Hopper

This is an issue that has been on going and unresolved since November 23rd, and I am reaching out to anyone I can contact because the VIP customer service I was asked to pay 33$ for has absolutely ABHORRENT. In mid November I turned to hopper to book a flight to see family for Christmas, I found a round trip flight, Memphis-Austin, United both ways, for 370$. I paid 95$ for the Price Freeze, promising a week at that price, but if lower was available at time of booking, that lower price would be given to me. On November 23rd I went to book my flight and it said it had been lowered to 323$, but if I changed my itinerary to a completely different flight, Through Delta, it would only be 200$. This 200$ flight would result in me spending less time with my family, and I am a cancer survivor, as is my son who I will be seeing, so time is pretty precious. I opted to take the 200$ flight through Delta, and was still charged the 323$ for the original itinerary anyways. I reached out through the app chat for customer support and my messages were not going through or left unanswered. I called the customer service phone line, which is not actual customer service at all, because every option leads you to a recorded message that tells you to use the app for contact, which wasnt working, and then hangs up on you. The only option to speak to a human was a sales person, imagine that. They told me they were "Looking at my ticket", quoting the destinations, and they would open up an email correspondence since the App customer support option was not working. I received an customer service email on November 23rd to which I explained the situation and asked why I was asked to change my itinerary to a 200$ flight, then not charged 200$ for it. I asked why I paid 95$ for the "Price Freeze" option to be offered the cheaper flight, then charged full price. I sent screen shots and receipts that I took every single step of the way because I keep very through records of these kinds of things. I was asked to send those records multiple times. I was told they would be looking over it. I replied on the 24th and 25th with no answer. I was then emailed by a different person given a response "I want to confirm you want to switch to the different itinerary and receive the lower price?" To which I again sent in the screen shots of my step by step changing my itinerary to the 200$ flight, my confirmation of now being on the delta flight that was offered to me for 200$, followed by my receipt showing I was charged 323$ still. She asked for the receipts a 4th time, and I sent them, and she said she would "look over it and get back to me." I replied on the 24th, and the 25th, with no answer. I then received a different Email, from the "Price Freeze Department" Informing me that my 95$ I paid was for the option to take the lowest price for my flight at booking, that the 95$ was not a part of the 200$ ticket price, and thats why I was charged 323$ for a 200$ flight. This does not answer my question about the charge of 323$ for a 200$ ticket. **You will find this is a theme, people answering the question they wished I was asking, and not answering my actual question because that would lead to a refund, which it seems they are trained to do anything to avoid. Then both emails were immediately closed out with dismissal and any response I sent over the next week was returned to me. On December 13th, weeks after I started this journey, the App Chat was finally receiving my messages and I attempted to find resolution again. I resent all of the receipts and itinerary. I was put on hold for an hour. I was told I would be sent to the "Price Freeze" department again, and put on hold. Price Freeze Department said they were looking over "my account" and said I "redeemed my price freeze" and that the 95$ was not a part of the ticket price, (Again, not what I was asking) and thats why I was charged 323$ for the 200$ flight. They attempted to dismiss me as if my issue was solved, which it wasn't. for the 3rd time, and I informed them so, resending my receipts, screenshots, and confirmation. After an hour I was contacted by someone different and informed that the "actual price" of the itinerary was 335$, and that they "honored" my price freeze by dropping it down to 323$... Completely disregarding that I did not book the 323$ flight, I booked the different flight they offered through a different airlines all together, for 200$. They attempted to dismiss me as if my issue was solved, which it wasnt, for the 4th time, and I informed them so, resending my receipts, screenshots, and confirmation. I was put on hold another hour and was then responded to by a completely different agent. He gave me the Exact same canned response that the Price Freeze wasnt a part of my ticket, which was what I had ben told twice already, which AGAIN IS NOT THE QUESTION I WAS ASKING. They attempted to dismiss me as if my issue was solved, which it wasnt. for the 5th time, and I informed them so, resending my receipts, screenshots, and confirmation. At this point I reached out again by phone. I called the exact same number/ option today December 18th and was told something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, than the time I called on November 23rd. I was informed they cant see any information at all, while the person I talked to on the 23rd said they could see my account, and even quoted some information from it. I asked to speak to a supervisor and he said they "dont have supervisors" but they could request someone "call me back". When I asked why they were the only people answer a customer service line if they are just "Sales" and have no connection with customer service; he kept cutting me of to repeat the same monotone canned response he was trained to, that they are sales and dont have supervisors. At this point I finally received a response in chat and I was informed that seeing the option to change my flight to the 200$ one was "An issue the development team is working to fix", that the price for the flight was 335$ "at the moment of purchase" and was told to reach out to Delta for a receipt. I asked him why my itinerary was changed to Delta then, when the 323$ flight was through United? I also asked him, if the 200$ option was an "app error", why was it confirmed yia my customer service email on the 23rd, when the customer service agent asked me if I still wanted to be switched to the 200$ itinerary, prompting me to again send my flight confirmation of being on the 200$ itinerary, followed by my receipt of being charged for the original itinerary. They attempted to dismiss me as if my issue was solved, which it wasnt. for the 6th time, and I informed them so, resending my receipts, screenshots, and confirmation. I was then informed the "Leadership Team" would reach out to me to "resolve the issue". I have not heard anything from them, nor have I received the requested phone call. The Emails I try to send are auto replied asking me to reach out on TWITTER of all places, which I have also done. I have since read the incredibly damning reviews about the unethical practices of this company, including an article quoting Hopper CEO Frederic Lalonde saying: "We failed our customers, if I refund you, Im not going to get that money back and will go out of business." So I can see that the unethical practices, lying about prices, overcharging, and not giving owed refunds, goes pretty high up the chain. I am prepared to climb that chain, because I didnt just have money stolen from me, I have had time stolen from me, and thats something that cant be refunded. I am no longer accepting canned responses meant to avoid accountability for the theft of my time and money. mv