Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

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sil2017
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by sil2017 »

1. Who successfully cancelled their flight?
2. What airline?
3. Full or partial refund?
4. Online or via phone?
5. What was the most successful approach to getting this done?
6. Is there a 3rd party that has helped you (travel ins co, credit card agency, travel agent)?

1. I did
2. American Airlines
3. Full redeposit of award mileage points and fees to account
4. Phone early in the morning in order to reach someone
5. Go to the bathroom in the wee hours around 2 to 4 am, then call American Airlines , other wise, you get hung up or have to wait for several hours
6. no

1. I did
2. Jetblue
3. Full deposit in travel bank. Was a paid flight
4. online but refund not in travel bank so had to call to complete the transaction
5. probably best to do it online but log into your account first
6. No
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tennisplyr
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by tennisplyr »

Cancelled through a travel agent. Delta gave me credits to be used by year end. Not sure if there is a best way...seems largely to be dependent on individual circumstances....be nice.
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” -Retired 13 years 😀
diy60
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by diy60 »

1. Me
2. United
3. Full refund. Award miles redeposited, all $ for taxes and upgrade bundles refunded to original CC. Redeposit fee waived. No time stipulations.
4. Phone (90 mins on 1st hold, I accidentally hung up when rep came on line, another 70 mins hold on 2nd attempt)
5. Called Sunday morning,used ear buds, kept busy by cleaning my workshop
6. No third party involved
IMO
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by IMO »

Me/family.

Southwest.

However, anyone who uses them regularly knows you can cancel on-line without issue (or need to hold for long periods for a customer service rep)and use the funds for up to 1 year.
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amp
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by amp »

amp wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 10:20 am Frontier finally got around to putting up a webpage from which you can cancel your flight without needing to call in. It's just a web form that goes to a customer service rep but it beats spending hours on hold.

They say that a credit will be issued that can be applied to tickets on a future flight booked within the next 90 days, so I hope they'll honor that and that baggage fees, etc. will be included as a part of the credit.

I'll update with details once the cancellation actually goes through.
Overnight Frontier put up a new tool on their site to change or cancel reservations online.

1. Me
2. Frontier
3. Full credit toward a future flight as long as tickets are purchased within 90 days
4. Online
5. The new web tool seemed to work without issue. I had previously used a web form that was supposed to go to an agent who would cancel manually, but in the 48 hours since I submitted the form I hadn't received any reply to my request.
6. No third party
lgs88
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by lgs88 »

All,

Have any of you Delta fliers experienced difficulties redeeming the eCredit you received when you cancelled? Their website is telling me I don't have permission to access the module where one would enter the ticket number and redeem the credit.

lgs88
merely an interested amateur
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quantAndHold
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by quantAndHold »

Southwest. Canceled online without penalty, funds available for use for a year. Easy.

British. Is willing to rebook without penalty all flights before May 31. But the return flight for our 2 month trip is scheduled for mid-June, and is on a separate reservation from the outbound flights, so we’ll probably need to deal with it over the phone, and they don’t want to hear from anyone yet whose flight leaves more than 72 hours from now. We also want to try to get a refund instead of rebooking, so we’re playing a waiting game for now.

Other than a budget Spanish airline, we were able to get full refunds for the rest of the trip without issue. The flight on the Spanish airline was cheap, nonrefundable, and not leaving until the end of May. I’m not holding out much hope on that one, but I’ll keep trying.
chw
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by chw »

Cancelled a domestic flight on American Airlines that was purchased with miles.

Cancelled on-line- emailed customer service about miles refund. Was emailed back 2 days later that miles will be fully refunded, as well as the service fees that were charged. Both have since been completed.
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quantAndHold
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by quantAndHold »

Also Amtrak. Business class. Clicked a button online and the money showed up in my credit card a day later. If I had a coach ticket on Amtrak and was having trouble getting it refunded, I would be tempted to try to upgrade it to business class, then cancel it and get the refund.
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siamond
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by siamond »

I bought a non-refundable ticket for my son to go to Europe mid-May (a study abroad trip, now canceled). Via Ovago, British Airways, but the actual airline is Aer Lingus. Which sent me an e-mail suggesting a voucher for full value of the flight plus 10%. I would much rather get cash, but no such option - for now.

Assuming the situation goes back to normal at some point this year, my wife will want to travel to Europe to see her dad. It is much less obvious that my son will have such a need this year.

Questions about airline vouchers:
1. will I (the ticket's purchaser) get the voucher? Or will it be associated with my son's name (the ticket's holder)?
2. will I (or my son) be able to buy a ticket for somebody else (my wife) with it?

I vaguely remember being ripped off by JetBlue a while ago with vouchers associated with specific names...

Aer Lingus terms and conditions are quite unclear. Gift vouchers have full flexibility, but this is not the same thing. And I'd rather not spend 2 hours on the phone speaking with a stressed out support person...
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amp
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by amp »

siamond wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 9:44 am I bought a non-refundable ticket for my son to go to Europe mid-May (a study abroad trip, now canceled). Via Ovago, British Airways, but the actual airline is Aer Lingus. Which sent me an e-mail suggesting a voucher for full value of the flight plus 10%. I would much rather get cash, but no such option - for now.

