Author Topic: Trying to get a refund for change fees  (Read 1795 times)

Offline dag7337

  • DansDeals Copper Elite
  • *
  • Join Date: Dec 2015
  • Posts: 2
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: Maryland, USA
Trying to get a refund for change fees
« on: December 09, 2015, 07:58:06 AM »
We were flying on Air Canada from Toronto to Tel Aviv 3 weeks ago and were denied access to board at the gate. Our passports only had 5-1/2 months left on them and Israel requires 6. Funny because Israel issues you a 3 month visa when you enter. Gate agents said that we wouldn't be charged a change fee. I made a huge mistake by not catching it and correcting it ahead of time. Ended up driving to Buffalo's passport office and getting new passports. With those in hand, called Air Canada to rebook. Charged us the additional fee for the flights and a $300 change fee per ticket. Family of 4 made it a huge mistake. Contacted Air Canada via e-mail and asked for a refund of the change fee. Denied. Any suggestions or wording to use to try to recoup the $1200?

Offline Emkay

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 14412
  • Total likes: 377
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Where I ought to be
Re: Trying to get a refund for change fees
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2015, 09:10:18 AM »
We were flying on Air Canada from Toronto to Tel Aviv 3 weeks ago and were denied access to board at the gate. Our passports only had 5-1/2 months left on them and Israel requires 6. Funny because Israel issues you a 3 month visa when you enter. Gate agents said that we wouldn't be charged a change fee. I made a huge mistake by not catching it and correcting it ahead of time. Ended up driving to Buffalo's passport office and getting new passports. With those in hand, called Air Canada to rebook. Charged us the additional fee for the flights and a $300 change fee per ticket. Family of 4 made it a huge mistake. Contacted Air Canada via e-mail and asked for a refund of the change fee. Denied. Any suggestions or wording to use to try to recoup the $1200?
For starters, unless you emailed corporate ita likely to be a canned response. Better to call and be transferred up the ladder

Offline David Smith

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2015
  • Posts: 8134
  • Total likes: 212
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 13
    • View Profile
Re: Trying to get a refund for change fees
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2015, 09:11:29 AM »
The cc company is likely to be a lot nicer, if you want to go that route...
Who do you think you are fooling? You think you are going to pull a quick one on your Creator? Good luck with that.
JTZ

Offline Emkay

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 14412
  • Total likes: 377
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Where I ought to be
Re: Trying to get a refund for change fees
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2015, 10:54:05 AM »
The cc company is likely to be a lot nicer, if you want to go that route...
without lying its not so simple that they will give in to him

Offline dag7337

  • DansDeals Copper Elite
  • *
  • Join Date: Dec 2015
  • Posts: 2
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: Maryland, USA
Re: Trying to get a refund for change fees
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2015, 11:47:48 AM »
Calling gets a referral to a web-based form. A person, Julius Roberts, replied back to me about a week later. It was a very canned response about that's our policy and it wasn't our fault.
"We sympathize with your situation, however, if a passenger is refused travel, the usual fare rules apply and we are unable to refund the change fees.  We regret the apparent oversight in conveying to you the proper information concerning this matter.
We do not mean to sound inflexible, however; we should mention there is travel insurance available to all passengers or higher fares, which provide the flexibility of changes or refunds."

Offline David Smith

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2015
  • Posts: 8134
  • Total likes: 212
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 13
    • View Profile
Re: Trying to get a refund for change fees
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2015, 11:51:58 AM »
without lying its not so simple that they will give in to him
They told him they wouldn't charge and they did. Who has to lie?
Who do you think you are fooling? You think you are going to pull a quick one on your Creator? Good luck with that.
JTZ

Offline chayal101

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Gold Elite
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 917
  • Total likes: 137
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
Re: Trying to get a refund for change fees
« Reply #6 on: December 11, 2015, 03:25:36 AM »
Similar scenario: My husband missed his aircanada flight from TLV booked with cheapoair. Aircanada was going to charge a mint (cheapoair is closed on Sundays so there was nobody to talk to on that end) so i just booked him a one way on BA worth 22k points plus $240 (he needed to come home ASAP) i paid for cheapoair insurance but they say missing flight not covered(and i have no patience and time to fill out a stupid claim for it to get rejected) ... So next step is  sapphire card travel insurance... I didn't have time to take care of it.. You think I'll have any luck with it?
Chaya L.

Offline Emkay

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 14412
  • Total likes: 377
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Where I ought to be
Re: Trying to get a refund for change fees
« Reply #7 on: December 11, 2015, 03:34:41 AM »
Similar scenario: My husband missed his aircanada flight from TLV booked with cheapoair. Aircanada was going to charge a mint (cheapoair is closed on Sundays so there was nobody to talk to on that end) so i just booked him a one way on BA worth 22k points plus $240 (he needed to come home ASAP) i paid for cheapoair insurance but they say missing flight not covered(and i have no patience and time to fill out a stupid claim for it to get rejected) ... So next step is  sapphire card travel insurance... I didn't have time to take care of it.. You think I'll have any luck with it?
What's your claim? Simply that he missed his flight and you want a refund?

Offline chayal101

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Gold Elite
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 917
  • Total likes: 137
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
Re: Trying to get a refund for change fees
« Reply #8 on: December 11, 2015, 10:24:36 AM »
What's your claim? Simply that he missed his flight and you want a refund?
His ride cancelled on him last minute and there was traffic... Yup that's all!
Chaya L.

Offline Emkay

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 14412
  • Total likes: 377
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Where I ought to be
Re: Trying to get a refund for change fees
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2015, 12:00:36 PM »
His ride cancelled on him last minute and there was traffic... Yup that's all!
Good luck

Online aryeh1

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 4722
  • Total likes: 19
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: DDF
Re: Trying to get a refund for change fees
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2016, 09:00:52 AM »
Need to cancel an air canada Flight booked a few days ago, anyone know if it's possible to get refunded?