A while back I purchased a ticket on Continental.com for MEX-EWR-MEX. The return leg was in business as it was all that was available. A few days before the outbound, I needed to change the return. Reviewing my options online, I had the option to either pay more to keep a business seat on the new return flight or take a coach seat and receive a refund of some fare difference. I was told the refund would be to my original method of payment (and have a print out of the screen saying so). This surprised me a bit, but I figured that it had to do with that leg being in business. As I hit the "go" button, I got an internet error. Returning to my itinerary, I saw that the flight change had been made, but the fare was the old amount. I figured I'd give it a day to sort itself out.

The next day, with nothing sorted out, I called Continental. The agent fixed everything and again told me the refund would be to my credit card.

Several days later, with nothing posted to my credit card, I called Continental and asked about my refund, which they cheerfully told me had been issued to an electronic travel certificate...which I wasn't too pleased about. I tried appealing to several different people, both in refunds and "regular" customer service. Even with an explicit print out saying I would receive a refund to my credit card would not convince them. They said my original ticket was non-refundable (possibly true), that the computer and CSR made a mistake, that the mistake was caught in auditing, and this was the correct outcome. They offered me 5000 miles for the misunderstanding.

My question: do I deserve a refund? I wasn't paying much attention to the fare rules, but they're probably correct that the ticket was non-refundable. It included a coach leg, likely making the whole thing non-refundable. However, Continental twice told me the fare difference was, and this was the information I relied upon when deciding how to change my ticket (pay more to keep business or take a refund and a coach seat). Seems to me that we entered into an agreement to change the original contract and let me refund what was originally non-refundable. (For the lawyers in the forum, I could also argue this was a gift upon which I reasonably relied...)

In the end I took the 5000 miles. I'm not particularly happy about it as I feel that Continental is responsible for the actions of its CSRs, even if they violate an internal policy. If I can't rely on information CSRs give me, how can I do business with them? I'm about to book another ticket on CO so, I'll just use the certificate for that and won't be out too much money...but like I said, I won't be too happy about it.

If the fare rules say X and you are promised, in writing, a very reasonable Y, to which you agree, I'd say you are due at least Y.

If this isn't the case, can anyone ever trust a CO agent offering anything other than what the CoC mandates as compensation for VDB (i.e. nothing)?

It seems you would be entitled to a refund. Question, though, accepting the 5K miles from CO -- was that a settlement to the issue?

You may want to PM CO Insider about it. Seems he spends most of his time these days sorting out issues the CS organization can't handle.

If you tell him you don't want the 5K miles, rather the refund originally promised (that you have a screenshot of), and CS was unable to resolve this, he might be able to work something out.

Alternatively, you can dispute with your credit card. Especially since you have documentation to back it. Then it will be CO's problem if your CC charges back the funds to CO.

In accepting the 5,000 miles, I specifically said it was not a settlement of the issue and the CSR said she would deposit them and I could decide how to proceed (i.e. contest the charge with my credit card).

I did contest the charge with my CC, and they did a pretty crappy job of arguing my case. I told them that I had a print out of the screen when I first lodged the complaint. They said "oh, if we need more information, we'll contact you." They never did, and I got the "resolution" letter the other day saying that "no refund is due because the original ticket was non-refundable." ...Which misses the point entirely.

I would consider persuing it with them further or contacting CO Insider as you suggest, but as I said I have travel I need to take on CO coming up so it's not worth arguing on principal when I can just spend the certificate in full on that flight.

Mainly, I wanted to get affirmation from a normally critical audience that my position is not unreasonable...

"Normally critical audience?" I take that as a compliment!

You can re-open the dispute. Usually that's what you have to do to get them to look at it seriously. Also, reopen it over the phone, get the dispute number, and fax in the info immediately (without them asking). It will be more difficult to decide.

With that said, CO Insider may be able to assist if you send him the screenshots.