This was my first time booking with Emirates and Lastminute.com, and unfortunately, it has been a deeply disappointing experience. I booked a combined flight and hotel package for two passengers (approx. £1,800). Due to personal circumstances, the second passenger could not travel. I contacted both Emirates and Lastminute.com well in advance at least 1–2 months before travel to ask if I could cancel just one passenger and receive a partial refund. Both companies gave me conflicting, unclear, and misleading information. Lastminute.com insisted I could only cancel the entire booking without telling me what the refund would be. Only a day before my return flight did Emirates mention that the booking could be split an option that had never been explained to me previously, and which Lastminute.com never once mentioned. By then, it was too late to resolve, and I was once again passed back and forth between both companies. As this was my first time booking with either company, I had trusted that the process would be straightforward. I deliberately booked a hotel with free cancellation and was prepared to accept a reasonable cancellation fee. Even receiving £500–£700 back for the second passenger would have been fair. Instead, the second passenger lost their full share (around £900) without using the flight or hotel. When I travelled alone, I assumed (as the booking was fully paid for two people) that at the very least I could make use of the second seat on the flight. I discovered only the day before departure that this was not possible and was told by Emirates that if I wanted additional comfort I would have to pay extra despite having already paid for two tickets. To me, this is completely unreasonable and misleading. The lack of transparency, accountability, and customer care from both Emirates and Lastminute.com has been unacceptable. I was left without support at every stage from the initial refund request, to splitting the booking, to making use of the seat I had already paid for. Instead, I was passed between the two companies until it was too late to resolve anything. This entire experience has caused unnecessary stress, wasted time, and financial loss. As a first-time customer, I had hoped for a simple, affordable, and hassle-free process. Instead, I feel let down by both Emirates and Lastminute.com and cannot recommend booking with either based on my experience.