Hopper: The Most Hated Travel App on the Internet?
Travelers are drawn to Hopper’s claims of lower rates and flash sale price freezes, but when plans change, it becomes clear to consumers that this business was built on false advertising and forced arbitration. We aim to hold this company accountable.
Our office recently received a referral involving an individual who had encountered some major issues when a flight they booked through Hopper, a travel app that promises low fares and rate freezes to consumers, was cancelled. This individual had a flight cancelled in March 2020, at the height of the pandemic. When attempts were made to get refunded for their cancelled flight, they encountered one roadblock after another. Still, more than two years later, the individual has not been refunded for their flight.
In doing a little research of our own, we uncovered an egregious amount of upset consumers who have faced similar hardships.
Among the most common complaint, which I’ve confirmed, is the inability to talk to a person. Now, I understand this complaint is commonplace in today’s world, but when time is of the essence, this can put consumers in a very vulnerable position. Customers see cancelled flights, random charges hitting their bank accounts, and increased travel fees, and have no way to address their concerns without having to jump through a million AI hoops.
Another complaint is that Hopper offers a “Price Freeze”, guaranteeing a flash sale price to customers. In reality, customers are often stuck paying a much higher price tag for their travel. What Hopper fails to put on the forefront, is that they will only make up 100.00 of the price difference if the rate goes up. Therefore, if the cost of a flight goes up three hundred dollars, the customer will in fact pay every penny over the one hundred dollars that Hopper actually covers.
It’s not difficult to see where Hopper intends to profit. You can pay additional fees for an added sense of security. In theory, most travelers probably feel that it’s worth paying a little more to know that if something happens to their international flight that cost them a whopping $1000.00 to book, they’ll be refunded the full amount. When purchasing Hopper's “Cancel for Any Reason” service, you’re told that you can cancel your flight up until the departure of your first scheduled flight, and you'll get a future travel credit from the airline worth 100% of your ticket price. They tell you that any Rebooking fees charged by the airline will be covered by Hopper. They even claim that if the airline does not offer a future travel credit, Hopper will refund the amount covered under your service. We are seeing literally hundreds of would-be travelers who report that upon cancellation of their flights, Hopper makes it nearly impossible to collect on their claims. Customers have found it virtually impossible to reach someone, and when they do, they’re not helpful. Hopper is notorious for using bait-and-switch tactics to mislead customers into believing fault lies on the airline and not Hopper. Customers are told a refund is days away, only to end up waiting months and years to no avail.
We feel strongly that Hopper is aware of their bad business tactics, and that something needs to be done to protect individuals from their fraudulent practices. If you’ve found yourself at a loss with Hopper, please let us know.