Assuming the situation goes back to normal at some point this year, my wife will want to travel to Europe to see her dad. It is much less obvious that my son will have such a need this year.

Questions about airline vouchers:
1. will I (the ticket's purchaser) get the voucher? Or will it be associated with my son's name (the ticket's holder)?
2. will I (or my son) be able to buy a ticket for somebody else (my wife) with it?

I vaguely remember being ripped off by JetBlue a while ago with vouchers associated with specific names...

Aer Lingus terms and conditions are quite unclear. Gift vouchers have full flexibility, but this is not the same thing. And I'd rather not spend 2 hours on the phone speaking with a stressed out support person...

There's a voucher FAQ page on the Aer Lingus site: https://www.aerlingus.com/support/forms ... uest-form/
How will I receive the voucher?
The lead guest on the booking will receive the voucher by email.
Based on this question, it seems like your son will get the voucher. There's no indication on the page if the vouchers are transferrable, but I think it unlikely otherwise people would sell them on eBay.

But instead of requesting a voucher, why not just hold off? At this point it's very unlikely that they will return to their regular schedule by mid-May. If they end up canceling the flight, they will have to give you a cash refund.
Last edited by amp on Sat Mar 21, 2020 10:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
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siamond
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by siamond »

amp wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 10:03 amBut instead of requesting a voucher, why not just hold off? At this point it's very unlikely that they will return to their regular schedule by mid-May. If they end up canceling the flight, they will have to give you a cash refund.
Yup, this is indeed the primary option I had in mind. I was just wondering about other options. Thank you for your excellent answer.
technovelist
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by technovelist »

sil2017 wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 1:43 pm 1. Who successfully cancelled their flight?
2. What airline?
3. Full or partial refund?
4. Online or via phone?
5. What was the most successful approach to getting this done?
6. Is there a 3rd party that has helped you (travel ins co, credit card agency, travel agent)?

1. I did
2. American Airlines
3. Full redeposit of award mileage points and fees to account
4. Phone early in the morning in order to reach someone
5. Go to the bathroom in the wee hours around 2 to 4 am, then call American Airlines , other wise, you get hung up or have to wait for several hours
6. no

1. I did
2. Jetblue
3. Full deposit in travel bank. Was a paid flight
4. online but refund not in travel bank so had to call to complete the transaction
5. probably best to do it online but log into your account first
6. No
1. I did
2. American Airlines
3. Full redeposit of award mileage points and fees to account
4. Phoned at a normal time, was told 19 minutes on wait time but then was answered shortly. Told them, truthfully, that my mother's apartment building is locked down so I can't visit.
5. Just call American. The wait time wasn't long.
6. no
In theory, theory and practice are identical. In practice, they often differ.
mrb09
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by mrb09 »

Air New Zealand: they allow a credit for the cancelled flight for up to a year. If you want a refund during that year, normal rules apply. Initially they had a number to call, but they moved to a button on their web site, worked smoothly and notified me of my credit.
dcabler
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by dcabler »

siamond wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 10:05 am
amp wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 10:03 amBut instead of requesting a voucher, why not just hold off? At this point it's very unlikely that they will return to their regular schedule by mid-May. If they end up canceling the flight, they will have to give you a cash refund.
Yup, this is indeed the primary option I had in mind. I was just wondering about other options. Thank you for your excellent answer.
Same plan I have for my daughter. Her study abroad in Berlin this summer was cancelled. I bought non-refundable tickets and the only option right now is to get a voucher. So plans A and B are:
1) Wait. Flight was scheduled in of May. If flight ends up being cancelled, get a refund
2) If not #1, then request a voucher. She will most likely do study abroad the following summer anyway.
LuckBeALady
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by LuckBeALady »

2. What airline?
United, Lufthansa, and TAP Portugal
3. Full or partial refund?
Credit vouchers good until the end of the year- hope we can use it!
4. Online or via phone?
Online

6. Is there a 3rd party that has helped you (travel ins co, credit card agency, travel agent)?
Skybooker. In the future I won’t use third party agents. I think dealing directly with the airlines is better. I was trying to save a buck.

AirBNB gave me a full refund on two “strict cancellation” reservations. I guarantee I’ll use them again.
UpperNwGuy
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by UpperNwGuy »

1. Who successfully cancelled their flight? On March 19 I cancelled an award ticket to Europe for May 2020. The flight had not been cancelled.
2. What airline? United.
3. Full or partial refund? The miles are back in my account for a $125 redeposit fee. Still awaiting the promised refund of $56 in taxes and fees.
4. Online or via phone? Online.
5. What was the most successful approach to getting this done? I tried online as my first approach, and it worked. After hearing about the long wait times on phone calls, and the mostly unsuccessful results, I was not willing to call and attempt to convince United to waive the $125 redeposit fee.
6. Is there a 3rd party that has helped you (travel ins co, credit card agency, travel agent)? No third party. I always book my own flights.
yolli71
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by yolli71 »

mc2 wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2020 5:52 pm Goal: to help each other find the most efficient and effective way to solve the problem of travel cancellations due to COVID.

