Round 5b

Subject:	Re: Final email
Date:	Sun, 03 Jun 2012 20:49:06 -0400
From:	Jack Ludwick <jludwick@ieee.org>
To:	Wade West <wade@afauctions.com>
CC:	deleted

I must admit that I have been surprised that you have taken all this time to cause us to engage in debate, when all we really were asking for was some answers from your travel agency. However, as previously promised, I'll respond to the rest of your latest note.

You continue to attempt to evade the fact that the dates provided by your travel agency are identical to that of Virgin Vacations, even to those dates that were not available to us – the same that were already sold out by Virgin Vacations. Also that the itinerary provided by Samantha is identical to that of Virgin Vacations. It is obvious that not just "some of the travel dates" are the same, they all are, and it's hard to believe that the only "good travel dates" are Thursdays, but that "20 to 40 other dates" might be available at a later time. Are those to be considered bad ones?

As for why anyone should care, it's obvious that if your network of – unidentified – vendors isn't actually providing a customized tour, but is just repackaging one from Virgin Vacations, I could have called them two months ago and avoided all of the ensuing turmoil. Although it is true that I'd also have to reserve a round trip flight to Los Angeles.

Or is it possible that you don't know what your vendors might be doing?

In any case, an unsupported claim of $970 for cancellations is extreme, particularly since you state that the details of our customized trip had already been "locked in" before we'd even been notified which date had been accepted. Making such a claim even more unlikely is that when we talked to Nivia on May 28, she said that now that they had received our Travel Date information it would be quite a while before we heard any more from them because of the extensive time required for them to plan the trip, which obviously couldn't begin until Samantha returned, since she was the one who plans China trips.

It's also hard to believe that our multiple unanswered and unreturned phone calls, as well as unanswered and unopened emails over the course of two weeks, supports your accusation that we expect Samantha to "stop everything else to just handle (our) trip." Indeed we have heard a positive review of her work, it's just that we haven't received that level of service.

We're also surprised that you would bring up that her communications included "the telephone call that (we) did not receive because (we) turned off (our) cell phone." You neglected to mention your previous confident claim that it was sent to the number we provided as our daytime and evening phone number, 703-533-1235 – which, as you equally confidently stated, would be supported by "toll records available from (your) telephone company."

Of course, it was actually inexplicably directed to my cell phone, which you should have no expectation would be available to receive a call.

Do you wonder why we required further proof that your equally assured statement that our, unstated, first choice of dates was accepted?

And, if more evidence of why we are hesitant to unquestioningly accept your assertions is required, the call recorded on our answering machine was not from Samantha, as you state, but from Nivia, since Samantha was out for the week.

As for "this foolishness," none of it has been on our part, and the "endless conversations" would have ended as soon as a reasonable explanation was provided for why your tour was identical to another's. However, we have continued to press for an explanation, and you've continued to dodge the question – instead providing gratuitous observations, including TSA regulations, the address of your website, travel insurance, how much you contribute to worthy charities, and the splendors of China, interspersed with unfounded accusations you have projected upon us, including "scam," "plot," "schemes," "suspicions," "complaints," "buyer's remorse," "demand," and how our concept of travel agencies is so far beyond the pale.

I must admit, however, that I don't know how you've been "buggered."

It will be obvious to Orchestra officials, as well as other interested parties, exactly whose emails have been "quarrelsome and overwrought," and whose have been, as I previously stated, an even-handed presentation of facts and our concerns. They have already had ample opportunity to observe how the head of a powerful organization treats ordinary people who are only requesting information.

We are disappointed that what we had anticipated would be yet another enjoyable trip has been turned into such a unpleasant experience.

Regards,

Jack Ludwick

On 6/1/2012 1:48 PM, Wade West wrote:

Sir,

I’m sorry, but you note is incorrect.

When Samantha sent you a list of available dates, you selected three dates, your first, second and third choice IN WRITING, then signed and returned the form. Your first choice was October 18. I have previously told you IN WRITING that your first choice of dates, October 18, as shown on the form you completed, was reserved for you until you wrote demanding a refund. At that point it was released, as we have told you in writing previously.

Why some of the dates are the same as Virgin Vacations? I don’t know, and frankly, why should anyone care? It’s probably because they are good travel dates. As I have told you previously, in writing, we don’t use Virgin Vacations, and if we did, what would that matter? I’m sorry, but I don’t understand the fixation on Virgin Vacations. We have an obligation to provide the trip as described in writing on the certificate you were given, which you signed and returned to us. It was also the same description as was included, word for word, in the program each attendee received.

Why you chose to be so focused on suspicions regarding us from the outset; I don’t know and cannot address. I have answered each of your emails on an immediate and through basis. All I can say is that in thousands of travelers, we have never had any traveler interaction even remotely resembling this.

We did not say your October 18 date was or was not available again. I specifically said it might be, but we could not check while the vendors were still honoring a possible refund request. I believe that concept is very easy to understand.

We do not have “ploys,” or anything of that nature. For example, as we have pointed out to you previously, the time it took our agents to completely assure all elements, (air, cruise, hotels, etc,) of your trip were available was the exact same number of days it took you to call your Foreign Service friend to learn when was the best time to travel to China. All this occurred 4 months before you wished to travel, so there was obviously never a time emergency. I’m sorry that Samantha did not stop everything else to just handle your trip, but she has other timely responsibilities…. and I often get rave reviews of her work.

There is one and only Samantha. She has communicated with you, including the telephone call you did not receive because you turned your cell phone off.

With all respect, this foolishness has occupied way too much of our time, and more importantly, the time of the officials at the Orchestra who have better things to do than read a whole series of quarrelsome and overwrought emails. We have gone out of our way to accommodate you, even arranging a refund for you, and getting you your first choice of travel dates. This is the last reply we will make to this ongoing series of emails. We will not continue to be buggered into endless conversations about suspicions and complaints. I believe this is clearly a case of buyer’s remorse and will not continue to engage in a non-productive series of emails regarding it.

The situation is very simple. You purchased a trip. We have been and are prepared to provide that trip exactly as described, and is taken by dozens of people each year. At your request, we obtained a refund authorization for you. It had a time limit set by the vendors. We even arranged for that time deadline to be extended for you. We notified you of this in writing in each case.

Samantha will mail you another set of available dates. Hopefully it will include your October 18 choice but that is not within our control. You will know when you receive them. When you complete it, like every other traveler does, we will then process your trip, as we do for every other traveler. If you wish the refund we previously were able to obtain, we will ensure you receive it even if we must work with the vendors again to ensure it is given, but that choice must be made within the next seven days. That is certainly a reasonable time. We hope you take the offered refund, as I doubt we can please you in any case. Those are the two options open to you. Endless emails are no longer an option.

This concludes our special handling of this matter, and we will not respond to further object-less emails, nor ask Orchestra officials to read them. We will accept an email regarding your desires for a refund as described below. Feel free to send all the emails you wish, but we have moved on to those actions which advance the trip or obtain the promised refund for you, not argue about the trip or our agency.

We thank you again for your support of the Orchestra. You will receive your new list of available dates within 7 days. If you wish the refund we specified, please send me an email to that effect prior to 4:00 PM, EDT, on Friday, June 8, 2012. Time is of the essence in your request for a refund.

Sincerely,

Wade West