We booked a nonstop flight on United from PA to CA. We also purchased extended legroom seats.

United informed us that our non stop flight is changed and we now have a layover.

I did not pay for a flight with a layover. I do not accept the substitution flight and I want a refund and no longer require the extra leg room.

I called and United they said the tickets are non refundable and will only give a 1 yr travel credit. I told them the flight I paid for is no longer available and they are the ones who altered the original agreement.

I looked up US DOT regs and they state if your flight is cancelled you are entitled to a refund, even for nonrefundable tickets.

I started a dispute with my credit card company.

Does anyone have any other suggestions on how to get a refund.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: gpbst3,

I've fought it out with them a few times. A polite, but firm email to their customer service dept. has gotten me some vouchers. I never got a straight refund, but got vouchers for the disputed amount.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rick Lee,

You paid for a flight to get you from point A to point B, and that's pretty all the airline is obligated to fulfill as per the contract you agreed to.

Besides disputing the charge with your credit card, you won't be getting a refund direct from the airline.

Different situation, but I had a United flight booked to FL. Travel was to be March 27th.

When all this stuff broke about 30 days ago, I called to cancel the flight. They logged the reason - safety precautions for COVID-19, and waived the future change fees they'd normally apply.

I would argue that you want to cancel not because of the layover, but because you don't want to take the trip due to the pandemic. Tell them you have a compromised immune system.

quote:

Originally posted by zipriderson:
Different situation, but I had a United flight booked to FL. Travel was to be March 27th.

When all this stuff broke about 30 days ago, I called to cancel the flight. They logged the reason - safety precautions for COVID-19, and waived the future change fees they'd normally apply.

I would argue that you want to cancel not because of the layover, but because you don't want to take the trip due to the pandemic. Tell them you have a compromised immune system.

Won't make a difference. He's entitled to a credit for a future flight in either case, most likely without the typically change fee. What he will not get is a direct refund. Hence, the non-refundable part.

I'm supposed to leave for a turkey hunting trip on an AA flight this Sunday. Since it's a recreational trip, I'd be in violation of the "Stay at Home" directives from the governor of Arizona. Just wondering if I can get a refund or will AA simply provide me with a voucher that's good for a year. This was a "non-refundable" trip, purchased through a third party.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
You paid for a flight to get you from point A to point B, and that's pretty all the airline is obligated to fulfill as per the contract you agreed to.

Besides disputing the charge with your credit card, you won't be getting a refund direct from the airline.

This is not correct. There was an article last week about this very topic. I'll look around and see if I can find it. You are entitled to a refund, but you'll have to fight United to get it. They won't give up on it easily.

ETA: I found the article, it was in USA Today.

United Sucks

quote:

Originally posted by zipriderson:
Different situation, but I had a United flight booked to FL. Travel was to be March 27th.

When all this stuff broke about 30 days ago, I called to cancel the flight. They logged the reason - safety precautions for COVID-19, and waived the future change fees they'd normally apply.

I would argue that you want to cancel not because of the layover, but because you don't want to take the trip due to the pandemic. Tell them you have a compromised immune system.

THIS, California is one of the hot spots for the virus.

https://www.transportation.gov...delays-cancellations

For a cancelation, you are entitled to a refund. Getting it may be another matter.

On the flip side, right now, trips are dirt-cheap. Yesterday, O'Hare (Chicago) was a ghost town. I had a fifty five dollar ticket to fly across the country, though.

Departure and arrival boards at each airport were packed with cancellations. My trips cancelled and were rebooked.

Even the trips I'm flying are rebooking. I just got another change 30 seconds ago. I had twelve of them yesterday, and will every day, at a minimum. It's a fairly fluid system presently, globally, a lot of flexibility may be required to get anywhere.

The airline will change your trip to another date without cost. You're due the refund per DoT policy, with caveat: it only applies if you bought the ticket directly from the airline. If you went through a third party to get a better price, or went through a travel agency, then the airline will not refund you. You need to coordinate your refund through the third party...and most will not refund you.