Let's aggregate some of our experiences here, ideally keeping details brief and factual.

1. Who successfully cancelled their flight?
2. What airline?
3. Full or partial refund?
4. Online or via phone?
5. What was the most successful approach to getting this done?
6. Is there a 3rd party that has helped you (travel ins co, credit card agency, travel agent)?

Cheers and health to everyone-
mc2
Has anyone had any success with Spirit Airlines? We cancelled a spring break trip to Orlando that was to take place on April 6th. So far the best I can get is a credit to be used in 6 months. That doesn't seem like a great option to me.
THY4373
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by THY4373 »

siamond wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 9:44 am I bought a non-refundable ticket for my son to go to Europe mid-May (a study abroad trip, now canceled). Via Ovago, British Airways, but the actual airline is Aer Lingus. Which sent me an e-mail suggesting a voucher for full value of the flight plus 10%. I would much rather get cash, but no such option - for now.

Assuming the situation goes back to normal at some point this year, my wife will want to travel to Europe to see her dad. It is much less obvious that my son will have such a need this year.

Questions about airline vouchers:
1. will I (the ticket's purchaser) get the voucher? Or will it be associated with my son's name (the ticket's holder)?
2. will I (or my son) be able to buy a ticket for somebody else (my wife) with it?

I vaguely remember being ripped off by JetBlue a while ago with vouchers associated with specific names...

Aer Lingus terms and conditions are quite unclear. Gift vouchers have full flexibility, but this is not the same thing. And I'd rather not spend 2 hours on the phone speaking with a stressed out support person...
If your ticket is not refundable and the flight flies you are pretty much likely stuck with a voucher. However if the flight is refundable unlikely unless you bought an expensive econ ticket or a business class ticket you should be able to get a refund minus any fees per the original terms of the ticket (you really want to look at the terms on your ticket vs the general terms on the EI website). If you want a cash refund wait it out and see if this continues and the flight is cancelled so you can get a cash refund (per EU law if the flight is cancelled you are due a cash refund though many EU carriers are going to extremes to hide this option). If EI goes bankrupt in the meantime you can also do a chargeback with your CC. Also because you used an online travel agency that is going to complicate your refund because you have to deal with them not the airline. My advice is NEVER use an OTA unless you are getting a much cheaper deal than buying from the airline directly.

At this point anybody who takes a voucher when they have a cash refund option is nuts in my book. But the voucher is better than nothing if that is the only option. My advice to folks is wait to see how this plays out. Carriers are also seemingly delaying cancelling flights until last minute likely to encourage folks to take voucher first.
hopefulbogle
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by hopefulbogle »

1. Who successfully cancelled their flight?
- Flight was cancelled by airline, but they are only offering a voucher good for 1 year

2. What airline?
- Air France

3. Full or partial refund?
- No refund, only voucher good for 1 year

Kinda annoyed. :(
LC Mike
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by LC Mike »

Purchased flight to Italy for daughter’s study abroad leaving in May on Delta. At this point, the only option for the non refundable ticket is a voucher. I plan on waiting them out for the flight cancellation at which point I get a full refund. I do not want the voucher for her on Delta as she does not fly often and she won’t be going to Europe so the voucher has little value to me
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Corsair
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by Corsair »

The 1 year period is such a scam :annoyed We wouldn't be able to travel in such a time period, 3-5 years would be much better.

Waiting to see if our Delta flight is cancelled for early May (looks like they've cancelled March and April because they're not selling tickets). Don't want a voucher!
All posts are my own opinions and are not financial advice.
Capsu78
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by Capsu78 »

American Airlines refunded our tickets to Tokyo in July, over the phone. Still waiting to see it hit the CC that we used to purchase.
chuppi
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by chuppi »

I had reservation to travel on Hawaiian Airlines to Honolulu on April 6th and return on April 12th. I made the reservation through orbitz. airline cancelled my ticket today and I got the cancellation notice.
Since airline canceled on me, am I not entitled to a refund? Message from orbitz is

###
Your safety and peace of mind are of utmost importance to us, and we want to let you know we have issued an airline credit for your flight.

All the details of your airline credit, such as traveler name, amount, and expiration date, will be emailed to you in a confirmation email that you will receive soon.
###

Orbitz does not take any phone calls and there is no way to reach their support.
Any advice on how I can get a refund instead of airline credit?
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climber2020
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by climber2020 »

mc2 wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2020 5:52 pm 1. Who successfully cancelled their flight?
2. What airline?
3. Full or partial refund?
4. Online or via phone?
5. What was the most successful approach to getting this done?
6. Is there a 3rd party that has helped you (travel ins co, credit card agency, travel agent)?
1. Yes. Finally.

