Originally Posted by
pickinp
The first step would be for you to contact the merchant, and request that they charge a smaller fee / issue more credit. Document your attempt to work with the merchant, and provide it to your credit card company. If you cannot reach the merchant, then make sure to include an explanation of how you attempted to contact the merchant.
Yeah, I'm still on that step. I've already prepared the chargeback paperwork, but in the interest of finding a peaceful solution, I called back yet again on Monday. Talked to a bunch of different CSR's, one of whom apparently wrote to airline headquarters to ask them. I'm not holding my breath, but at least I can tell MasterCard I tried. I've gotten so many different stories from this airline's CSRs that I have no idea whom to believe, although I get the general sense that I'm being delayed in hopes I'll just go away. Well... Not for $500, guys. =)
BTW, your comments seem to assume that I went ahead and requested the 50% refund. I'm afraid to do that because it seems to me that doing so would weaken my case (i.e., "We told him that he'd lose 50%, and he said to go ahead anyway"). Will it hurt my case if I hold onto the tickets until I know if I can get my money back? Or do I have to commit now to a refund, however small, and then hope that the bank gets the rest back?