I called to Bookmytrip.us and they helped me in getting a refund from the airline in this crucial time of COVID19
Travel and travel planning are being disrupted due to the worldwide spread of the coronavirus.
The Department of Transportation “DOT” said complaints from consumers about airline refunds have surged amid the coronavirus outbreak.
For weeks, travel experts including me Bookmytrip.us have told passengers with nonrefundable tickets not to hurry to cancel booked flights in the hope that the airline will cancel or change the first and refund your dollars.
I put the information to the test this time without putting a lot of dollars on the line.
One of my friends planned a trip to see his family in Arizona for scuttled Easter; he didn’t need the return flight from Phoenix to Chicago on April 14. (used loyalty points for the flight to Phoenix and was able to reschedule this trip without penalty.)
He could have canceled the American leg weeks ago and paid for the plane ticket for a future trip without paying these expensive change fees as the flight were covered by one of the airline's many travel waivers for coronaviruses.
But we waited because we preferred a refund for the $50 one-way economy class ticket and wanted to take a closer look at the refund process.
American has not yet canceled the flight from Phoenix but the departure was almost three hours earlier than expected.
Airline policies vary depending on what is considered a major schedule change, but American has long authorized a refund if the change only takes 61 minutes. The airline recently changed the time to four hours given the mass schedule changes resulting from the pandemic, but that only applies to new ticket purchases, and hardly anyone is buying plane tickets at the moment.
First, we tried to cancel the flight on the Americanwebsite, but like its competitors, the airline does not let those who click Cancel know that they may be eligible for a refund. They want you to book to a later date or take a future credit, especially when no money comes from new bookings during a pandemic.
Even if you find American's online refund form, a popup window says: "Don't worry the value of your ticket is safe. When you're ready to book you can use the value of your unused ticket and seat. Buy for a future trip. There is no need to request a refund or call reservations right now.''
To make sure I didn’t automatically receive a voucher if I canceled online, I decided to call the American's general reservations line. (I have no status in the airline's frequent flyer program which provides access to dedicated customer service lines.)
Wait times of several hours, common a few weeks ago have decreased and I have been told from 35 to 45 minutes for a reminder.
I received a call back in 35 minutes and talked with a friendly agent named Maria. I told her my flight was changed and that I should be eligible for a refund.
Maria looked at the change and acknowledged, though she didn't officially approve or process the refund. She canceled the flight and directed me to prefunds.aa.com to apply a refund request online. She advised me to actually cancel it online and then submit the request, as all the refund requests go through the same online channel.
All I had to do, lodge the request on American's website, she asked my ticket number and my name.
"Do you have your ticket number?''
She looked it up.
"It takes about seven to 14 days to process that refund,'' she said.
The phone call took less than five minutes.
The form was very easy to fill out and I got a confirmation “it was received and under review” and $50 ($48.40 to be exact) should be showing up before the end of the month on your credit card statement.
How to get the full refund of your ticket if you're eligible?
1. Don't cancel your flight by yourself, Wait for the airline to cancel it or make important changes that could allow you to get your money back instead of a future credit or travel voucher.
2. Keep checking your email notification of flight changes or cancellations; Mind that airline policies vary depending upon what constitutes a major schedule change, so what worked for someone itinerary may not apply to another. If your flight has not been canceled by the airline or significantly changed, you are not entitled for a refund unless you had a refundable ticket.
3. Didn’t receive any email or can't see an email? Check your reservation online on the American’s website to see if there are any changes. If the flight is in the immediate future, check the flight status function on the airline's website.
4. Be Persistent and quote DOT's guidelines on refunds for canceled or significantly changed flights. If you're told the policy doesn't apply during a pandemic, refer to the DOT’s law enforcement advisory issued on April 3.
5. Don't lambasting with airline booking agents. Be firm, not rude.
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