2. Delta (via Expedia). Non-refundable economy ticket.

3. Full refund back to credit card. I was told the actual credit will take several weeks. My flight was cancelled by the airline, so I was eligible for a refund.

4. Transaction was done by phone, but the contact was initiated through Expedia's website chat call-back feature.

5. Call-back feature on the website where I type my phone number and they call me many hours later when ready. Tried calling directly and also using both Twitter and Facebook with no luck.

6. I used Expedia to make the flight purchase. A mistake. Next time I will pay a little extra and book directly with the airline. It took me days and many attempts to get an Expedia representative on the phone. I called Delta to see if they could help (they could not do a refund; just flight credit), and I barely waited a minute both times I called Delta.
jbourne99
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by jbourne99 »

I bought a non-refundable fare on KLM from USA to Belgium, return from Spain to USA.

Current situation - KLM cancelled one of my flights (a USA to USA connecting flight) and rebooked (without my permission) me to depart more than 4 hours earlier than the now cancelled flight. For this I expect a full refund if I request it per US DOT regulations.

1. Who successfully cancelled their flight?
Not me.

2. What airline?
KLM

3. Full or partial refund?
KLM is only offering voucher valid for one year. If not used after one year you can redeem for 100% cash value. (If they are still in business!)

4. Online or via phone?
Discussed this with agent via phone. I believe it was a Delta agent as they handle KLM in the USA. She was a supervisor and obligated to follow KLMs rules which are arguable illegal. She said KLM not being a USA based carrier was not subject to US DOT regulations which I believe to be false.

5. What was the most successful approach to getting this done?
Phone is probably best. I was on hold once for over 2 hours and got disconnected. When I did get through it was less than 10 minutes of hold time. I'd recommend if hold time > 30 minutes probably just call at a different time. Via WhatsApp and Facebook I got useless responses after hours of time between messages.

6. Is there a 3rd party that has helped you (travel ins co, credit card agency, travel agent)?
Chase credit card dispute has given me a reversal of the funds but this is temporary and pending an investigation. Since it doesn't appear that KLM has their situation in order I'm hopping that the reversal stands.
Horsefly
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by Horsefly »

Slightly off-topic from the OP question, but related:

We've got tix on United for 21-May (returning on 26-May) to a very small airport. Both directions are one a pretty small plane. We're almost certain to not want to go, so eventually we will cancel. I've heard that United won't refund if we cancel, but instead will give us a voucher until the end of the year. Looking at the seat map, we may soon be the only two people on both flights, so United may cancel. If United cancels, I've heard from some that they are required to refund, but I've also heard that they are trying to push vouchers even in that case.

Anyone have any thoughts? Has anyone had a similar case?

For now we are holding out, playing chicken with United. Eventually either United will blink and cancel the flight, or we will cancel our reservations.
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VictoriaF
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by VictoriaF »

Horsefly wrote: Thu Apr 02, 2020 6:03 pm Slightly off-topic from the OP question, but related:

We've got tix on United for 21-May (returning on 26-May) to a very small airport. Both directions are one a pretty small plane. We're almost certain to not want to go, so eventually we will cancel. I've heard that United won't refund if we cancel, but instead will give us a voucher until the end of the year. Looking at the seat map, we may soon be the only two people on both flights, so United may cancel. If United cancels, I've heard from some that they are required to refund, but I've also heard that they are trying to push vouchers even in that case.

Anyone have any thoughts? Has anyone had a similar case?

For now we are holding out, playing chicken with United. Eventually either United will blink and cancel the flight, or we will cancel our reservations.
Travel bloggers recommend waiting until the last moment in hope that the airline would cancel themselves. United has changed its policy several times in the last couple weeks. For example, they stopped charging for redepositing miles for the flights they cancel. If you purchased your flights with cash, you should insist on a cash refund. But, again, it's only if they cancel. (By "cash" I mean a credit card in contrast to buying with miles.)

Good luck!
Victoria
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seawolf21
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by seawolf21 »

jbourne99 wrote: Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:24 pm I bought a non-refundable fare on KLM from USA to Belgium, return from Spain to USA.

Current situation - KLM cancelled one of my flights (a USA to USA connecting flight) and rebooked (without my permission) me to depart more than 4 hours earlier than the now cancelled flight. For this I expect a full refund if I request it per US DOT regulations.

1. Who successfully cancelled their flight?
Not me.

2. What airline?
KLM

3. Full or partial refund?
KLM is only offering voucher valid for one year. If not used after one year you can redeem for 100% cash value. (If they are still in business!)

4. Online or via phone?
Discussed this with agent via phone. I believe it was a Delta agent as they handle KLM in the USA. She was a supervisor and obligated to follow KLMs rules which are arguable illegal. She said KLM not being a USA based carrier was not subject to US DOT regulations which I believe to be false.

5. What was the most successful approach to getting this done?
Phone is probably best. I was on hold once for over 2 hours and got disconnected. When I did get through it was less than 10 minutes of hold time. I'd recommend if hold time > 30 minutes probably just call at a different time. Via WhatsApp and Facebook I got useless responses after hours of time between messages.

