Once you become aware of a schedule change, the next thing to do is figure out a plan for dealing with it. Generally, this could take three different forms:. The initial one is simple enough: You simply accept the change and plan to take your new flight s.
Related: Act quickly: Air Canada relents, will finally refund canceled flights. Unfortunately, during the coronavirus pandemic, there have been a lot of instances of airlines refusing to issue refunds. In fact, monthly data from the U. Department of Transportation DOT showed refunds and other ticket issues as the primary cause of DOT complaints during the height of the outbreak.
However, the DOT came down firmly on the side of the consumer , clarifying that if an airline cancels your flight or makes a significant adjustment to the schedule , you are entitled to a full refund back to your original form of payment. While some airlines continued to buck this rule, many others fell in line. We have a guide on these specific policies for all the major U. Then, you can call to cancel the itinerary or do so online with some airlines.
Just be crystal clear with the phone agent, or read the terms of the online cancellation very closely. Canceling and getting a certificate may be much less appealing than getting a full refund e. Read more: Why you should wait to change or cancel your flight if you want your money back.
Other times, the schedule change may be significant, but you still want to take the trip — just not on the new itinerary. Or maybe the airline has cut your connection time down from two hours to 38 minutes.
When the schedule changed on the itinerary, however, I was able to change to flights through Dallas-Fort Worth DFW — which meant less travel time and an earlier arrival back home. Things get a bit trickier if you use miles from one program for award flights operated by a different, partner airline.
And if that change is significant, you might struggle to get rebooked. Airline credits with strings attached are not proper. Airline credits with expiration dates are simply postponed theft from passengers. DOT must recognize that this money that has been kept by airlines is not their money. At the very least, if it is not refunded as cash the money should be provided to the passenger as a credit to be used as they wish for whomever they wish to any destination they want.
The money should be useable as a store credit, not as property of the airlines. Plus, some airlines spell out their rules in case of delays during travel. Of course, at the last minute, getting an advanced purchase airfare refunded and then paying a full, last-minute airfare is not a real option.
But, for some, it may be the only option, depending on flight availability on your original airline. The airline, via the travel agent, requested that the passenger accept the airline schedule changes. The passenger refused to accept the airline schedule changes. If the schedule change is less than minutes, the passenger gets no refund. Our tickets are sold as non-refundable; however, the airline will permit cancellation of the complete booking for a fee.
He decided to write to the travel agent and request that his flight be canceled and that he get a refund. Look at the contract of carriage clauses noted below.
When tripcentral. Schedule changes can even occur the day before. If it is within 24 hours of a flight, the airline usually just marks the flight as delayed. If you make a choice between two different flight options based on flight times, keep in mind that there is always a possibility of schedule changes.
This means if you didn't want to take the trip, score! You now qualify for a cash refund. If you did want to take the trip but didn't love your flight you now have the opportunity to change to a better one, free of charge. For example, say you snagged a cheap flight that has one stop, well now you can ask to switch to the nonstop.
Airlines may try to hide the refund option and push you to take a voucher instead. Know your rights and be proactive. Even basic economy tickets—which are nonrefundable if you elect to cancel voluntarily—are eligible for a cash refund if the airline cancels your flight. If an airline is stonewalling on a refund and offering a voucher instead, these are the three main options at your disposal.
First, hang up and call again. Agents often have discretion about who gets refunds. Many times you will have better luck with one agent than another. Second, you can file a complaint with the DOT. Last, you can dispute the charge with your credit card. If an airline refuses to provide a refund, the chargeback option is there. Most airlines have policies that if they change your itinerary in a significant way after booking, they'll work with you to get you on the best flight for your schedule.
In that case, the first thing you should do is go online to see what other flights are available from that airline and select the best option for your schedule. If the change is significant enough and there are no other flights that work with your schedule, you do have the option to request a cash refund even with a normally non-refundable basic economy fare.
Remember: last-minute flights tend to be very expensive.
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