Re: Trip Cancelling and Airline Refunds

[readyin07]

I read the other thread, but wanted to see if anyone successfully got an airline refund instead of a voucher for a trip that was in Mid March before shelter in place really began in earnest. Our airline was specifically jet blue and we were supposed to leave for Colorado on March 13.

So...I didn’t really realize how much airfare was or I honestly wouldn’t have let my H book this trip, but it was a lot. Enough that it could pay our mortgage and utility bills for 2 months. We have it in a voucher but we don’t travel much and the only place we would want to go is to visit H’s dad before he sells their family home this summer and Jet Blue doesn’t have a good flight between our two cities.

We’re never going to see that money again are we?

[Whitecaps]

This is information from Scott's Cheap Flights that may be helpful to you:

If the airline cancels your flight, they may offer a full refund, or they may offer you a voucher to use for a future flight. However, if your canceled flight was to or from the US (on any airline) you’re actually owed a cash refund if you want one.

According to the Department of Transportation, "If your flight is canceled and you choose to cancel your trip as a result, you are entitled to a refund for the unused transportation—even for non-refundable tickets."

If the airline offers you a voucher, you can cite this regulation and ask for a cash refund instead. If they won’t budge, you can file a complaint with the DOT and you contest the charge on your credit card. Since you didn’t get the service you paid for (and it was the airline who canceled the flight, not you) your credit card or bank would likely institute a chargeback.

If the airline has not canceled your flight—and isn’t offering free changes for your travel dates or destination—we recommend you wait as long as possible to cancel. Here’s why.

Let’s say you have a flight in May and you want to cancel, but the airline has only extended free changes to April 30. If you cancel now, the airline will charge you a hefty cancelation fee. However, if you wait, the airline may end up canceling the flight (or at least waiving change fees) as it gets closer to your departure date. As stated above, if the airline cancels the flight, they owe you a refund.

scottscheapflights.com/coronavirus-and-travel

[farmvillelover]

Apr 1, 2020 21:10:11 GMT -5 Whitecaps said:

This is information from Scott's Cheap Flights that may be helpful to you:

If the airline cancels your flight, they may offer a full refund, or they may offer you a voucher to use for a future flight. However, if your canceled flight was to or from the US (on any airline) you’re actually owed a cash refund if you want one.

According to the Department of Transportation, "If your flight is canceled and you choose to cancel your trip as a result, you are entitled to a refund for the unused transportation—even for non-refundable tickets."

If the airline offers you a voucher, you can cite this regulation and ask for a cash refund instead. If they won’t budge, you can file a complaint with the DOT and you contest the charge on your credit card. Since you didn’t get the service you paid for (and it was the airline who canceled the flight, not you) your credit card or bank would likely institute a chargeback.

If the airline has not canceled your flight—and isn’t offering free changes for your travel dates or destination—we recommend you wait as long as possible to cancel. Here’s why.

Let’s say you have a flight in May and you want to cancel, but the airline has only extended free changes to April 30. If you cancel now, the airline will charge you a hefty cancelation fee. However, if you wait, the airline may end up canceling the flight (or at least waiving change fees) as it gets closer to your departure date. As stated above, if the airline cancels the flight, they owe you a refund.

scottscheapflights.com/coronavirus-and-travel

I sent this to my CW who husband was just laid off and they were only issued a credit for their Florida tickets for their family.  She called and pushed and actually cited this and got her refund. She said it took some time on the phone but it ended up in her favor so it was worth it.  So thank you. They could really use the money.

[sassystace]

Thanks for the info. I have a May 1st flight that I'm waiting to see if they'll cancel so I can do this.

[gastro]

Yes DH has gotten full refunds both on United and Southwest. I know my parents have also got full refunds and all award travel points back on United.

[doggielover]

I've cancelled a jet blue flight for one of our employee's and we got a 100% refund not in the form of a credit. If you're trying to get them to issue a refund instead of a credit after the fact I doubt that's going to happen.

[Gato]

I just got a voucher for the flight we canceled this year, but we have in the past successfully pushed for a full refund. It wasn’t even an open and shut case, the reason why we canceled was my fault, but H was persistent. It was one of those “every no leads to a yes” situations.