6. Is there a 3rd party that has helped you (travel ins co, credit card agency, travel agent)?
Chase credit card dispute has given me a reversal of the funds but this is temporary and pending an investigation. Since it doesn't appear that KLM has their situation in order I'm hopping that the reversal stands.
File a chargeback and a DoT compliant; KLM is under DoT jurisdiction for itineraries involving the US.
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Nate79
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by Nate79 »

There are cases of the travel industry including the airlines retaliating against those who have done chargebacks including canceling the miles and other blacklist activities.
jbourne99
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by jbourne99 »

seawolf21 wrote: Thu Apr 02, 2020 6:46 pm File a chargeback and a DoT compliant; KLM is under DoT jurisdiction for itineraries involving the US.
Chargeback done. DOT complaint filed and I now have a contact working on the case. KLM is lying like crazy to their customers. There is a facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/2539386469633337/ "KLM TICKET REFUND" dedicated to this matter. The US DOT published an enforcement action notice that KLM is violating that can be found here: https://www.transportation.gov/sites/do ... 2020_0.pdf
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siamond
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by siamond »

I have a flight which just got canceled by IcelandAir. The right to refund is... succinctly documented, shall we say, on their Web site. So I filled the form requesting action on my ticket and made clear I wanted a refund, not travel credit. I was very pleased to get an e-mail a few hours later indicating that I was absolutely entitled to such a refund, no discussion. But I have to go through the 3rd-party which sold the ticket (a low-cost third-party named Vayama, why the heck did I do this, I usually never do that, sigh).

I sent all information to Vayama and all I got (twice in a row) was a lame e-mail (typos included):
Please be informed that the cancellation with full refund is not permitted as per the travel advisory the Airline will offer only a future cerdit and we kindly request you to contact the Airline for cerdit.

I am trying one last time to be polite, but if not satisfactory, I will try through the Better Business Bureau (+ the DoT). As I can see that this helped quite a few folks in the past few days...
https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-jose/prof ... complaints
TravelGeek
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by TravelGeek »

Who charged your credit card - Vayama or Iceland Air?
Bfwolf
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by Bfwolf »

THY4373 wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:41 am
1.Yes
2. Turkish Airlines
3. Points award, was able to cancel for no charge due to them moving my flight two days later.
4. Phone
5. Phone as that was the only option I could find
6. Turkish gets the award for being the easiest to deal with. Got through on phone in under five minutes and refund was seen on my CC within two days. Best service of the three carriers I have dealt with this month without a doubt.
I have not had as smooth an experience with Turkish as you. I booked United flights with Turkish miles, but really the only easy way to do that these days is to email one of their ticket offices and have them create the reservation for you with a booking reference code, then you call in and give them the booking reference to finalize the ressie. Well, when I called in to cancel a couple of days before the schedule flight, they told me they couldn't cancel it and I'd have to go to a ticket office or email one. So I did get one of the ticket offices to cancel it via email, but instead of the miles being refunded to my account, I have some sort of unused ticket credit with Turkish. I have no idea what that even means given we're talking about miles. I've been reluctant to call in to try and figure this whole thing out with them until everything dies down in a couple of months.
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siamond
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by siamond »

TravelGeek wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:17 pm Who charged your credit card - Vayama or Iceland Air?
Vayama, unfortunately. I'll contest the charge if needs be. They have a Web page (which I saved as PDF) clearly indicating that they'll refund if the airline company cancel the flight and allows the refund, which is the case... So far, they are posturing. I'll go from polite to BBB/DoT to credit card dispute over the next few days, if needs be.
Andyrunner
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by Andyrunner »

1. Yes
2. Delta
3. Full refund
4. Phone
5. Be nice, note flight changes (killed 6 hours of a 5 day trip), and noted my wife is in the medical field and will probably won't be able to get out of work.
technovelist
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by technovelist »

technovelist wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 10:10 am
sil2017 wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 1:43 pm 1. Who successfully cancelled their flight?
2. What airline?
3. Full or partial refund?
4. Online or via phone?
5. What was the most successful approach to getting this done?
6. Is there a 3rd party that has helped you (travel ins co, credit card agency, travel agent)?

1. I did
2. American Airlines
3. Full redeposit of award mileage points and fees to account
4. Phone early in the morning in order to reach someone
5. Go to the bathroom in the wee hours around 2 to 4 am, then call American Airlines , other wise, you get hung up or have to wait for several hours
6. no

1. I did
2. Jetblue
3. Full deposit in travel bank. Was a paid flight
4. online but refund not in travel bank so had to call to complete the transaction
5. probably best to do it online but log into your account first
6. No
1. I did
2. American Airlines
3. Full redeposit of award mileage points and fees to account
4. Phoned at a normal time, was told 19 minutes on wait time but then was answered shortly. Told them, truthfully, that my mother's apartment building is locked down so I can't visit.
5. Just call American. The wait time wasn't long.
6. no
I also managed to cancel my return flight on BA but was aided by the fact that the original flight had been canceled and they had moved me to a different flight taking off more than 2 hours later. So I didn't even need to discuss the virus. The agent said I would get back my $11.20 and the Avios. I haven't seen the Avios redeposit yet.
In theory, theory and practice are identical. In practice, they often differ.
Chip
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by Chip »

I was in the middle of a paid domestic RT on Delta last month. Decided on 3/14 to change the return flight and come home early (DL had waived change fees at that point). Though seats were available, the web site wouldn't let me change the return flight.
Waited on hold for 90 minutes early on 3/15, trying to speak to a rep.
Finally gave up on the phone call, returned to the web site and paid for a one-way ticket returning 3/16.

