Dubai: Sandance revellers who could not attend the New Year’s Eve party on The Palm due to traffic chaos have been promised full refund of their ticket money within three weeks of submitting their claim form to the party organiser, a spokesperson for Atlantis The Palm told XPRESS.
The hotel is also offering a 50 per cent discount for the next Sandance music festival to all those who had to return home disappointed on New Year’s eve.
A website www.SandanceNYE2013.com set up to handle refund requests is currently live until January 12. “We will begin processing valid refund claims immediately upon receipt of information. Once verified, the refund will be credited to the ticket-holder’s bank account or credit card. This can take as little as 48 hours or up to 21 days depending on individual bank and or credit card procedures,” a spokesperson for Atlantis The Palm said.
Sandance tickets were priced Dh450 (Dh530 at the door) and Dh600 for VIP tickets. According to a ticket holder, those who booked a table were only entitled to a 50 per cent discount.
Detailing the process of applying for the refund, a spokesperson said: “Ticket holders will first have to fill up the New Year’s eve claim form detailing the name of the authorised retailer they purchased the ticket from. Once this is confirmed, the refund will be credited to your respective credit card/debit card or bank account.”
Those who paid cash to buy their tickets will have to verify this transaction. “For cash transactions with authorised retailers, the ticket holder will be contacted via email by the Sandance team to provide qualified verification.”
When asked as to how many refund claims had been received so far, Atlantis said a statement would be issued on this later.
“Customer satisfaction is a priority for us. We will issue a further statement next week after the period for refund requests has ended.”
Revellers’ harrowing accounts:
Nightmare on Palm street
Lives were put at risk and people were injured — this is unacceptable and organisers and authorities should be held accountable. I arrived at 7.30pm to find a disorderly crowd of thousands still waiting for wristbands. The channelling lanes were too short to be of any use and people pushed and shoved to get to the front. After 45 minutes we were issued wristbands, and joined thousands of others waiting for buses. No channelling lanes or crowd control here, just a barrier alongside the bus lane with a small gap to allow one person through. Thousands were packed into this area whilst waiting for the 70 buses promised (only four had arrived by 9pm). As the crowd grew bigger, those at the front were crushed against the barriers. People could not move or breathe. Tempers flared, fights broke out, bystanders were hurt. When the four buses arrived, there was a stampede and barriers were pushed over. People were trampled, bruised, crushed, some fainted while others threw up. Some women were assaulted and groped. No security, no crowd control. People fought their way onto the buses which were soon overloaded. Organisers fled the scene without making any announcements. Total confusion. We waited till 11pm, but no buses arrived. There was no water, food, first aid at at American University Dubai (AUD). We returned home, bruised and traumatised, Dh450 poorer.
Ahmad, Dubai
Witness to the chaos
Although I didn’t go for Sandance, since my office is close by, I was witness to the chaotic scenes.
The internal roads around American University Dubai (AUD) are single lane with no U-turns or traffic signals. It is not a good venue for mass transfer.
Furthermore, there were no signs guiding the public for parking and by 6pm the roads were choked and roundabouts were grid-locked.
A distance which would normally take just a minute to cover, took 40 minutes to cross.
Buses should have been on Shaikh Zayed Road and should have used major routes instead of internal ones. The scene reminded me of the old Nokia snake game where the snake becomes too long and when it bites itself it’s game over.
Parker, Dubai
Worst New Year for me
I reached AUD at 7pm got on a bus at 8pm and ended up spending my New Year on a bus. At 1pm I decided to abandon the bus and head back home, so I crossed the road hoping to find a cab.
However, with no sign of any taxis or buses, I ended up walking from Atlantis tunnel to Media City.
This was the worst New Year for me — waste of my time and money.
Hanif, Dubai
My girlfriend is angry
I got the tickets for me and my partner for N’Dulge@Atlantis — The Palm. We reached AUD at 7:30pm but could only board the bus by 8pm and it took around four hours to reach the tunnel which leads to Atlantis.
However, the road was blocked by authorities and we couldn’t reach the venue.
This incident has even led to problems in our relationship, as my girlfriend now blames me for spoiling her New Year.
This was the worst New Year of my life, ever.
Sherry, Dubai
Terrible
I want to convey my anger to the organisers of Sandance. It was a very disorganised event.
We were in the queue from around 8pm to have our tickets inspected and get our badges. After that there was another queue for the bus, with a massive crowd waiting for limited buses.
Everyone was angry and were getting restive until someone broke through a barricade and everyone surged forward to get in a bus. I and my two friends were quick and jumped out through the broken barricade to save ourselves from the stampede.
