Unrefunded fees & taxes: procedures, chargeback, small claims court?
#16
Join Date: Nov 2013
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Citi is great for this too, I've had to do it in the past.
My rule is give them 2-3 times to get it right (which is probably too nice), then dispute it. If they want to fight it, they can fight it with Citi and waste their time. If they don't dispute small amounts, guess it wasn't important to them anyway.
My rule is give them 2-3 times to get it right (which is probably too nice), then dispute it. If they want to fight it, they can fight it with Citi and waste their time. If they don't dispute small amounts, guess it wasn't important to them anyway.
#17
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Always cool to see how the collective experience of the forum can yield immediate results. ^ Personally, I take the approach that Often1 mentioned; I will make a good faith effort with the vendor myself, but if I don't get immediate resolution by the second phone call or a "reasonable period" (5-10 business days), then I just file a chargeback for the credit card company to resolve. (I usually provide all the details of my actions to date to the credit card company so that they know that I did try to resolve directly with the vendor.)
#19
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Don't forget that the CC issuer can deal with the true fraud quite easily. If, for instance, AA had forwarded paperwork to show that OP had flown the ticket and was not due the credit, AA would reverse the temporary credit and likely shut down the CC account.
For slow refunds, the dispute is great because the vendor (air carrier in this case) simply won't respond as it knows it owes the money and the temporary credit simply becomes permanent.
For slow refunds, the dispute is great because the vendor (air carrier in this case) simply won't respond as it knows it owes the money and the temporary credit simply becomes permanent.
#20
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I thought the standard advice was to avoid credit card disputes involving airline tickets that have yet to be flown.
#21
Join Date: Aug 2002
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I'm a year into a no refund of taxes but also no charge for reinstatement either and the latter is double the former. No complaints here. And yes, the points were reinstated.
#22
Join Date: Jul 2004
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I'd guess that after a year that refund is not likely forthcoming but sounds like you got the better end of the deal.
#23
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: California
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On how this happened... the AA agent needs to make sure the tax is properly credited. I just did a bunch of cancellations, and the agent took note of the charge BEFORE she proceeded...each time the system failed to 'capture' the tax. She had to manually enter the tax again. She was burned before...each of the 3 cancels needed this intervention.
#24
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He is disputing the charge on the ticket that was refunded...not the second ticket which he will fly
On how this happened... the AA agent needs to make sure the tax is properly credited. I just did a bunch of cancellations, and the agent took note of the charge BEFORE she proceeded...each time the system failed to 'capture' the tax. She had to manually enter the tax again. She was burned before...each of the 3 cancels needed this intervention.
On how this happened... the AA agent needs to make sure the tax is properly credited. I just did a bunch of cancellations, and the agent took note of the charge BEFORE she proceeded...each time the system failed to 'capture' the tax. She had to manually enter the tax again. She was burned before...each of the 3 cancels needed this intervention.
FCRA gives you 60 days from the date of service or purchase, whichever is later, so there is no reason to dispute until the date you are to fly (other than that you are carrying a balance).
#25
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+1 - Never dispute anything relating to an unflown ticket. You will simply create an add/collect to be paid at the departure airport (at best). At worst, the carrier will simply cancel the ticket.
FCRA gives you 60 days from the date of service or purchase, whichever is later, so there is no reason to dispute until the date you are to fly (other than that you are carrying a balance).
FCRA gives you 60 days from the date of service or purchase, whichever is later, so there is no reason to dispute until the date you are to fly (other than that you are carrying a balance).
#26
Join Date: Jan 2002
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I myself am confused about the advice to chargeback given that AA is working on the refund - it's not like they said they would never refund his money. All you are doing is potentially endangering a relationship for something that is not yet a true problem.
#27
Join Date: Dec 2005
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+1 - Never dispute anything relating to an unflown ticket. You will simply create an add/collect to be paid at the departure airport (at best). At worst, the carrier will simply cancel the ticket.
FCRA gives you 60 days from the date of service or purchase, whichever is later, so there is no reason to dispute until the date you are to fly (other than that you are carrying a balance).
FCRA gives you 60 days from the date of service or purchase, whichever is later, so there is no reason to dispute until the date you are to fly (other than that you are carrying a balance).
Check is in the mail... I promise...
Why do people think there is a "relationship"?
Maybe the advice is 'know when you lose the right to contest a charge; give AA up to that time limit (minus a few days); contest the charge when they fail to act.
If AA says 'refunds are wroking on it' but weeks and months go by with no actions, is it reasonable to think "they" are acting in good faith? Or is it a broken system that does not deserve to be treated as you would an individual or other responsive organization?
#28
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Join Date: Jan 2002
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If a company ( airline or otherwise ) does not refund within a timely manner, passing it to the credit card company is a perfectly reasonable thing to do
There is no good reason for refunds to take a long time
There is no "relationship" other than simply company / customer
All this does is put a time limit on how long to get the money back. The airline has to respond within a number of days if it believes the charge is valid otherwise the customer gets its money back.
#29
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,688
Getting a refund from AA can be very very difficult lately on certain ticket issues including canceling a refundable ticket in a fare class that falls into a fare bucket other than F or Y and a few others that are completely refundable . That is why a good credit card company is helpful. Amex was the best but as other posters have pointed out bank cards are often just as good now.
#30
Join Date: Aug 2006
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I had similar same problem as OP, changing awards (adding legs or dropping legs) and had AA charge mr the new taxes but only refind 1 of 4 of the old fees per PNR. It got to over $700 i was floating to AA. I was successful through CR to have them call me, walk through the issues and acted as my advocate to fix the problem with refunds. 1 of 3 PNRs fixed immediately. I will check tomorrow but they say all the rest fixed this week.
I did talk with AMEX and they said they could chargeback but it would be risky as AA could then cancel the flights eventhough technically the new ticket numbers were paid it would still tie to PNR
I did talk with AMEX and they said they could chargeback but it would be risky as AA could then cancel the flights eventhough technically the new ticket numbers were paid it would still tie to PNR