Spoke to DL on 3/17 or 3/18. Was transferred to their "post date travel" group. Rep was very pleasant and helpful. I asked for a refund of the one-way ticket I had to purchase (net of ticket price changes), on the grounds that if the web site had allowed me to change my return (or I could have gotten through to a rep) I could have done so for only the difference in ticket prices. The rep agreed with that logic and assigned a case number.

On 4/9 I received email notice of a refund from DL for the full amount of the one-way ticket. This was more than I expected, as the cost of that ticket was more than one half of the RT fare. I haven't received the refund yet, but expect it within a day or two.

I would also note that when I was buying the one way ticket the fares displayed by DL were extremely low for 3/16 and several days thereafter. Just the opposite of price gouging. Needless to say, I'm impressed with the way DL handled this.

I also had a September trip to Europe scheduled on AA. Though I had already decided not to take that trip I didn't cancel the reservations as I didn't want a credit for a future flight. Waiting has paid off; AA cancelled the flight and I've applied for a refund (via a travel agent).
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Cobra Commander
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by Cobra Commander »

1. Who successfully cancelled their flight?
I waited for Frontier to cancel the flight. My flight was changed from an 11:00 a.m. flight to one at 6:45 that landed at 10:00 p.m.
2. What airline?
Frontier
3. Full or partial refund?
Full refund - Cash
4. Online or via phone?
Online. I received the refund to my credit card about five days after submitting my request. In fact, Frontier never responded to me, I just got an e-mail from AMEX that I received a credit.
5. What was the most successful approach to getting this done?
I submitted my request online and in the explanation box I cited the section of the contract of carriage that entitled me to a refund and briefly stated the facts underlying my request for a refund (i.e. that my flight was departure time was changed by over 7 hours and I considered that a significant deviation. I also added that I have two young children ages 1 and 3 and I cannot take a flight that lands at 10:00 p.m. with them.
6. Is there a 3rd party that has helped you (travel ins co, credit card agency, travel agent)?
No.
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KSOC
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by KSOC »

Southwest-full voucher for Vegas trip mid-June.
Online.
Rebooked Southwest to Vegas mid-June - same dates.
Online.
Saved $290, now sitting in a Southwest voucher for use by December 2020. In the fall I'll scout cheap flights to a place we've never been.
Flight out got a better departure time (and earlier arrival) than we had.
Flight back got a better departure & Non-stop. The flight we originally booked had a stop in Austin, TX. We'll now get home 2 hours earlier.
Let's hope the world get healthier & we all get back to the full normal crazy.
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round. | Nobody told me there'd be days like these.
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siamond
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by siamond »

siamond wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 2:51 pm I have a flight which just got canceled by IcelandAir. The right to refund is... succinctly documented, shall we say, on their Web site. So I filled the form requesting action on my ticket and made clear I wanted a refund, not travel credit. I was very pleased to get an e-mail a few hours later indicating that I was absolutely entitled to such a refund, no discussion. But I have to go through the 3rd-party which sold the ticket (a low-cost third-party named Vayama, why the heck did I do this, I usually never do that, sigh).

I sent all information to Vayama and all I got (twice in a row) was a lame e-mail (typos included):
Please be informed that the cancellation with full refund is not permitted as per the travel advisory the Airline will offer only a future cerdit and we kindly request you to contact the Airline for cerdit.

I am trying one last time to be polite, but if not satisfactory, I will try through the Better Business Bureau (+ the DoT). As I can see that this helped quite a few folks in the past few days...
https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-jose/prof ... complaints
Not getting any other answer from Vayama than "you should ask a voucher from the airline company", I am going to file a BBB complaint.

Two questions:
1. I'd be inclined to file a complaint to the DoT too, but I am not too sure their scope goes beyond airline companies? Would this do any good with third-party vendors? I have no beef with Icelandair...
2. It appears that various Vayama customers recently got satisfaction thanks to the BBB (kudos to BBB!), but it took several weeks. It isn't clear to me if I should also open a credit card dispute in the mean time or keep that as last resort. Note that the (canceled) flight was scheduled to leave on Tuesday.

