Mauricio23

In November, I purchased four preferred seats (ex-PY) for a YVR-YYZ leg on a 77P. Equipment switch, and we end up in row 56. I sent in my refund request using the online form on December 14, and received an acknowledgment stating that it had been forwarded to refund services. Four weeks later, with no action, I contacted refund services at their direct email address. Eight weeks later, still no response. Today I call AC, where a phone agent tells me there's no other way to contact refund services. When asked who should I talk to, she says I have to keep emailing them. How long - 2 more months? 6 months? 2 years? In the meantime, last week I had to cancel the credit card used to pay for the fees (did not want to pay for an extra year of the Aeroplan Amex - useless piece of junk now), so if they ever attempt a refund without talking to me first it will come back denied.

I don't fly AC based on loyalty any longer - accepting their new business model, I fly them when Tango + preferred seat fees are cheaper than similar seats on the competition. However, now the game appears to be that sometimes you will not get your preferred seat (which I can understand) nor will you get your money back. Welcome to aerolotto 2.0.

arf04

It's a complete mystery why such a simple thing as an equipment change can't trigger an automatic refund of a prepaid seat selection. The fact that AC does not have systems in place to take care of these things tells me they truly are not interested in customer care.

We were on UA recently and had prepaid E+ seats. The flight was cancelled due to weather and we were rebooked. We were given E+ on the new flight and I didn't give it much further thought. My CC statement shows a refund of the original E+ fee, which is a big surprise but I guess their system automatically processes these things. Seems so simple!

yscleo

Howcome that doesn't come as a surprise.

superangrypenguin

That's surprising. AC has always refunded preferred seat fees in my case. There was a period when E75K's were screwed last year due to a system bug. I got charged a whole bunch of times - and then it ended up refunded. Now while that's a bug, a few on my team have no AC elite status (at all), and they get a refund after an equipment switch.

Best case, email (not PM) Ben. [email protected]

24left

This issue came up and I'm pretty sure there was a direct reply from Ben L that if the ticket is cancelled, the Pref Seat fee is refunded. I could be wrong.

????

yyznomad

Common sense prevails, however, system fails.

lcohen999

Even if you cancelled and they refund your CC, it will show as a credit on the balance, in which Amex can issue you a cheque.

You can also dispute the charge and let them go after it.

superangrypenguin

This is not true. If you ever get a refund from a cancelled card, you'll get a headsup from the CC provider (via a statement). Then you ask them to send you a cheque, and then you close the account again. Not sure if they'll ding you with an annual fee when the account is "reopened" or w/e the terminology is but i'm sure you'll get a full refund

superangrypenguin

Slightly different scenario though, as this is an equipment switch and not a cancellation. To Nomad's point, system fails.

yvr76

How about just calling AC and asking them to process the refund? Agree that AC's back-end systems are poor when it comes to automatically processing preferred seat refunds. I've had to do this for family when they've been upgraded or purchased an LMU at OLCI. But each time I've called in and they've processed the refund right away.

Just suggesting that contacting Ben should be a last resort, not a first.

Mauricio23

Strange, I thought I had written:

I insisted three times. She said there is NO WAY to talk to a real person at refund services, and that THE ONLY WAY to contact them is via email or fax.

jjclancy

Bens as a fourth resort would be ok then?

WR Cage

Agreed that Ben S should be last resort and only if requested.

My experience last week is the complete opposite of the OP. My family missconnected on AC222 where we had preferred seats and then got out on AC224 in the last row of E90. Preferred seat refund was posted to my credit card on the Monday, so either the agent at domestic connections processed by refund or there is indeed a computer program to automatically handle the refund.

One thought I will toss out for the community, it might be more advantageous to book each preferred seat segment on its own ticket rather than aggregating all seat selection fees onto a single ticket. This way the computer system will not hang up because of future or past seat choices.

superangrypenguin

Whoa I didn't go that far, I suggested Ben L.

Mauricio23

Can't do this with connecting flights (well, you can, but if you misconnect you are SOL).