f4freeJunior

Good day

First time posting on the DL board : )

Since more than a year I am desperately trying to get a refund of 2 biz class tickets Asia-USA bought online on opodo UK. As I could not take my flight I called DL in advance and asked to cancel my ticket. They were happy to do so and asked me to get in touch with DL ticket office for the refund process (I have paper tickets). So a few weeks later I asked for a refund at ZRH airport DL office where they confirmed the ticket is fully refundable but they were unable to determine the fare (guess why, it's an ex RGN ticket...).
Hence DL ZRH ticket desk sent my (paper!) tickets to Georgia in the US. This was in Aug 2012, since then, nothing happened. I called DL many times and nobody could find the ticket, or if they found it, they said they are unable to see what kind of ticket that is. Finally I was given a fax number where to send the refund request receipt issued by DL office in ZRH. So I faxed everything to this number (0014047159256). Again, nothing happened.

I am lost. Is there a DL customer representative on FT who can help? What else can I do? This is a nightmare. Especially being based in ZRH and having to deal with DL in the US.

Thank you for your help!

HongKonger

Do you have a ticket number, record locator (6-digit alphanumeric), or frequent flyer number that was associated with the ticket? Can you get any of these things from the company that sold you the ticket? Providing these will help. Writing a paper letter may help. Being based in the EU you may also have additional rights.

Finally did you buy this ticket with a credit card? As a last resort you may be able to do a chargeback.

122554

Problem is you're trying to get a refund through the wrong channels. The first mistake was buying it through Opodo UK. They're the ones you need to go after and let them do the leg work.

Hope you learn from this. NEVER but a ticket of this value through an online agency! They're not saving you any $$, just causing headaches when a problem arises.

Call your cc company if they don't want to help.

Often1

+1 - This is the problem. If it had been a DL-issued ticket, you would likely have had a refund to your original form of payment in your original currency within days (perhaps weeks if it involved actually mailing a paper ticket).

You need to process your refund request through the channel from which you purchased your ticket according to the process that is set forth in that channel's contract. It will likely involve getting the original paper ticket back from DL and submitting to Opodo.

As others note, it is extraordinarily rare that buying through a third-party website is a good idea. Either buy directly from the carrier on its website or through a reliable TA whom you know or others recomend to you. When things go right, it doesn't matter. But, when things go wrong as they did here, this makes all of the difference.

A credit card chargeback may or may not be appropriate at this late date, but you at least need to try to get the refund from Opodo first.

a7800

This is a rare posting in which the dramatic title of the thread is actually justified. Usually when there are "Ticket refund nightmare" posts, it involves someone trying to refund a non-refundable ticket and can't believe that the airline won't refund them.

Good luck, OP.

motytrah

The problem for the OP is DL has most certainly lost the tickets or perhaps even redeemed them and pocketed the cash. Good luck finding someone at DL who's willing to take ownership of solving this. On the one hand OP should have gone to the original sales channel. On the other hand, DL had the opportunity to advise the OP of that. Now that DL took possession of the coupon they are responsible.

If I were the OP I would get a complaint in with the Swiss authorities. That might light a fire under DL to at least take ownership of what happened with the coupon.

Orange County Commuter

The truth is, Delta may have done the chargeback.. to Opodo. Often, Delta doesn't see your "credit card" on thier system but the TAs "billing" info. So they credit the TA who is suppose to credit you.

Until OP gets the TA involved he/she is missing a vital step.

Vuelos

You are talking about what, $100? $200?

HongKonger

Where do you get that? He said 2 biz class Asia-USA.

TerryK

Many of those ex-RGN F/C tickets were sold for less than $100.

grahampros

The biggest issue at this point is tickets typically have a year expiration, even fully refundable ones. If it goes back to DL at this point, good luck with that refund. As someone said earlier, the issue may well be the TA didnt do the refund. I'd take it up with them, if there is any hope if this was really more than a year ago.

f4freeJunior

Thanks for your answers. The tickets were about £600 each. Yes I gave DL the ticket numbers and everything of course. That's why some of the agents found it in their systems even though they couldn't help. Also DL does have my CC number.
Agree that it was my fault not to call the online TA first. Reason why I called DL was that no one was answering the phone at Opodo (they do not have a 24h hotline that I am aware of) and I had to cancel the flight before departure. DL was perfectly fine with canceling it. If this was the wrong way, why didn't anyone tell me about?

I will give Opodo a call and see what they can do.
Still, I belive DL's behaviour is totally unacceptable towards its customers regarding tha t specific matter.
Will let you know the outcome.

krpjr

Not true....I've purchased through OTA's and then decided to cancel. The tickets cancelled by Delta, and the refund is initiated by Delta back to the card of my 'choice'. This is twice now in the past year.

MR_MAMA

I am guessing that the money was refunded to the TA and they did not refund you. I would have called them instead of waiting a year. I would have filed a dispute had I not had my money within 30 days, now I think you waited too long, call the DL Customer Care line they shoukd be able to tell you if that ticket number was refunded, rebooked etc. I sure hope you kept your copies of everything.

Good luck

blagger

I take it that this was one of the ex-RGN mistake YY fares? I'm not surprised that they are confused!