Overall, I want my money back, but I am not in a rush and I don't want to needlessly burden support organizations which DO help.
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siamond
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by siamond »

siamond wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2020 10:56 am 1. I'd be inclined to file a complaint to the DoT too, but I am not too sure their scope goes beyond airline companies? Would this do any good with third-party vendors? I have no beef with Icelandair...
Travelgeek provided a terrific answer to this question on another thread. Bottomline: answer is YES.
New Providence
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by New Providence »

I bought a standard roundtrip airfare in late January to attend a work conf in late March. Conf was cancelled in early March. I went into the United Airlines website and there was a link for cancel/refund. I selected cancel/refund. It took 2 minutes.

A month later my assistant looked up my credit card charges and the airfare had been refunded. Voila.
Caduceus
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by Caduceus »

siamond wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 2:51 pm I have a flight which just got canceled by IcelandAir. The right to refund is... succinctly documented, shall we say, on their Web site. So I filled the form requesting action on my ticket and made clear I wanted a refund, not travel credit. I was very pleased to get an e-mail a few hours later indicating that I was absolutely entitled to such a refund, no discussion. But I have to go through the 3rd-party which sold the ticket (a low-cost third-party named Vayama, why the heck did I do this, I usually never do that, sigh).

I sent all information to Vayama and all I got (twice in a row) was a lame e-mail (typos included):
Please be informed that the cancellation with full refund is not permitted as per the travel advisory the Airline will offer only a future cerdit and we kindly request you to contact the Airline for cerdit.

I am trying one last time to be polite, but if not satisfactory, I will try through the Better Business Bureau (+ the DoT). As I can see that this helped quite a few folks in the past few days...
https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-jose/prof ... complaints
You would resolve this faster simply by getting into a phonecall with a supervisor at either of the companies (ask for the issue to be escalated so you speak to someone farther up the command chain), and then at the start of the phonecall, inform them that the call is being recorded on your end for documentation. If they don't resolve this satisfactorily, confirm the name or ID of the supervisor (they should be obligated to give it to you), and say that if the issue is not resolved in X number of days you will release this information on multiple online channels - Twitter, blogs, whatever.

I've only had to do this once as it is a highly adversarial thing to do. But it worked for me.
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siamond
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by siamond »

Caduceus wrote: Sat Apr 11, 2020 10:43 am
siamond wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 2:51 pm I have a flight which just got canceled by IcelandAir. The right to refund is... succinctly documented, shall we say, on their Web site. So I filled the form requesting action on my ticket and made clear I wanted a refund, not travel credit. I was very pleased to get an e-mail a few hours later indicating that I was absolutely entitled to such a refund, no discussion. But I have to go through the 3rd-party which sold the ticket (a low-cost third-party named Vayama, why the heck did I do this, I usually never do that, sigh).

I sent all information to Vayama and all I got (twice in a row) was a lame e-mail (typos included):
Please be informed that the cancellation with full refund is not permitted as per the travel advisory the Airline will offer only a future cerdit and we kindly request you to contact the Airline for cerdit.

I am trying one last time to be polite, but if not satisfactory, I will try through the Better Business Bureau (+ the DoT). As I can see that this helped quite a few folks in the past few days...
https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-jose/prof ... complaints
You would resolve this faster simply by getting into a phonecall with a supervisor at either of the companies (ask for the issue to be escalated so you speak to someone farther up the command chain), and then at the start of the phonecall, inform them that the call is being recorded on your end for documentation. If they don't resolve this satisfactorily, confirm the name or ID of the supervisor (they should be obligated to give it to you), and say that if the issue is not resolved in X number of days you will release this information on multiple online channels - Twitter, blogs, whatever.

I've only had to do this once as it is a highly adversarial thing to do. But it worked for me.
I hear you, but Vayama turns out to be incredibly shady. They removed any phone support weeks ago and the only way to communicate is by e-mail. And they stopped answering (and 100s of people reported the same stonewalling over the past few weeks on various forums, so the issue is already more than public).

Scrutinizing the BBB long list of complaints about Vayama, I don't see a lot of cases where the customer did report full refund. In most cases, Vayama essentially said "working on it". Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they declare bankruptcy in a few weeks. Finally, the typical credit card dispute process has a 60-days limit (which I have far exceeded).

Icelandair has been perfectly fair and responsive. And their voucher guide seems to indicate remarkable flexibility (3 years limit, use for myself or others, across multiple trips if desired, etc). And I can't see IcelandAir going bankrupt without Iceland bailing them out.

I am starting to falter. I'd rather get the cash back, but it doesn't overly bother me to keep a credit with IcelandAir. And I can sense a lot of aggravation if I keep fighting with Vayama. I am starting to think that travel credit + DoT complain could be the right balance. I need to make a decision this week-end. Thoughts?
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Corsair
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by Corsair »

Is there a time frame by law they have to notify that the flight has been canceled?

It looks like Delta cancelled our flights in early May because the flights are not available to be booked and our flight details (seats, time, etc.) are all blank. But it still shows "on time" when I view our trip.
All posts are my own opinions and are not financial advice.
seawolf21
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by seawolf21 »

siamond wrote: Sat Apr 11, 2020 10:54 am
I hear you, but Vayama turns out to be incredibly shady. They removed any phone support weeks ago and the only way to communicate is by e-mail. And they stopped answering (and 100s of people reported the same stonewalling over the past few weeks on various forums, so the issue is already more than public).

