proof, I managed to take a photo of her. If she didn't want to give me any of her details so that I can complain, this was my only option. She now went berserk, starting screaming and run over to the police.
«Delete my photo!», she ordered.
«Are you willing to give me your name in order to complain?», I asked her.
«No!», she screamed at me.
There were five either policemen or custom officers around us and they tried to put down the tension. When the girl went away, they told me that they really couldn't understand why she, as a official representative of Wizzair, wouldn't give me her name. But they also kindly requested to delete the photo just to calm down everything.
In meantime the girl went to the check-in desk lady ordering her not to let me on the flight unless I delete the photo. When she came back, I noticed that she had her name tag around her neck and I tried to read her name but she immediately covered the tag with her hand, making it impossible for me to read it.
«No name!», she kept repeating.
At the end I gave up and decided to delete the photo. Only two custom officers were still there and they confirmed her that the photo had been deleted.
«So is it 70,00eur for ski boots?», I asked again.
«Yes. 70,00 euros.», she confirmed.
With my mobile phone I went on the internet to check the price list on the Wizzair's website. This is the official pricelist regarding baggage transport taken from Wizzair's website:

Baggage fees
Name of the fee Calculation method Amount
Baggage fee (low season)
Calculator here!
via wizzair.com & call centre Per flight, per passenger and per bag €15.00 - €38.00 / Ł13.00 - Ł33.00
Baggage fee (high season)
Calculator here!
via wizzair.com & call centre Per flight, per passenger and per bag €25.00 - €48.00 / Ł21.00 - Ł39.00
Baggage fee
at the airport Per flight, per passenger and per bag €60.00 / Ł48.00
Baggage fee
at the gate Per flight, per passenger and per bag €60.00 / Ł48.00
Large cabin bag fee (high and low season)
Calculator here!
via wizzair.com & call centre Per flight, per passenger €10.00 - €20.00 / Ł9.00 - Ł17.00
Large cabin bag
fee at check-in Per flight, per passenger €35.00 / Ł28.00
Large cabin bag
at the gate Per flight, per passenger €35.00 / Ł28.00
Sporting equipment fee
via wizzair.com & call centre Per flight, per passenger and per bag €30.00 / Ł24.00
Sporting equipment fee
at the airport Per flight, per passenger and per bag €45.00 / Ł36.00
Sporting equipment fee
at the airport Per flight, per passenger and per bag €60.00 / Ł51.00


I could immediately see that there was something even fishier going on. The fee of 70,00eur was nowhere to be seen. But there are two fees for sporting equipment – 45,00eur and 60,00eur. Regardless of which one is right, the requested fee of 70,00eur was over the official price list.
Of course, the girl couldn't explain it.
After a short consideration, I decided to pay 70,00eur and fight my way when I get back home.
«I am sorry. But we are now closing the check-in desk!», the girl told me unapologetically and didn't even want to consider telling her collegue at the check-in desk to wait 2 minutes while I pay those 70,00 euros.
«What now?», I asked.
«Now you can maybe get to the gate and pay 140,00 euros there.», she said.
«140,00 euros?», I was puzzled.
«Yes. 70,00 euros for ski bag and 70,00 euros for ski boots bag. Because you haven't checked-in your skis on time although you paid for them online.», she continued.
That was it. I had enough of her and Wizzair and decided not to fly. It was also questionable if the security guards would let me through with skis and boots. The girl didn't know.
The girl also offered at extra cost to book me on another flight to Kutaisi in 4 days time. That was out of the question first because of the price and secondly because I had my flight back in 4 days time. Flying to Kutaisi and staying there for an hour wasn't really my cup of tea. Whose would?
I still didn't get the girl's name. But Wizzair should have kept the employee's working schedule and Wizzair should know who worked at Wizzair desk at approx. 22:00 on 17th February 2015. To make it easier, she was approx. 25 years old, approx. 170cm tall and had long dark hair.
I request the refund of my return flight ticket in the amount of HUF 19980,00 and 'sports equipment' in the amount of HUF 18600,00, making it the total of HUF 38580,00.
And thank you Wizzair for ruining someone's holidays due to the extortion, blackmail and lack of transparency.

This same letter has been posted to:

1.) Croatian Tourism Forum – http://www.forum.hr/forumdisplay.php?f=43
2.) Tripadvisor – http://www.tripadvisor.com
3.) Lonely Planet's Thorntree Forum - https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree
4.) Skytrax Airline Quality - http://www.airlinequality.com/
5.) Nemzeti Közlekedési Hatóság (National Transport Authority in Hungary)
6.) European Commission – Department of Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality

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