M S.
Communication Blocked When It Mattered Most
The “founder,” Mohamed Abu Rayyan, is inflexible and will interfere with communication. A warning to sisters, especially if you need to speak with a sister about personal accommodations. His string of letdowns began when he failed to deliver the Umrah package that I had originally booked. He canceled the Umrah without first discussing it with us, close to the scheduled departure of our flights. It was the 2026 Ramadan last 10 Umrah, during which various other Umrah and Hajj agencies successfully followed through with. Since the airline I was set to fly on during these days was still operating and not issuing refunds, his proposal was to either lose thousands of dollars or transfer the airline ticket to a downgraded package. The ticket was transferred. Given this disturbance in my original plans, a time-sensitive and personal inquiry arose that I needed to discuss with a sister from the agency. Mohamed Abu Rayyan hung up the phone on me several times and refused to let me speak to a sister. At first, he declined my calls and insisted that I text. I explained that I needed to speak with someone, as it was not something that could simply be handled over text. Strange, he will take your money, make you plead to fix an issue his poor foresight caused. After this obstruction, he answered but demanded that I tell him hurriedly. I made it clear that this was a matter between sisters. I repeatedly tried to reach the sister at the agency through the WhatsApp Business line, but my calls were being intercepted. A domineering and inflexible character. Would give him zero stars. He failed as an imam and a person in the way he chose to speak and act. I am in my early twenties, and this was my first Umrah. I hope he does not treat others he perceives as vulnerable in this way. If I had known, I would never have booked with Tarteel. I am not interested in a response from Tarteel under this review either. The window to rectify these matters is closed. There are individuals working for Tarteel who are commendable and deserve recognition for doing their best under such leadership. Do not be deceived by a curated image presented on social media. Businesses will throw rose petals at disappointed customers, record it, present polished content, buy followers, and share selective clips to bring in money. After all, it is business.
Response from Tarteel TravelApr 11, 2026
We are sorry that you feel this way about your experience. However, your review contains statements that do not accurately reflect what occurred, and for the sake of transparency we would like to clarify the facts. The Last 10 Days of Ramadan 2026 Umrah group was canceled due to the sudden escalation of conflict in the Middle East, which began on February 28, 2026, only days before the group’s scheduled departure on March 4, 2026. At that time, the situation was rapidly evolving and there was widespread uncertainty regarding flight operations and safety conditions. As an agency responsible for the wellbeing of our travelers, we made the difficult decision to cancel the journey out of concern for their safety and peace of mind. This decision was not taken lightly. All travelers in that group were issued full refunds, and this is reflected in reviews posted by travelers around that same period. Some travelers chose not to travel due to the uncertainty, while others asked to be transferred to a later group. In your case, your booking was handled by our sales manager, Khadija, who spent over an hour speaking with you and your mother during Ramadan to carefully address your concerns and assist you with your options. She remained on the call past our office closing time of 6:30 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time, continuing the conversation even while it was time for her to break her fast, because her priority was ensuring that your situation was resolved properly. Following that discussion, your reservation was successfully transferred to the April 2026 Umrah package, and because the Ramadan package carried a higher cost, the price difference was refunded to you. Your review also makes false accusations about the founder of Tarteel Travel, Mohamed Abu Rayyan, suggesting that he interfered with your booking and communication. This claim is not accurate. The founder does not handle sales, reservations, or booking communications. Tarteel Travel operates with a dedicated sales and customer service team responsible for assisting travelers, and your booking was handled entirely by our staff member who worked with you and your mother to resolve the situation. Your review also claims that our company creates curated images or staged moments on social media that only show hospitality. This claim is incorrect. Our social media documentation reflects the entire journey of our groups, not only hospitality moments. Anyone can review our April 2026 posts and see that the journey was documented from arrival to departure, including seminars, guidance sessions, the guided Umrah, and other group activities. Hospitality is only one part of what we do. Guidance, lectures, seminars, and the performance of Umrah itself are also documented. Additionally, many clients voluntarily document moments from their journey on their own social media while expressing appreciation for their experience. Alhamdulillah, the April 2026 Umrah group, the same group your reservation was transferred to, completed their journey successfully. Anyone can review the feedback posted during April 2026, including reviews on Trustpilot from travelers who joined that group, and they will see that the overwhelming majority are positive and reflect satisfaction with the journey and services provided. Travel disruptions can be frustrating, especially when they affect meaningful journeys like Umrah. However, it is important that feedback reflects the full and accurate context of events. Situations such as wars or sudden travel disruptions are outside the control of any travel agency. As Muslims, we are reminded to uphold truthfulness and fairness in our words. Our intention has always been to serve the guests of Allah with sincerity and care. Our mission remains the same, to serve the guests of Allah with honesty, transparency, and professionalism. Tarteel Travel Team