AMEX FHR - Screwjob on cancellation
Jun 5, 2019, 11:18 am
#31
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The error was in not reading the cancellation email, and questioning this statement: Total Cost$ 966.02 Amount Refunded to Card$ 0.00 immediately. I do not know if the outcome would have been different, but I think there is a much better chance of resolution while the booking might have been reinstated or another solution found.
A few days ago I did a 24-hour cancellation of an IAP itinerary which I booked online, but called in to cancel to make sure it was eligible (I had 3-4 hours to spare but wanted to be sure), and after verifying my identity and the trip details the agent said "... so with your permission I will go ahead and courtesy-cancel this trip" and I said yes. She said the pending transaction would just drop off. Shortly received e-mail saying "Trip ID: xxxx-xxxx-Cancelled" although with no refund information.
Overnight received another email "Cancellation for Trip ID: xxxx-xxxx" (same trip number obv) and similar language:
Total Cost $ xxxx.xx
Amount Refunded to Card $ 0.00
If you cancelled your flight within 24 hours of booking, your credit card has not been charged and a refund will not be issued.
Amount Refunded to Card $ 0.00
If you cancelled your flight within 24 hours of booking, your credit card has not been charged and a refund will not be issued.
Had intended to just leave it be and see what happened, but this thread spurred me to call in and be more proactive. Travel confirmed it was cancelled but transferred me to Card Services to handle the refund, and they submitted it as a disputed charge which has now resulted in a merchant credit less than a day later ^
No idea if it would have worked itself out on its own but now I can rest easier I guess...
Jun 5, 2019, 11:33 am
#32
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: RDU
Posts: 679
Similar to Zorak, but relating to FHR (feel free to split out if needed) .... there is something wrong with some parts of AmEx's IT.
I had a speculative, freely cancellable FHR booking that I ended up not needing due to a change in travel plans. The moment my plans were cemented, I went online as usual to cancel the booking, except, I kept hitting some sort of error and could not. In the end, I had to call in, where the agent also had some problem cancelling the reservation before "looking at some other system" and cancelling the reservation there.
My mistake: I never followed up to see if there was a cancellation confirmation email. I had assumed there was a delay the email, which occurs sometimes, and promptly forgot about it due to multi-tasking.
Months later, I see a charge for the property. I called the property before calling AmEx to see what the charge was for, and was told that it was for no-showing for the reservation. Fortunately, the property reversed the charge for me which they didn't have to do, but I have some beef with AmEx IT based on this and prior experiences. I even double checked my call logs to verify that I had called into AmEx in case it was my mistake.
I had a speculative, freely cancellable FHR booking that I ended up not needing due to a change in travel plans. The moment my plans were cemented, I went online as usual to cancel the booking, except, I kept hitting some sort of error and could not. In the end, I had to call in, where the agent also had some problem cancelling the reservation before "looking at some other system" and cancelling the reservation there.
My mistake: I never followed up to see if there was a cancellation confirmation email. I had assumed there was a delay the email, which occurs sometimes, and promptly forgot about it due to multi-tasking.
Months later, I see a charge for the property. I called the property before calling AmEx to see what the charge was for, and was told that it was for no-showing for the reservation. Fortunately, the property reversed the charge for me which they didn't have to do, but I have some beef with AmEx IT based on this and prior experiences. I even double checked my call logs to verify that I had called into AmEx in case it was my mistake.
Jun 6, 2019, 5:50 am
#33
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 4,506
I have booked through the FHR website for quite awhile and have long felt that it was inferior and poorly designed, especially for a major company's website. I've learned to work with it but don't trust it and I follow-up on all cancellations by calling a phone rep (big pain). And the idea that an AmEx FHR "supervisor" is too busy to talk to a customer is ridiculous. I can't imagine what they would be "busy" with. The program has great benefits (when they are honored by a hotel) but I feel the program is simply a marketing-oriented "stepchild" of AmEx and is at the bottom of the food chain as far as support and talent go.
Jun 6, 2019, 11:55 am
#34
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: YYZ
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Posts: 3,008
I have booked through the FHR website for quite awhile and have long felt that it was inferior and poorly designed, especially for a major company's website. I've learned to work with it but don't trust it and I follow-up on all cancellations by calling a phone rep (big pain).
I follow-up with a reservation lookup using the actual hotel website or app, and save or screen capture it.
Jun 7, 2019, 11:01 am
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Denver, Co.
Posts: 234
Our screenshots of the experience made zero difference to the claims department as they denied the claim twice on the same grounds. And still no call from the supervisor.... I doubt at this point the person I spoke to even put in the request. If anyone doubts AMEX quality and customer service is at an all time low, you are living in a fantasy land.
Does anyone have a number or contact for these types of issues that does not stick you right back into the same CSR queue? I don't want to go the legal/arbitration route if that can be avoided.
Jun 15, 2019, 11:48 pm
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Denver, Co.
Posts: 234
They apologized for the hassle and offered a full refund, an additional statement credit, as well as a number of membership rewards points. They also said they reviewed my call with the supervisor and agreed it was a poor customer experience and additional training was needed for the supervisor.
So in the end, once someone actually looked at the situation the logical outcome became reality and AMEX made things right. Bravo and thank you!
Jun 16, 2019, 4:17 am
#39
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Jun 16, 2019, 9:46 am
#40
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Jun 16, 2019, 10:18 am
#41
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Jun 16, 2019, 11:54 am
#42
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