Ask Alaska Tours - Be Careful
 

If you have booked or are going to book tours or accomodations through Ask Alaska - reconfirm all your reservations (not with Ask Alaska, with individual properties) before you leave home! We just returned from a trip that we planned a year ago and it was a huge disaster. The rental car at first refused to release the car because Ask Alaska hadn't paid them in a year.(We had paid AA $500) Of our 6 nights accomodations (paid for in full - one at $1,200 -2 rooms, 3 nights) only one night had been booked. With a lot of arguing, we got other places to stay but Ask Alaska still hasn't credited us with the difference and "isn't accepting calls". Anybody else have a similar experience with Ask Alaska?

Jane, thank you for posting this, and I want to add - ALWAYS reconfirm your reservations even if you made them yourself. Mistakes are easier to fix from home.

How did you hear about Air Alaska? Just curious.

In Alaska is it extremely easy to book direct and I never use any "middle men". Just book your own car and hotels/ B&B's and reconfirm everything- easy. :)

I found Ask Alaska on the internet, but checked it with BBB. We DID reconfirm our reservations with Ask Alaska 90 days before our trip. They said they were all checked.

We DID reconfirm our reservations with Ask Alaska 90 days before our trip. They said they were all checked.



That was your mistake. It is always a good idea to verify and confirm who your agent booked and call them directly. And doing that- it is just as easy to book direct. You have provided valuable information for others.

It is a fact. Many companies have refused to honor Ask Alaska travel vouchers for lack of payment. And, inasmuch as we all sympathize with the custormers, we are also all in business and can no longer afford freebies while hoping for payment that is many months overdue.....

Good luck reaching them on the phone.

RIP. Copy and paste this link to the Anchorage Daily News today (Money section): http://www.adn.com/business/story/35...-3546152c.html

I'm glad that you at least checked the BBB. However, that only tells you about complaints. It tells you nothing about the company and their financial situation. They may be a great company, but just because they are on the internet with a nice site means NOTHING.

When you want to book a tour operator on your own look to see what associations they belong to. Are they members of the National Tour Associatin or the United States Tour Operators Association. At the very least this will help you with consumer protection in case of bankrupcy. If you aren't able to do this than your choices should be to either book direct or go to a travel agent.

I urge everyone to please do a background check on those sites on the web you want to book on. There are way too many sites manned by people who don't have the money or resources to make your trip come true. I'm not saying Ask Alaska is in this situation, but you had no way of knowing. The BBB just tells you the basics and also how many outstanding or unresolved complaints.

We've had cases where I live where the BBB has given a satisfactory report on a company that abruptly went out of business and left the consumers high and dry.

In other words -- Party with the people you know.

The state has sued Ask Alaska.

http://www.adn.com/front/story/3572944p-3604292c.html

DO NOT BOOK ANYTHING WITH ASK ALASKA!!! (Which is probably not a problem now, hopefully they are not even taking any calls.)

This company has gone bankrupt TWICE at least. I worked for a lodge that dealt with them through the first one, and it was a nightmare. They are horrible. I did not trust them the second go around, only took prepaid in-full reservations from them!

Their other business names have been under:
Anchorage Adventures & Accommodations
Alaska Adventures & Accommodations
Ask Alaska

STAY AWAY FROM THEM!