VegasGambler

If there's no DOT requirement then maybe there should be. It's worth filing a complaint about; it should be obvious to the customer at purchase time what is refundable and what isn't. The amount of money is not relevant; if it's ok for an airline to fall to disclose that a $10 tax is non-refundable then it's ok for them not to disclose that a $100 or $1000 tax is not refundable. This is not about $10; it's about whether it's ok for an airline to say (or strongly imply) that something is fully refundable when it's only partially refundable.

What if you cancel within 24hr? Then is it fully refundable? Many airlines will strongly push you to purchase "worry-free" because you can cancel for a "full refund" within 24 hr.

Antarius

What's the recourse though? AA stops selling flexible tickets on the route? Adds a second disclaimer?

I'm all for AA and the others being called to the carpet for their shenanigans, but this legitimately feels like something outside of AA's control.

seawolf

Within 24 hours is fine because it is unlikely to have been remitted to DR government. Until DOT propagate new (disclosure) regulations there is no enforcement action.

carlosdca

so the DR gov is making money every time someone cancels a flight. Seems unfair.
What if other countries started doing the same?

OTOH, It would seem to me that writing some very simple coding into AA's software could make it possible that one gets an alert about which taxes will not be refundable.
LOL. I know, AA's IT.

Antarius

It's functionally identical to getting a visa and then not traveling. This happens today with many countries.

nrr

Contacting the credit card used to pay for the ticket(s) is another option--for an amt. as small as $10, the cc might issue a $10 refund "automatically".

mvoight

But that force the fee back on AA, who didn't get the $10 in the first place.

mvoight

But, the customer has agreed to the terms, at least if it was purchased online, because every ticket I buy at aa.com requires me to indicate I have read the terms and conditions

dici

Don't be surprised that some other country also do this already. I recall that philipines also have tourist tax when you bought flight tickets. Unless you submit the claim online else it will retain in their pocket

seawolf

Airlines are to remit taxes collected by the 15th of following month after ticketing.

https://dgii.gov.do/busqueda/Paginas...aspx?k=tarjeta

VegasGambler

The lack of disclosure is 100% within their control. The problem is not that the tax is not refundable, it's that they don't warn you that the ticket that you are about to buy has a nontefundable component. Until they give you that warning then I believe they should be on the hook for refunding the full amount. If it costs them $10 every time then maybe that will motivate them to get that warning properly implemented.

nrr

(1) that's not OPs problem
(2) I've had charges on my cc reversed IMMEDIATELY when I complained (not the typical "credit pending")--don't ccs have a "petty cash" fund for small amts.

Dave Noble

(1) it is the OP's problem if AA is entitled to retain the non refundable taxes - a check with DOT would be the way to be sure
(2) there tends to need to be a justification to dispute a charge. If it is confirmed by DOT that AA isn't permitted to retain the tax paid, I should think that it will refund anyway

nrr

Re (2) my issue had nothing to do with airlines, I tried getting a refund from a merchant, I was passed from agent to agent, so I contacted my cc, via their on-line dispute form I responded "yes" to the question: "did you try to contact the merchant", I received an immediate credit (of the small amt. of the charge), I don't know the bookkeeping of my credit, I'm assuming it came out of "petty cash"

seawolf

It should be noted that AA is not retaining the tax. AA is required to report sales and remit it to DR government within 45 days (by the 15th of the following month).

There's definitely US precedent for airline to not refund tax because the tax is non-refundable as per regulation. US PFCs are not refundable when a non-refundable ticket is not used. While I understand this is refundable ticket, the point is that the refundability of a tax is determined by regulation. In this case, DR has enacted legislation that does not appear to allow airline to refund or waive; all refunds processed by DR government.

Also it appears DOT position is not to get involved in regards to air transportation taxes.
https://www.elliott.org/blog/surpris...dable-tickets/

From Delta
https://www.delta.com/us/en/legal/notices/overview