Airlines Must Pay Refunds

[seaoma]

Here is finally some sort of good news for those people who have airline tickets. Unfortunately, it won't have any effect on people who have already cancelled, but it will help for people in April and beyond, if you haven't already cancelled.

 

https://petergreenberg.com/2020/04/05/finally-good-news-on-airline-ticket-refunds/

[strickerj]

That's great news! I wonder if it applies to an Air Canada flight originating in the U.S.? (Their governing body has determined that a credit is acceptable in lieu of a refund so long as it isn't unduly restricted, which has been interpreted as good for at least two years.)

[seaoma]

@strickerj I don't have the answer to your question, but my first thought would be that it doesn't. Maybe check out his website later this week. He's going to answer some emails and have some further information. 

[strickerj]

Thanks! That's kind of what I suspected, but since we're looking to reschedule for the same cruise for next year, the credit with a 2 year expiration is OK with me.

[teacherman]

Take the money.  Who knows what will happen in the next year?  You can always use the money to buy another ticket.  Maybe prices will be lower.  If they are higher, you will have to pay the difference anyway.

[love_the_sea]

2 hours ago, strickerj said:

That's great news! I wonder if it applies to an Air Canada flight originating in the U.S.? (Their governing body has determined that a credit is acceptable in lieu of a refund so long as it isn't unduly restricted, which has been interpreted as good for at least two years.)

 

Don't know about flights originating in US but I had flights from Montreal to Atlanta booked Feb 13 of this year for a return from a cruise to Montreal. I just checked Air Canada's web site and since my flights aren't cancelled I only get a credit for one year, but with no change fee.  I will just be out that money since I don't plan to travel anywhere in the next year. 

[SuzieQ521]

Great news , although airline has to initiate the cancellation.

 

Assuming our June Alaska cruise is cancelled, how would we go about getting a refund for a flight  we booked ourselves with Alaska Airlines?

[richwmn]

The devil is in the details. For most of us, we are cancelling the flights - not the airlines. They probably won't cancel a flight earlier than a day or two before the flight date. Since they are not cancelling, credits are still ok, again for most of us.

 

[dave34]

19 minutes ago, SuzieQ521 said:

Great news , although airline has to initiate the cancellation.

 

Assuming our June Alaska cruise is cancelled, how would we go about getting a refund for a flight  we booked ourselves with Alaska Airlines?

Still the flight will have to be canceled by the airline. I have 4 tickets with delta for a June cruise to Alaska, if I cancel all I can get is credit in the names on the ticket to be used within a year from date purchased. I bought tickets in January and have to use The credit by January 2021. They will hold out sometime up to the day before the flight to cancel hoping you cancel and then they just have to give a credit. I will loose by money, have no plans to fly before next summer 

[richwmn]

2 minutes ago, dave34 said:

Still the flight will have to be canceled by the airline. I have 4 tickets with delta for a June cruise to Alaska, if I cancel all I can get is credit in the names on the ticket to be used within a year from date purchased. I bought tickets in January and have to use The credit by January 2021. They will hold out sometime up to the day before the flight to cancel hoping you cancel and then they just have to give a credit. I will loose by money, have no plans to fly before next summer 

I received this in an email from Delta Friday

We’ve listened, and we know that in these times of rapid change, you want the value of your ticket to be secure and redeemable for a longer period. As a result, we are now extending your eCredit for up to two years.

All applicable eCredits will be automatically extended for travel to be completed through May 31, 2022, so there’s no action needed on your part. Delta is working on a solution to display the new expiration dates on Delta.com, so even if your eCredit for canceled travel has not yet been processed or extended, rest assured that your flight value is secure. If you are ready to book your new trip now and don’t yet see your eCredit or have an issue booking via delta.com, please have your old ticket number ready when you call our Reservations team.

