Kiwi.com Billing Error Leads to $443 Double Payment
I purchased round-trip tickets through Kiwi.com with Ryanair for March 14 (Budapest–Rome) and March 17 (return). I made the initial purchase on March 2; however, I was unable to confirm the ticket because the confirmation link sent via email did not work due to a system error on their side. When I checked the next day, I saw that these tickets were not completed. As a result, I logged in again to purchase new tickets, but I encountered the same confirmation issue.
At that point, I contacted live support and clearly explained the issue I experienced during the first purchase and that I was now forced to buy tickets again. I explicitly stated that I should not be charged for the first transaction that I did not confirm, otherwise it would result in a double charge. The live support agent assured me that since I had not confirmed the first transaction, it would not be charged to my card. I then completed my second purchase with the assistance of technical support and successfully obtained my tickets.
However, when I checked my credit card the following day, I saw that charges had been made for both the March 2 and March 3 transactions. In other words, the first transaction—which I never confirmed and which failed due to a system glitch—was still charged, resulting in a double payment. On March 5, I contacted Kiwi.com via email and explained the situation in detail. I was told the transactions would be reviewed, and as time passed, I continued to send follow-up emails.
In the most recent email I received, I was told that actions can only be taken up to 48 hours before the trip, and since the trip had already occurred, no refund could be issued. However, I had reported this issue in writing approximately 8 days before the trip. Despite this, I continue to receive generic responses, and when I call, I cannot reach a real representative.
I request a full refund of $443 (total of $259 + $184) for the two outbound and two return tickets from the first transaction that should never have been charged due to the system error. According to Kiwi.com’s terms, since the first booking was never confirmed, my refund should not be subject to a 10% deduction or issued as Kiwi Credit. Due to the clear system error and the resulting double charge, I demand a full cash refund. I would also like to note that I have managed this entire process through my email address t***@gmail.com and reservation numbers W4D2MQ and GTW1WC.
