A few years ago, United used to issue a refund (a voucher applicable to a future flight) under these circumstances, but now there is a fee ($150, I think) involved. (I'm assuming that you purchased the ticket more than 24 hours ago.)
jetBlue gives you a credit and you can actually change the reservation yourself online and automatically have the credit posted to your account. Legacy carriers like those fees so the fare would have to go down by a lot to get anything back from them.
I had to get a ticket re-issued due to medical reasons. I sent the required documentation but they took no action then, apparently I have to book a new flight to get it.
The new flight on the same route was $400 cheaper. However here are the steps:
1. Re-issue the new ticket.
2. Charge $150 to my credit card -- I could NOT use the travel credit against it!
3. Now I have to re-submit my medical info all over again and $100 will be refunded, hopefully not as a travel credit.
This is total BS. The bad old United would have at least just taken any fees out of the credit.
This has been a frustrating experience.
I booked my flight in July for a trip in late September, hoping to catch some cheaper tickets. The one I booked on UA cost me 129.60. However, I noticed that recently the fare has dropped to 79.60. A 40% percent drop!
When I called UA reservation, they said they have no problem refunding me the difference, but a processing fee of $50 will be applied. I tried to speak to the supervisor and got the same answer and some sympathy. Wrote to UA customer care, no reply yet, not sure if they will care to respond.
This is not a huge deal and I am ready to move on, but I wonder if anyone has had similar experience and had better luck than I do? Thank you.
This has been a frustrating experience.
I booked my flight in July for a trip in late September, hoping to catch some cheaper tickets. The one I booked on UA cost me 129.60. However, I noticed that recently the fare has dropped to 79.60. A 40% percent drop!
When I called UA reservation, they said they have no problem refunding me the difference, but a processing fee of $50 will be applied. I tried to speak to the supervisor and got the same answer and some sympathy. Wrote to UA customer care, no reply yet, not sure if they will care to respond.
This is not a huge deal and I am ready to move on, but I wonder if anyone has had similar experience and had better luck than I do? Thank you.
Here's how I see the story: You purchase a non-refundable flight for September. An entire month passes and the flight decreases in price. You expect United to grant you a partial refund due to the price drop. When you booked the flight originally, were you specifically told that you will receive a credit if the price decreases? Most FTers were faced with a similar dilemma at least once when they're unsure of whether they should book immediately to avoid higher fares or wait longer in hopes of lower fares. I would honestly eat the loss and keep this experience in mind when booking your next flights in advanced. If you don't have any status with United, I doubt they would make any exceptions.
Just to give you an relative perspective, the airline doesn't *have* to give you a refund/price difference at all -- this is them "being nice". Some airlines don't give you anything if the price drops.
So in that sense, a $50 fee might be considered generous...
I know it doesn't feel that way, but how many other businesses give you a refund when the price drops?
"If you find a published retail price online, for the same United flight, itinerary and cabin, that is lower than the fare purchased on the same day of your original United purchase by $10 or more, contact your local United reservations office and a representative will connect you with one of our specialists to file your claim."
It would seem that by this they mean you have to find the lower price on the same day and perhaps on a different Web site. On the other hand, I keep hearing stories of those who made a claim for the difference on a subsequently lowered fare and got the money. Perhaps this is because of their status, or the color of the credit card, etc. Or it could just be urban myth.
Just to give you an relative perspective, the airline doesn't *have* to give you a refund/price difference at all -- this is them "being nice". Some airlines don't give you anything if the price drops.
So in that sense, a $50 fee might be considered generous...
I know it doesn't feel that way, but how many other businesses give you a refund when the price drops?
+1. I can't tell you How many times have I gone into a store like Meiman Marcus to buy a suit. I KNOW that if I wait till the sales start it could be $1000 cheaper but I want it NOW. I can't go back when the sales startv& ask for the difference back. Truthfully, I'm surprised UA allows this at all. It's always been a gamble knowing when to purchase tkts.
Once upon a time, UA gave the difference without any fee as a voucher.
With regard to the Neiman Marcus example.... Most fine stores I go to tell me that if the merchandise goes on sale, I can buy now and return later for a refund. Sometimes I can't buy now, but I can have them hold it until the sale begins.
Just to give you an relative perspective, the airline doesn't *have* to give you a refund/price difference at all -- this is them "being nice". Some airlines don't give you anything if the price drops.
So in that sense, a $50 fee might be considered generous...
I know it doesn't feel that way, but how many other businesses give you a refund when the price drops?
1. Agree with you that UA doesn't have to give refund/price difference at all. $50 fee for a non-refundable ticket seems within bounds of reasonableness. I also think that the OP should move on.
2. Quite a few businesses do offer price protection to "juice" the sale. I know that I've personally taken advantage of the offer at Office Depot, Staples, Circuit City (RIP), Amazon.com (30 days - call them). I've also seen offers at Walmart, Best Buy, etc. Basically any business that accept returns within a specified period of time (e.g. 14~30 day) will offer to provide price protection, since it just make sense to do so rather than accept the return.
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There are 2 separate issues here . . . the OP's and another one:
1) OP's: He changed the date of travel. Knew he was going to get a change fee, just wanted the difference in fare back. Common sense would just say kill 2 birds with one stone, and charge the change fee minus the difference in fare in 1 swoop ($150-101=$49 or something similar). Nope, charged the $150, and didn't credit the $101. If the OP wants to get mad about waiting 2 months, I really don't blame him. I owe UA money, they get paid right away. Should be a 2 way street, or at least a reasonable time frame.
2) I bought a fare for $130, and now I see it for $80 for the same route. Unlucky me . . . I'm always so unlucky . . . how can I come out a winner here on a gamble I lost? Ask the airline for a do-over. If the airline does allow it, I think that's great . . . no hurt in trying. BUT . . . What if the fare went up to $180, then UA called you and said, "Hey, we'd actually like $180 from you, okay?" Would that really be okay? Double-standard.
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Last edited by valor155; Aug 17, 12 at 12:02 pm..
Reason: clarification
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2) I bought a fare for $130, and now I see it for $80 for the same route. Unlucky me . . . I'm always so unlucky . . . how can I come out a winner here on a gamble I lost? Ask the airline for a do-over. If the airline does allow it, I think that's great . . . no hurt in trying. BUT . . . What if the fare went up to $180, then UA called you and said, "Hey, we'd actually like $180 from you, okay?" Would that really be okay? Double-standard.
That was, in fact, the old rule before deregulation and in force when I was in college. You had to pay the fare in effect on the date of departure or you didn't fly. Do we really want to go back to IATA fares, national monopolies and state transport policy favoring the national carriers? (Apparently there is still something called "IATA fares" OT: Official IATA Fares but that's not what I mean. In those days it was monopoly (public utility) price-setting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interna...rt_Association)