 

[dave34]

6 minutes ago, richwmn said:

I received this in an email from Delta Friday

 

 

 

• Additional flexibility: We heard your feedback that you want the value of your tickets to be secure and redeemable for a longer period, so we have extended the ability to plan, re-book and travel for up to two years. We’ve waived change fees for your trips through May 31, 2022 if you have travel booked in April or May as of April 3, 2020, or canceled travel/eCredits from flights in March, April or May 2020. You can also change new tickets purchased between March 1 and May 31, 2020, without a change fee for up to a year from the date of purchase.   My trip is for June. Unless they extend this past May this is no help for people with flights after may

[teacherman]

Keep checking and look at the flight numbers.  Our trip to Florida was changed 2 times as far as the departure times, which they can do.  But on the last change, 3 days before the flight, they had consolidated some flights because of many less people flying.  On that day, they actually canceled MY return flight and booked me onto a totally different flight number.  This means they had canceled MY flight even though I was on another flight leaving within a few hours.  Their cancellation made me eligible for a refund, which I asked for and then received 3 days later.

[Alibaster McGillicutty]

1 hour ago, SuzieQ521 said:

Great news , although airline has to initiate the cancellation.

 

Assuming our June Alaska cruise is cancelled, how would we go about getting a refund for a flight  we booked ourselves with Alaska Airlines?

Our May 3 cruise out of Seattle has cancelled so we are waiting for our refund from HAL.

We also booked Alaska Airlines from Dallas to Seattle and are in a wait-and-see mode......or staring contest.....or game of chicken.....

 

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/advisories/travel-advisories?int=AS_HomePage_AdvisoryBR_L1||2020_CV_AW||-prodID:Awareness&lid=HomePage_AdvisoryBR_CancelFees#flex

For us, we purchased before February 26, 2020 so we can either change our trip without incurring a change fee for travel before Feb 28, 2021......or........cancel and get funds into "My Wallet" or receive a credit certificate for future travel.  I am not sure how long funds in My Wallet or credit certificate are valid.

 

All that it states is we must change or cancel before our flight.  Since we are not going, we plan on waiting until closer to time.  Hopefully, we will know something about our particular flight at least a day or two before.  Not that we are packing for it either way but we will wait before initiating it from our end.

 

There are other provisions if you booked after February 26, 2020.

 

[ontheweb]

I'm glad that for the cruise we just cancelled (with a refundable deposit), we used EZ Air (with Princess), so we did not have to deal at all with either airline to cancel or try to get a refund instead of a limited future credit.

[strickerj]

4 hours ago, dave34 said:

• Additional flexibility: We heard your feedback that you want the value of your tickets to be secure and redeemable for a longer period, so we have extended the ability to plan, re-book and travel for up to two years. We’ve waived change fees for your trips through May 31, 2022 if you have travel booked in April or May as of April 3, 2020, or canceled travel/eCredits from flights in March, April or May 2020. You can also change new tickets purchased between March 1 and May 31, 2020, without a change fee for up to a year from the date of purchase.   My trip is for June. Unless they extend this past May this is no help for people with flights after may

Same situation I'm in. My cruise is 5/24, and my Air Canada outbound flight was canceled by them (service to DTW suspended until July), but my Delta return flight is still scheduled and unfortunately is in June. I'm continuing to wait and see if the flexible policy gets extended past May 31.

Edited April 7, 2020 by strickerj

[AncientWanderer]

Be sure to keep a record of your ticket numbers!

We knew our flight from Japan was no longer a go, but it still showed up in our airline log-in...until one day it didn't.  Just disappeared.  No email notification, no nothing. This was about a week before the flight was supposed to take place.

 

We called airline and, voila, gave ticket numbers and refund issued.

It's a jungle out there!

[victory2020]

On ‎4‎/‎6‎/‎2020 at 1:38 PM, teacherman said:

Keep checking and look at the flight numbers.  Our trip to Florida was changed 2 times as far as the departure times, which they can do.  But on the last change, 3 days before the flight, they had consolidated some flights because of many less people flying.  On that day, they actually canceled MY return flight and booked me onto a totally different flight number.  This means they had canceled MY flight even though I was on another flight leaving within a few hours.  Their cancellation made me eligible for a refund, which I asked for and then received 3 days later.

This happened to us. We were supposed to cruise up to Vancouver yesterday, flying back next Tuesday. Our flight has been canceled & we have been put on one 3 hours later - so I can get a refund? I called & they told me I could have a 2 year voucher that was transferable.

[teacherman]

Did they DELAY your flight, or actually CANCEL your flight and place you on a different one.  Check your original flight number and the new flight number.  If they actually canceled it, then you are entitled to a refund.   Unless you already accepted the voucher.  If it is transferable, you could sell it to someone else.

