Help with refund calculation
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 187
Help with refund calculation
Can someone help me figure out how to determine if the refund I received was correct?
Background: I flew last Saturday on a paid business/first ticket from YYZ-DFW-SFO. While at YYZ waiting to depart, I received an alert that the YYZ-DFW flight was delayed enough to make me miss my connection. I called and rebooked, though the only flight with open seats when I called was one that left me with a 5-hour layover.
Just before departing YYZ, the gate agent announced that the DFW-SFO flight I was originally on was now also delayed, so passengers would be able to make that original flight. I requested to be placed back on that flight, but the GA told me it was now full. I checked at the lounge in DFW on arrival and a seat had opened up, but only in economy. I took it.
Today, almost a week later I received a refund from AA for $104.50. How would I calculate if that's the correct difference in fare for the DFW-SFO leg of my flight (first vs economy)? I did fly business from YYZ-DFW. Economy in DFW-SFO.
Background: I flew last Saturday on a paid business/first ticket from YYZ-DFW-SFO. While at YYZ waiting to depart, I received an alert that the YYZ-DFW flight was delayed enough to make me miss my connection. I called and rebooked, though the only flight with open seats when I called was one that left me with a 5-hour layover.
Just before departing YYZ, the gate agent announced that the DFW-SFO flight I was originally on was now also delayed, so passengers would be able to make that original flight. I requested to be placed back on that flight, but the GA told me it was now full. I checked at the lounge in DFW on arrival and a seat had opened up, but only in economy. I took it.
Today, almost a week later I received a refund from AA for $104.50. How would I calculate if that's the correct difference in fare for the DFW-SFO leg of my flight (first vs economy)? I did fly business from YYZ-DFW. Economy in DFW-SFO.
#2



Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: ba silver
Posts: 905
Under Canadian law you were legally entitled to be rebooked in your ticketed cabin on the nest flight that had seats available. After the fact you are entitled to a pro-rated refund between the fare you paid and the lowest economy fare on date of purchase. So if the fare difference was say $ 200 and you flew half the distance in economy you refund would be $ 100.
#3




Join Date: May 2008
Location: Las Vegas since 11/2023
Programs: No status anywhere anymore, it was fun while it lasted
Posts: 4,648
YYZ-DFW is 1200 miles and DFW-SFO is 1460 miles. So the economy portion was roughly 54.9% of the total distance. As I have no information on the actual fares, I can't offer more than that.
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 187
Thanks!
Is it the difference between the biz fare I paid at booking and whatever the prevailing economy fare was at the time that I booked? Or what the economy fare was when I was switched to economy an hour before my connecting flight left? Is there an easy way to see what past fares would have been? I didnt take not of what the economy fare was when I booked.
I guess one way would be to look up a future business flight that cost roughly the same as what I paid for my flight, and then check the fair differential between the two classes, assuming it would be roughly the same.
Is it the difference between the biz fare I paid at booking and whatever the prevailing economy fare was at the time that I booked? Or what the economy fare was when I was switched to economy an hour before my connecting flight left? Is there an easy way to see what past fares would have been? I didnt take not of what the economy fare was when I booked.
I guess one way would be to look up a future business flight that cost roughly the same as what I paid for my flight, and then check the fair differential between the two classes, assuming it would be roughly the same.
#6

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP/OWE, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 881


