Gweilo

Has anyone else had this experience?

I cancelled tickets online, and (about a week later) called Marco Polo club to check on how the refund would be processed. They told me that I had to wait 6-8 weeks and there was nothing else I could do.

I waited patiently, but no refund appeared. So I called back, and this time I was told that I need to request a refund. Well, why didn't they tell me that the first time???

They promised to get someone to call me back to follow up. They didn't, and the Marco Polo club line was constantly busy, so I called 2747 3333. After a very long time on hold I got through and the agent advised me that the refund would be made 6-8 weeks later.

(And to add to my frustration, this morning they did call me back, but the agent wasn't the slightest bit interested in hearing my complaint about the poor service from Marco Polo club.)

Having gone back to check the email I received about the cancellation, I realize that it does say that you should contact the Call Centre (2747 3333) to request a refund, so that's my mistake, but why didn't the Marco Polo club remind me that I need to request a refund?

And who doesn't want a refund when they cancel tickets? Is there any logic to Cathay keeping my money until I request a refund?

traveler18

While I have never needed a refund from CX, many airlines have quoted 6 weeks and then take longer. This is why I pay them with AMEX, on a fully refundable fare I can just call AMEX and have athem charge back the airline. On the rare occasion I have done so, AMEX took care of it within 24 hours

percysmith

Sorry to hear about your experience. Really crappy IT on CX's part . Really have to call 2747 3333 directly in future. MPO hotline not good for managing revenue bookings.

Gweilo

I never thought of that, but there is a penalty for cancellation so it wouldn't work in this case. I think it would be reasonable for Cathay to get Amex to give a credit immediately (since I used their co-branded card) rather than having to pay for the ticket and then get a large credit some time later.

percysmith

6 weeks from Cathay is the norm
However having to call 2747 3333 specifically is somthing I didn't know about til now.

Wasabi Tofu

I always call Tokyo reservation office to cancel and refund tickets.
Recently, I called the office around mid-August, refund appeared on my credit card online transaction list on 2nd September.
So, 2 or 3 weeks.

The ticket is ex-DXB denominated in AED.
Luckily, I gain a few hundreds of JPY.

Guy Betsy

Tickets brought through travel agents refund them through HK BSP in about 48 hours. But the money to field through the banks can take up to a month to process. In the USA/Canada, refunds appear on cc accounts in less than a week. Don't know why the system is so archaic in HK.

Gweilo

Seems that they really did make an effort to arrange the credit card refund quickly after I complained.