[victory2020]

2 hours ago, teacherman said:

Did they DELAY your flight, or actually CANCEL your flight and place you on a different one.  Check your original flight number and the new flight number.  If they actually canceled it, then you are entitled to a refund.   Unless you already accepted the voucher.  If it is transferable, you could sell it to someone else.

They put us in a later flight with a different flight number. After seeing your post I went to the airline website to check on flights & the later one they changed us to was GONE! So I called & told them, they checked & said yes, that one too has been canceled(wonder when they would have informed us). They asked if I wanted a travel voucher & I said no. They checked with a supervisor & I got a refund(or at least I hope it shows up in the next week!)

[idiebabe]

We booked our flights for May 2nd from Montreal  through HAL but my Daughter’s was booked direct with American.  When HAL cancelled the Cruise our flights, of course, were cancelled, too.

 

For weeks leading up to HAL cancelling my Daughter kept getting emails that flight times changed and to call them,  etc.  When we went into AA they had changed our flight from Philly to home Airport from 3:30 pm on May 2nd to May 3rd at 6:30 a.m.  😱. We held off calling them thinking they’d push her to take a voucher.  The day HAL notified us Cruise was cancelled American emailed saying one of our flights was cancelled.  We put in for Refund online and it was approved and posted within 5 days.  Paid off holding off and being patient. 

[teacherman]

For Victory 2020 - I booked with Delta and I had the money back in my credit card as a credit within 3 days.  It was a sizable amount since I had purchased 8 tickets, so I called the credit card company and requested they send me a check.  I was told I would receive it within 10 days.  I hope.  Also, I had purchased travel insurance for the cruise.  When the cruise line canceled the cruise and I realized I would be getting a full refund, I contacted the insurance company and asked for a cancellation of the policy and a refund of the premium since the entire trip was canceled and I would suffer no economic loss.  I was told to send them evidence of receiving a full refund, rather than FCC.  I told them it might take months to actually receive it.  I was told to send it to them when I received it.  I will do so when I get it.  They may, or may not, refund the policy premium, but if they do not, and that is all I lose out of this whole thing, that would be not so bad.

[The Beaver]

On 4/6/2020 at 11:44 AM, strickerj said:

That's great news! I wonder if it applies to an Air Canada flight originating in the U.S.? (Their governing body has determined that a credit is acceptable in lieu of a refund so long as it isn't unduly restricted, which has been interpreted as good for at least two years.)

@strickerj AC has to give you a refund as per DOT Enforcement Notice Final April 3 2020

AC is a foreign carrier operating in the US and the rules apply to them also.

Edited April 10, 2020 by The Beaver

[PSR]

22 hours ago, The Beaver said:

@strickerj AC has to give you a refund as per DOT Enforcement Notice Final April 3 2020

AC is a foreign carrier operating in the US and the rules apply to them also.

 

So far we've only been given a link to get future flight credits for up to 2 years on our flight that was cancelled by AC for May 31st. I've been waiting to see if the question about AC by strickerj was answered. May have to give AC a call if they don't offer a cash refund (haven't looked at the link yet). Thanks for the info.

Edited April 11, 2020 by PSR

[strickerj]

14 hours ago, PSR said:

 

So far we've only been given a link to get future flight credits for up to 2 years on our flight that was cancelled by AC for May 31st. I've been waiting to see if the question about AC by strickerj was answered. May have to give AC a call if they don't offer a cash refund (haven't looked at the link yet). Thanks for the info.

Their email said only refundable fares would be refunded, and non-refundable fares would get the two-year credit. I imagine you'll have to call and push since I haven't seen any official response from them on this DOT guideline.

[The Beaver]

@PSR and @strickerj

 

I am in the same situation like you but with a European carrier that cancelled on me too. I have been asking questions on another Travel Forum  and this is what someone on there has advised us ( yes we are many in the same boat - from business people, road warriors and casual travellers) to do:

 

If you don't get the satisfaction you want, just file a small claims. Airline small claims are easy, and you can file in any municipality in the United Stated, because the U.S. is a signatory to the Montreal Convention - which states "Any Airline operating in any country that is signatory to this agreement may sue in any court that has legal jurisdiction within that country". (paraphrasing).