Originally Posted by
Grindler
I took a flight from Miami American 233 on January 29, 2013 to Sao Paulo. The cabin began to fill with smoke and we made an emergency landing in San Juan, Puerto Rico. AA flew us all back to Miami in time for the 11:45pm flight to Sao Paulo. We were told that it was oversold and unavailable. I spent the night in Miami. The next morning on January 30, 2013 returned to Miami airport to learn that flight 233 to Sao Paulo had been canceled. Also learned that the 11:45pm was oversold and unavailable. I asked what my options were and they suggested if my business meetings had been missed that I return home and try again later. On January 30, 2013 at 2pm I returned home. I called American and was told that my $2,400.00 airfare would NOT be refunded. Are you kidding me? Help?
Call again. Your flight was cancelled, and they are contractually obligated to offer you a full refund (NOT a voucher).
From AA's international tariff:
For the purpose of this paragraph, the term "Involuntary Refund" shall mean any refund made in the event the passenger is prevented from using the carriage provided for in his/her ticket because of cancellation of flight, inability of AA to provide previously confirmed space, substitution of a different type of equipment or class of service by AA, missed connections, postponement or delay of flight, omission of a scheduled stop, or removal or refusal to carry under conditions prescribed in "Acceptance of Children" provisions of Rule 25 (REFUSAL TO TRANSPORT-LIMITATIONS OF CARRIER).
The amount of involuntary refunds will be as follows:
when no portion of the trip has been made, the amount of refund will be an amount equal to the fare and charges applicable to the ticket issued to the passenger.