ETA: we did all this well before the flight actually happened, so the airline had plenty of time to re-sell the seats. Still, it can’t hurt to push.

[Whitecaps]

Apr 2, 2020 11:59:36 GMT -5 farmvillelover said:

Apr 1, 2020 21:10:11 GMT -5 Whitecaps said:

This is information from Scott's Cheap Flights that may be helpful to you:

If the airline cancels your flight, they may offer a full refund, or they may offer you a voucher to use for a future flight. However, if your canceled flight was to or from the US (on any airline) you’re actually owed a cash refund if you want one.

According to the Department of Transportation, "If your flight is canceled and you choose to cancel your trip as a result, you are entitled to a refund for the unused transportation—even for non-refundable tickets."

If the airline offers you a voucher, you can cite this regulation and ask for a cash refund instead. If they won’t budge, you can file a complaint with the DOT and you contest the charge on your credit card. Since you didn’t get the service you paid for (and it was the airline who canceled the flight, not you) your credit card or bank would likely institute a chargeback.

If the airline has not canceled your flight—and isn’t offering free changes for your travel dates or destination—we recommend you wait as long as possible to cancel. Here’s why.

Let’s say you have a flight in May and you want to cancel, but the airline has only extended free changes to April 30. If you cancel now, the airline will charge you a hefty cancelation fee. However, if you wait, the airline may end up canceling the flight (or at least waiving change fees) as it gets closer to your departure date. As stated above, if the airline cancels the flight, they owe you a refund.

scottscheapflights.com/coronavirus-and-travel

I sent this to my CW who husband was just laid off and they were only issued a credit for their Florida tickets for their family.  She called and pushed and actually cited this and got her refund. She said it took some time on the phone but it ended up in her favor so it was worth it.  So thank you. They could really use the money.

Glad I could help! 

[calmcosmo]

My only experience thus far has been with Frontier on a flight to Colorado I was supposed to take in May.

At first they sent me an email that said "cancel by Monday and we'll give you credit + a $50 voucher per passenger for future travel"

I held out because who the heck knows what May will bring. Then a week later I got a "your flight has been cancelled - you can have the credit + voucher OR a full refund". I took the refund.

[rosiebear]

I waited until the airline cancelled a mid-June flight. They sent me a “you get credit toward another flight!” email but when I phoned to get the full refund instead, they buckled immediately. Sun Country airlines.

[eb777888]

Apr 1, 2020 21:10:11 GMT -5 Whitecaps said:

This is information from Scott's Cheap Flights that may be helpful to you:

If the airline cancels your flight, they may offer a full refund, or they may offer you a voucher to use for a future flight. However, if your canceled flight was to or from the US (on any airline) you’re actually owed a cash refund if you want one.

According to the Department of Transportation, "If your flight is canceled and you choose to cancel your trip as a result, you are entitled to a refund for the unused transportation—even for non-refundable tickets."

If the airline offers you a voucher, you can cite this regulation and ask for a cash refund instead. If they won’t budge, you can file a complaint with the DOT and you contest the charge on your credit card. Since you didn’t get the service you paid for (and it was the airline who canceled the flight, not you) your credit card or bank would likely institute a chargeback.

If the airline has not canceled your flight—and isn’t offering free changes for your travel dates or destination—we recommend you wait as long as possible to cancel. Here’s why.

Let’s say you have a flight in May and you want to cancel, but the airline has only extended free changes to April 30. If you cancel now, the airline will charge you a hefty cancelation fee. However, if you wait, the airline may end up canceling the flight (or at least waiving change fees) as it gets closer to your departure date. As stated above, if the airline cancels the flight, they owe you a refund.

scottscheapflights.com/coronavirus-and-travel

Thank you so much for posting this. I'm on hold to cancel our Paris trip right now and our flight has been cancelled so this is good info to know going in to the call. I got an email offering vouchers and I'd rather have a refund!

[wizardressofoz]

I called Delta this morning regarding some itineraries that my family has in May for US to Europe. We were able to get a full refund for 2 of the 6 itineraries because that particular flight had been changed more than 90 minutes. My flight hadn’t been changed, only 80 mins (!!!), so we are holding and monitoring until the airline cancels. It’s $6k for me, so I’m very invested in getting this back in cash and not some BS voucher. Definitely call, and definitely be nice.