I had purchased a ticket for a flight on Qatar from New York to Bangkok departing in late November. 12 hours later I had called the Qatar US customer service asking to cancel the ticket for a full refund. I was informed that would not be a problem and the lady did cancel the ticket in the computer system, but advised that I need to contact the refund center located in Qatar via their website to request the refund. The response I had received is that the refund has been processed, but minus a USD 350 cancellation fee.

I have always been under the impression that all airline tickets purchased for flights originating in the US are eligible for a no-penalty cancellation within the first 24 hours after purchase, and I have had no problem at all in the past in this regard with United, US Airways, Cathay and Emirates-refunds were prompt and in full. I admit to not reading the terms and conditions when I had purchased the ticket from Qatar (but who really does?) and indeed their terms do not allow for any penalty-free refunds.

The problem is that if I had been told when I spoke with customer service that there is going to be a USD 350 penalty I would not have cancelled the ticket and instead flown the flight as purchased but by the time the refund department got back to me, the ticket was already cancelled by the US customer service desk.

The question is whether other customers in the US have been able to obtain a full refund from Qatar if they cancelled their ticket within the first 24 hours after purchase. Since the free refund rule is so prevalent here, and Qatar's rules are very atypical compared to other airlines, I doubt that I am the first person who has been caught out by this aberration. So far I have gotten nowhere when corresponding via email with the customer service in Qatar and the US call center states they have no power over this issue-it has to be decided in Qatar.