Xrayman

DaveH

I read the official Alaska language in places like https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...perience/saver as dictating that we couldn't *change* flights as a Gold or 75K, or expect a *refund* outside of 24 hours--but not as removing our ability to outright *cancel* the flights for a credit certificate (as opposed to a refund.)

So I had a rude awakening today when I tried to cancel two tickets booked Christmas day, some 30 hours earlier. Upon calling the gold line, I pointed the CSR to the language I thought was ambiguous. She agreed that it was easy to misinterpret, and kept me on hold 10-15 minutes asking supervisors for help. No dice...all I can do is cancel and get nothing back for the effort of canceling.

I certainly could have been more careful before booking these tickets. But I can't be the only elite who was put off by this experience well beyond the $300 in wasted tickets (assuming I don't get a more friendly hearing before the flights in February 2019).

Moreover, I am now disincented to cancel and let Alaska resell the seat to someone who can actually fly. That's because if there are schedule changes or IRROPS, I can get credit back, which I have no chance of getting if I cancel now.

It would be smart of Alaska allowed a one-time cancellation exception for new saver bookers. And indeed, if anyone has informed suggestions on who I might reach out to in my specific case, I'd be grateful.

Another worthwhile tweak would be a penalty to cancel which might be more significant than for a standard fare, but not so great as to disincent anyone from ever cancelling. FWIW.

bmvaughn

Oh wow, I thought we could still cancel for credit, just not refund or change. That wording is ambiguous, I agree, and I'm glad I wasn't the one who had to pay that price to find out. That's really crappy

VegasGambler

I am surprised that they don't say outright that you can't cancel and get a credit.

But, if they did, there would be no point to disallowing changes (they are technically different, but a cancellation and rebooking is a de facto change) so I just assumed that it wouldn't be allowed.

Flying for Fun

From AS & Link upthread.

Note: All other Saver rules and restrictions apply. No cancellations, changes, or refunds are allowed for Saver fares, regardless of elite status.

This basically says, "no change fee waivers" on a Saver fare for anyone and the terms are independent. No cancellations, Period! No changes, Period! No refunds, Period. If there are no cancellations for a Saver fare, how could a credit to a wallet be triggered? The no cancellation clause is binding and final.

James

VegasGambler

That's not true. Of course you can cancel. You just don't get a credit.

Flying for Fun

Ahh, now I see the ambiguity on cancellations. No refunds still works both independently and in conjunction with status though. No refunds (via whatever vehicle) , Period!, and If you would otherwise have a waiver because of your elite status it doesn't apply to Saver Fares.

James

xliioper

Technically, it's the "waived ticket change fee" benefit that you are attempting to exercise. There's no independent deposit for credit certificate for full amount upon cancel benefit. If you look at the MVP program benefit listings, they make it pretty clear that the benefit does not apply to Saver fares. I don't really see the ambiguity here.

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...rship-benefits

DaveH

Thanks for the replies. James, your interpretation is reasonable, and I can see why Vegas read it that way too.

LBJ, I hear you on cancelling for wallet credit being classifed as a "change" by AS--and it does seem like that's what happened here. But I don't think I and bmvaughn were unreasonable in reading "no changes" as referring to SDC, changing flyers, etc...not a pre-emption of elite cancellation for credit. It would be a simple change in language to clarify this isn't available either.

Meanwhile, AS's unwillingness (so far) to accommodate these misunderstandings as a one-time courtesy--like they did when they changed the policy on refunding no-shows recently--makes me and others feel less valued as a customer, making AS flights look more like a commodity. That isn't in the airline's long-term interest. I book five figures on AS every year for business and personal purposes. Measures like this encourage us to book the cheapest flight, which increasingly isn't AS.

CDKing

I though it was pretty clear from the start. MVPG benefit is change fee waiver. There is no change fee for saver because you cannot make any changes

fly18725

I hate to break it to you, but air travel has been a commodity for many decades.

VegasGambler

I think that the issue here is that a wallet credit is not a refund. "Refund" has a very specific meaning in this context, which means refund to original form of payment. All fares other than Y and F have no refunds past 24 hrs; X is not special in this regard.

Reading the fare rules makes it very clear that you get no credit if you cancel ("no residual value"), but it is not mentioned clearly on the AS website (at least, not on the link posted above), so I can see how there might be some confusion.

I just think that it would be silly to offer tickets that can't be changed, but have value after cancellation.

PaperGlider

MVPG change fee waiver WAS clear. NOW it is clear it is part of the Bait and Switch.

bait-and-switch
noun

1. the action (generally illegal) of advertising goods that are an apparent bargain, with the intention of substituting inferior or more expensive goods.

DaveH

Update: I called in on a related matter, then asked again about these saver tickets. No dice. Then I was transferred to a supervisor. She agreed that my situation was reasonable and that customers like me should have "one get out of jail free card". So she is refunding the two saver tickets. (Wallet credit is impossible because the system is hard coded to not allow this in the case of saver fares). I appreciate this accommodation, and will avoiding book my team, family, or self on saver fares going forward.

I respectfully disagree. The existence of airlines loyalists proves otherwise.

More on point, Alaska's key competitive advantage has long been its exceptionalism. They said as much when they reaffirmed a commitment to a miles-based FF plan.

fly18725