It was like a scene from some war movie with everyone running for their lives — literally.
We kept walking like others, trying to get into one of the buses. We did manage to finally squeeze ourselves into the fourth bus, but by now we were feeling disappointed and happiness and excitement gave way to fear and disappointment.
We sat in the bus until 10.20pm and in that time the bus probably moved just a couple of feet before coming to a complete halt due to the gridlock.
We could still see many people on the outside rushing to catch the bus, but there was no way they could get in.
Some people in our bus informed us that some of their friends who had left in earlier buses (7-8pm) had still not reached Atlantis.
Fearing the worst, we just got out of the bus and went to Shaikh Zayed Road to see the fireworks at Burj Khalifa.
I still cannot forget the look of fear in the eyes of my female friend when she had to jump over the barricades. She had tears in her eyes.
It was a nightmare and a New Year I will never forget.
I wish the organisers will have the conscience to refund our money as we do not get our money from trees.
We just wanted to experience the thrill and fun of being at the place where the most-talked about event (world record fireworks) was going to happen only to end up being hugely disappointed.
Arnold Aulida
Where were the organisers?
I bought the ticket at 2pm and went to AUD at 6pm, I waited till 10.15pm and then walked all the way to The Palm (it took me one hour and 15 minutes).
There was no organisation and the staff were rude.
All they did when we complained was let us write down our name and email ID on a piece of paper.
I had more than 10 fights with people trying to enter the bus.
I don’t usually go out on New Year’s because its usually very crowded, but this time when I decided to see the fireworks it turned into a nightmare.
And when I wanted to go back home it took me two hours to reach Trade Center. And at midnight I was stuck in traffic.
I am going to get my money back, even if I have to sue the organisers and pay thousands of dirhams to our lawyer.
Worst night of my life.
Mamdouh Alturkumany
We want a refund
Since we were not allowed to enter Atlantis and the area was restricted, we could not attend Sandance.
I request the organisers to kindly refund the ticket amount of Dh450.
Mir, Dubai
Another fiasco
It’s a fiasco. These people are not fit to organise any event — they are only good enough to take people’s money.
Hadji, Abu Dhabi
We demand an apology
I travelled all the way from Abu Dhabi for the Sandance. I reached there at 7pm and waited three hours to get on a bus. And when I did get on the bus, I was stuck for an hour. I waited for another hour to get to Atlantis with thousands of people still waiting to get in.
It was the worst New Year of my life (and I’m sure for many others).
We demand a refund and apology from Atlantis and the organisers.
Shahid Butt, Abu Dhabi
Events or disasters
While organisers can express all the regret that’s fit to print, they already have our money.
There were no ‘months of planning’ to accommodate customers — their planning was all about how to sell tickets and line their pockets.
Organisers couldn’t care less about the inconvenience to the public as they did not even bother to send staff to sort out things or take down complaints from irate guests.
Many big events in recent times have ended in disasters — you can’t get in, you can’t get out, no taxis or buses, headache to get home, lack of toilets, lack of food/beverages. The list goes on. Until people start avoiding such events, organisers will see no need to mend their ways.
Louie Tedesco, Dubai
Worst management ever
Worst management ever. I had to stand in the queue for three hours only to be told that buses won’t be leaving for the venue. I decided to walk to the venue and was sent back from The Palm by the police.
Ali, Dubai
I am glad I did not go
I was contemplating buying a ticket for the event, but on hindsight, I am glad I didn’t go for the party. I hope organisers come up with reasonable solutions for those who missed the party.
A Guest, Abu Dhabi
What a torture
It was terrible.
They say it took them ‘months of organising’. Organising what?
Everyone was on time. The event was just poorly managed. Even if they refund the ticket money it cannot compensate for the torture people had to endure.
I had a friend who travelled from South Africa for the event. Imagine the negative impression she will be carrying back home?
Even though The Palm was cordoned off, there were still people in their cars trying to enter the area which caused more havoc.
Worst of all there was no staff from Sandance to tell the crowd what on earth was happening.
There was pushing, pulling and shouting, but no results. They should have had the decency to at least allow people to watch the show after 12. I am NEVER entering Sandance ever again.
Bigs, Dubai
All of no use
What’s the use of so much hype if there is no way to get people from A to B? Organisers here have a lot to learn.
The first lesson – do not treat humans like a bunch of sheep.
Rafi Dosminian, Dubai
Every year it’s the same
Every year it is the same when it comes to big parties on The Palm.
I cannot understand why they closed the Monorail line for the fireworks. It is easy and convenient to step out nearly in front of the venue and also easy for authorities to monitor the crowds.
Patrick, Dubai
