A group of more than 50 people denounced the tourist agency through different organizations and on social networks Comfort Travel by not delivering several trips that were paid for since 2019before the pandemic, until early 2023.
The company was closed by Tourism for not pay your guarantee from the middle of 2021and the portfolio analyzes the complaints that reached their offices, Ministry sources confirmed to The Observer. Several users also denounced the company in the Consumer Defense Unitand others did so before the Police pointing to the person in charge of the agency.
According to several of those affected The Observer, the problems began when the pandemic camein March 2020. None of the complainants received the trip or the money three years later, despite repeatedly communicating with the company until February 2023, when most users were last able to communicate with the company.
“I had bought to go to Floripa, not to the hot springs”
On January 15, 2020 Ema Golia paid Confort about US$1,048 for package of three people to Florianópolis, for the tourism week of that year. However the March 13, 2020 the coronavirus health emergency was declared and the borders were closed.
About 15 days later, the company sent an email in which it warned ticket buyers that “Only the people who had the entire paid package” as Golia “or to complete it as soon as possible” he could sign a “rescheduling agreement for when travel could be made.”
In November 2021 the borders were reopened, and problems began to communicate with the company, which then excused itself to postpone the trips already paid, according to the complainant’s account. At first, Golia and his family thought that they were going to travel in the tourism week of 2022but “a few days before” the company informed them that the “conditions” were not given to leave, and offered trips in May or September of that year.
months later the woman signed an “agreement” to travel in tourism by 2023. “At first (the company) said that it does not return money, then it said that if it returned He had to discount the money he lost with the reserves he didn’t recover”. He even suggested changing the trip to one of the national tours that the agency offers: “I told him that I had bought to go to Floripa, not to the hot springs”.
In February 2023, Golia learned of the closure of Confort Viajes. On the 9th of that month, he contacted the agency, and they replied that “I was going to travel” and that the closure “was a bureaucratic administrative procedure”, but had no further contact. When he called the Ministry of Tourism, he was notified that the company he had not paid his collateral since May 31, 2021.
In December 2022 Pablo, another of the complainants, to the agency “on the recommendation of a friend”and delivered a deposit of 300 dollars for a trip to Florianópolis on April 1st.
In the middle of that month, the company contacted Pablo and told him they would “They were going to call.” After five days without a response, he went to the premises, but “it was closed.”
The World Cup final
Micaela Fernández found a 2×1 promotion on the Confort website for a trip to Tálice Eco Park and Durazno Biopark by $1,800, and on October 27, 2022, he paid for a trip on November 20. However, a day before they informed him that “it was rescheduled due to bad weather” to December 18.
That day was the one that the company assigned for several suspended trips: Noelia Rodríguez and Cristina Fernández were rescheduled for that date an excursion to Cabo Polonio and Punta del Diablo. However, a day before they informed users that the trips they were suspended due to “the World Cup final” between Argentina and France that was played that day.
Micaela did not agree with the change of date and on December 20 managed the refund. The company told him that he would receive the money in 15 business days, and when the date arrived (January 12) they told him that the refund would be made. It was the last time they answered him.
Noelia and Cristina also asked for their money and in February they both managed to contact the owner of the company. On the 8th of that month, the owner called Rodríguez and told him that “His intention was to pay but that it was complicated, and that the next day he would meet with the accountant.” Since that day, she has not been able to contact him.
Cristina Fernández went to the company in the middle of that month to ask for her money after several failed attempts, and the person in charge of the company told her about the “problems” she had: He told him that the company “had lost and had to pay 1 million pesos for trips canceled due to the pandemic.” When he reproached him that other companies did not have this type of problem, He replied that “it was because they were big companies.”
Comfort’s statement: “Do not spread misinformation”
On March 15, Confort published a statement on its official website in which it confirmed the closure of its premises from February 2 “due to the lack of presentation of a document in the previous year.”
“We cannot provide such services that we have planned with you; We are not authorized to receive the public in our premises either, therefore it will remain closed without personnel without exceptions, at the moment we cannot sell or schedule trips either ”indicated the company, which in any case reaffirmed its intention to provide paid services.
“As of March 27, the company will communicate with each of the users again”indicated from the company, which maintained that the closure could last until May 31when the permits of the tourist agencies are renewed.
From Comfort they regretted the appearance of comments about the company on social networks. “We ask you not to spread erroneous information, false testimonies, slander, or defamation without any evidence. do not misinform. The owners of the company They are not missing, they are not on the run, they have not gone to another country.” read in the statement.
“We are a company that for years worked correctly and at no time was it intended to harm anyone”they wrote from Comfort, who wants “return to activity as soon as possible to continue complying with all the commitments assumed by regulation”
