DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: For eight months, I've been attempting to get a refund from Expedia for my unused flight credit. I had canceled my flights again in 2020.
Expedia provided me a partial refund, after I rebooked a brand new flight for December 2021 that used two-thirds of the unique flight credit score. However I needed to cancel that flight, too, as a result of American Airways stored dropping flights.
Expedia absolutely refunded the two-thirds of the credit score I used for the brand new flight. A supervisor advised me the one manner I might get the remaining quantity refunded was by reserving one other flight by means of Expedia and American Airways for a similar vacationers. Then, I needed to pay for it and name them again to begin the refund course of.
Earlier this yr, I complied with Expedia’s directions. I booked and paid for brand new flights on American Airways with the identical vacationers after which referred to as them. A consultant mentioned a request for a refund could be submitted. After two further telephone calls concerning the standing of the refund and 12 weeks of ready, I've but to obtain my cash. I want to obtain a refund again to my bank card for the remaining one-third ($569) of the unique flight credit score. Are you able to assist?
— Evelyn Fink, Anchorage, Alaska
ANSWER: Most flight credit are nonrefundable. However throughout the pandemic, airways and on-line journey companies bent a few of their guidelines — and made up just a few as they went alongside.
It appears to be like like there are just a few transferring components to your case. You booked by means of Expedia, after which obtained credit by means of American Airways. The phrases of these credit modified throughout the pandemic, complicated prospects and typically journey companies, too. An Expedia supervisor advised you that you would get a full refund on your flight credit.
You probably did the correct factor by asking your on-line journey company for assist. It’s Expedia’s job to determine what you possibly can and might’t do together with your flight credit score. When American canceled your second flight, you need to have obtained a refund or a flight credit score. Nevertheless it appears to be like as if issues acquired very complicated between the cancellations and credit score requests. And ultimately, nothing occurred.
Taking this to the following degree may need accomplished the trick. I checklist the names, numbers and e-mail addresses of the Expedia executives on my buyer advocacy web site at www.elliott.org/company-contacts/expedia-customer-service-contacts/. A fast e-mail to 1, together with the paper path you stored, may need untangled this refund confusion.
If an airline or journey company affords you a selection between a refund or credit score, at all times take the cash. Money doesn’t expire, and you should utilize it to ebook journey wherever. Or, it can save you your cash and take a staycation. Most airline credit expire earlier than they’re used, which suggests the corporate will get to maintain your hard-earned cash. Don’t let that occur to you.
I contacted Expedia in your behalf. “Our brokers are going to course of the excellent refund and let the shopper comprehend it’s been accomplished,” a consultant advised me. “This was an unlucky scenario the place we didn’t present the extent of service we try to supply, and we’re sincerely sorry for the frustration. We’ve added a voucher to the shopper’s account as effectively for the inconvenience triggered.”
Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit group that helps customers resolve their issues. Elliott’s newest ebook is “The right way to Be the World’s Smartest Traveler” (Nationwide Geographic). Contact him at elliott.org/assist or chris@elliott.org.
(c) 2022 Christopher Elliott
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