NEVER, NEVER use Travelocity.com

I've been a loyal user of travelocity.com for years. But never more.

My story:

I had an opportunity to go diving in Cozumel with my club from Seattle. My brother was also going to go and this would be my first opportunity to go diving with him and would be the first time in about 3 years that I would have seen him and his wife. As usual I went to travelocity.com to get the tickets.

I live in Costa Rica.

I trusted that travelocity.com would find me a good route at a good price. I was a little surprised to find that I would be traveling via Florida and have an 18 hour layover, but travel from Costa Rica is often not simple. Ticket cost around $850. OK...airline tickets are getting really expensive and I really wanted to go. I put down the money.
FALSE!.
As it turns out TACA has a flight to Cancun for some $300, direct. Then it's a $20 bus to the island. Isn't it their business to know that?

Then:

They decided that they would need to send me a paper ticket.
Seemed a bit odd. They never needed to do that before...
Now Costa Rica doesn't have addresses, no street names, no house numbers. Everybody uses PO boxes.

Travelocity.com told me that it requires a street address, can't use PO box.
What a pain. So I had the ticket sent to a friend in the US and had her send it to me in CR.

Ticket gets lost.
Big surprise...

I contact travelocity.com to ask about getting another ticket issued.
I'm told that they can't issue replacement tickets. They'd like to but the airlines say they can't.
LIE!
The airlines involved later ask why I didn't go to travelocity.com for a reissue. THEY have no problem with the ticket being reissued.

I had been in email contact with travelocity.com some 20 times and have called them 3 times a month before the flight was to leave. Every attempt to work with them was met with the same response...Go to the airport the day of the flight and everything will be OK.

Travelocity.com told me that there would be no problem at the airport as I had paid for the ticket.
(Then why do I need this paper ticket?)
LIE!
TACA told me they would need the paper ticket that was lost.

Travelocity.com also told me that if there was any problem that I could purchase a replacement ticket, fill out a "LTA" (Lost Ticket Application) and get a refund for the replacement ticket.
???
LIE!
At the airport, on the day of departure I was told by TACA that this was not so.

I really want to go (seeing my brother and all) so I agree to purchase a replacement ticket and we'll sort it all out later. Replacement ticket cost: $1,135...OUCH!

After returning from the trip I contacted travelocity.com to see what happened. How do I get this mysterious LTA form?
They tell me it's the airlines problem. The airline tells me to contact travelocity.com

21 Jan - Out of the blue I get this letter apologizing for any inconvenience. Telling me that customer relations was very important to them. THEY would file the LTA for me and I could expect a refund in 30 to 90 days.
It's been 8 months so far.
AVOIDANCE!
I doubt I'll ever hear from them again. I KNOW they will not hear from me (as a customer).

1 May - Here's a surprised! I get another email from them saying how important customer satisfaction is to them. "A representative will contact you in 48 - 72 hours..."
It's been 5 months...I wonder what base that "48 - 72" number was in?
AVOIDANCE!
Why to they even pretend??!

I had a great trip. Horrible flight (worst ever). Paid some $1,975 for a trip that should have been a bit over $300. Been lied to, stonewalled and misinformed at every turn by travelocity.com.
I have made every effort to tell all my friends about my experience and will continue doing so.
Live and learn...
(It's kinda funny...so many people I talk to have similar stories and will never use travelocity.com either (go figure).

The other day I thought I'd try to contact Travelocity.com again. This time I sent them 40 emails (all the same day) complaining about this situation. That seems to have gotten their attention (we'll see...). I got a response that said they'd get right on it (right!). Then another saying that they were just awaiting approval of the refund (sure...I believe THAT).
Let's see...spent $1,975 for a $300 flight...and the refund will be....(drums please!).......(?)
More bull shit?

Well, surprise, NO FOLLOWUP AT ALL!