Scrutinizing the BBB long list of complaints about Vayama, I don't see a lot of cases where the customer did report full refund. In most cases, Vayama essentially said "working on it". Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they declare bankruptcy in a few weeks. Finally, the typical credit card dispute process has a 60-days limit (which I have far exceeded).

Icelandair has been perfectly fair and responsive. And their voucher guide seems to indicate remarkable flexibility (3 years limit, use for myself or others, across multiple trips if desired, etc). And I can't see IcelandAir going bankrupt without Iceland bailing them out.

I am starting to falter. I'd rather get the cash back, but it doesn't overly bother me to keep a credit with IcelandAir. And I can sense a lot of aggravation if I keep fighting with Vayama. I am starting to think that travel credit + DoT complain could be the right balance. I need to make a decision this week-end. Thoughts?
For MasterCard/Visa, a dispute due to "Services not received" can be initiated up to 120 days from the date services is expected to be received provided the original charge is not older than 540 days. AMEX should have something similar if not even more lenient. You have have to call the card issuer to file a dispute if the website does not allow for it due to charge being more than two statement periods old.

Also file a US DoT complaint against Vayama if original credit card charge listed Vayama instead of Iceland Air as merchant.
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Corsair
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by Corsair »

Our non-stop got changed to a layover with arrival time increases of +82 mins there & +130 mins back. It doesn't looks like they're following what the DOT said a week ago because this disclaimer on My Trip states nothing about cash refunds.

Will be calling them to request :moneybag
There has been a change or cancellation affecting your trip. If you are not satisfied with this updated itinerary, you may be eligible to change your flight(s) at no extra cost. If you choose to cancel, you may be eligible to receive an eCredit, opens in new window to be redeemed at a future time. Click 'Modify Flight' to view your options to change or cancel. ( Conditions Apply)
If we are unable to accommodate a previously purchased Delta Comfort+® seat, Trip Extras or other trip purchases please select the 'Modify Flight' button and then the 'Cancel' button to see eligibility.
Last edited by Corsair on Sun Apr 12, 2020 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
All posts are my own opinions and are not financial advice.
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Corsair
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by Corsair »

seawolf21 wrote: Sat Apr 11, 2020 1:27 pm
siamond wrote: Sat Apr 11, 2020 10:54 am
I hear you, but Vayama turns out to be incredibly shady. They removed any phone support weeks ago and the only way to communicate is by e-mail. And they stopped answering (and 100s of people reported the same stonewalling over the past few weeks on various forums, so the issue is already more than public).

Scrutinizing the BBB long list of complaints about Vayama, I don't see a lot of cases where the customer did report full refund. In most cases, Vayama essentially said "working on it". Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they declare bankruptcy in a few weeks. Finally, the typical credit card dispute process has a 60-days limit (which I have far exceeded).

Icelandair has been perfectly fair and responsive. And their voucher guide seems to indicate remarkable flexibility (3 years limit, use for myself or others, across multiple trips if desired, etc). And I can't see IcelandAir going bankrupt without Iceland bailing them out.

I am starting to falter. I'd rather get the cash back, but it doesn't overly bother me to keep a credit with IcelandAir. And I can sense a lot of aggravation if I keep fighting with Vayama. I am starting to think that travel credit + DoT complain could be the right balance. I need to make a decision this week-end. Thoughts?
For MasterCard/Visa, a dispute due to "Services not received" can be initiated up to 120 days from the date services is expected to be received provided the original charge is not older than 540 days. AMEX should have something similar if not even more lenient. You have have to call the card issuer to file a dispute if the website does not allow for it due to charge being more than two statement periods old.

Also file a US DoT complaint against Vayama if original credit card charge listed Vayama instead of Iceland Air as merchant.
THANK YOU for this info. I bought my tickets in Oct and thought a dispute (if needed) was out of question due to the 90 day period and it not being an option on the website.
All posts are my own opinions and are not financial advice.
TravelGeek
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Re: Coronavirus Flight Cancel Thread

Post by TravelGeek »

Corsair wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2020 10:17 am Our non-stop got changed to a layover with arrival time increases of +82 mins there & +130 mins back. It doesn't looks like they're following what the DOT said a week ago because this disclaimer on My Trip states nothing about cash refunds.

Will be calling them to request :moneybag
Point them to their FAQ here:

https://www.delta.com/us/en/advisories/ ... l/overview
3. Can I request a refund if my flight has been canceled or significantly delayed?

In keeping with our longstanding policy, if Delta cancels or significantly delays a flight, you will first be rebooked on an alternate flight. If you choose to cancel your reservation, or if Delta cannot find an alternate flight and cancels the reservation for you, you will be issued an eCredit for the value of the ticket, which can be used toward future travel through May 31, 2022.

You may also request a refund back to your original form of payment if Delta cancels or significantly delays your flight (delays or schedule changes greater than 90 minutes).
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