Airlines are not required under US law to compensate you for a cancellation or for a delay.

Airlines are required to compensate you if the flight is oversold and you are unable to take the flight as a result.

Compensation (or lack thereof) is not the same as a refund; it's an important distinction when approaching the airline about a refund. If you are offered compensation, then it's your obligation to verify and approve any restrictions to what's offered (blackout dates, end date, etc)

While an airline is not obligated legally to compensate you for a cancelation, they are legally obligated to refund your fees if their trip cancels, and you don't take the flight as a result.

If you do buy a ticket right now, note whether its listed as fully refundable. If thats part of the advertised condition up front, the airline isn't obligated to refund you. Some fares are advertised as fully refundable, some are not.

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
...Does anyone have any other suggestions on how to get a refund.

You've got mail.

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
You paid for a flight to get you from point A to point B, and that's pretty all the airline is obligated to fulfill as per the contract you agreed to.

Besides disputing the charge with your credit card, you won't be getting a refund direct from the airline.

This is not correct. There was an article last week about this very topic. I'll look around and see if I can find it. You are entitled to a refund, but you'll have to fight United to get it. They won't give up on it easily.

ETA: I found the article, it was in USA Today.

United Sucks

I read the same article and that is where I found the Fed DOT refund policy.

After reading that, you may have a case after all. I was mistaken on some key details.

United really is a shit airline.

After reading the info sigmund sent me it appears united changed their policies 4!!!! times this month. I dont see how you can simply change the terms to benefit yourself.

Im debating if I should file a small claims case in my local magistrates office.

Good luck, you're gonna need it.

Curious, did you speak with United AFTER learning about the DOT policy? If they balk at your refund, you can cite what the DOT policy is and tell them they are not complying with it. Then, ask to speak with a supervisor and tell them the same thing.

Again, United sucks. I used to travel 48 weeks per year and had over 300,000 miles with Continental. I was so pissed when they merged. Continental was a decent airline and was poisoned by United. Yes I'm still bitter 8 or 9 years later.

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
After reading the info sigmund sent me it appears united changed their policies 4!!!! times this month. I dont see how you can simply change the terms to benefit yourself.

Im debating if I should file a small claims case in my local magistrates office.

I would talk to them again and/or send an email. Understand they may be swamped with people canceling and changing flights right now.

I just canceled something in two weeks and booked a flight I had been watching for Oct. Although I did it all online.

I just went through this last week. And the refund showed up in my account yesterday.

On 2/19 I booked a round trip flight on Southwest from Orlando (MCO) to Denver (DEN). Departing 3/31, returning 4/1. This was the least expensive fare, "Wanna Get Away", which is non-refundable.

On 3/17, the company I was traveling for officially canceled the meeting. And later that day I went on the Southwest website and got to the point where all I had to do was click "cancel". I would have gotten a travel credit for $295.46, but I would have forfeited the $50 in early bird check in fees. But as I sat there and looked at the screen, I thought to myself, "I am going to wait this out. This travel situation is going to get worse."

On 3/26, Southwest canceled my flight. I then called Southwest. I told the lady my flight had been canceled and she looked up all the info. She offered another flight, but I said, "No thanks, since you guys canceled it, I will just take a refund." She complied immediately. All $345.46 showed up in my bank account on 3/30.

I believe the others in this thread are correct, if the airline is the one that cancels the flight, they are required to provide a refund. Now, the stories I read online, it seems not all are doing that and many airlines are fighting it. But if they do not want to work with you, it does sound like you have a good case for a dispute with your CC company.

^^^^

Everything I have been reading says united in the only one playing hardball.

To top it off I just looked up the alternative flight they put us on. Its over $100 less than the original flight. Do you think they are offering the lower rate?

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
^^^^

Everything I have been reading says united in the only one playing hardball.

And if you keep pissing them off you'll end up like this guy.

How long ago did you book it?