TabeaK

Hello everyone, I was due to fly on an Emirates itinerary in mid April - Emirates cancelled the itinerary due to COVID. After weeks of back and forth with them (filling out multiple online refund forms) - I finally got a refund of the ticket price. However, they have chosen to keep $240 that we paid for reserved seating. Has anyone had the same experience? I specifically requested a full refund, including seat fees - I have filed another refund request specifically for the seat reservation fee - nada.

Where do we stand in terms of legality of them keeping the fee on an itinerary that they cancelled? What recourse do I have? I already tried a credit card chargeback for the seat reservation fee - unsuccessful. Apparently Emirates claims "The service was rendered".

Tony Bonner

I filled out the refund form separately from flight ticket for seat reservation and they have refunded me

Often1

If you have not yet initiated a refund request for the seat fee separately, do that.

In the unlikely event that your refund request is denied, initiate a chargeback with your card issuer (bank).

TabeaK

I have initiated two refund requests - one for the ticket & seat reservation fee --> eventually got ticket fee back, but not seat reservation.
I have initiated a second refund request 6 weeks ago just for the missing seat reservation fee --> Emirates has not gotten back to me.

I have already been through the credit card dispute process, the credit card issuer is siding with Emirates - as apparently Emirates "Rendered the service"??? I have disputed the claim outcome already - same result. I will attempt to dispute again - but at this stage I am curious what my recourse is.

TabeaK

How long did this take? I did the same thing - email confirmation from May 18th - no response.

iFlyMoreThanYou

fill in the form again - I think the majority of the backlog has been processed. I filled in the form again (had 1 pnr that I submitted 3m ago) and got my refund within 24 hours.

TabeaK

I already did - stupid question, what is a PNR?

Dave Noble

A PNR is a record in the booking system database that holds all the details of the passengers on the itinerary

Each PNR has a record locator ( booking reference), which is several characters ( typically 6 for most airlines ime ) and really needs be quoted when trying to get a refund

When the airline responded to the disputed charge, what was its grounds? you should have been given opportunity by card company to refute the airline's grounds. It should be, from most card companies, quite easy to get a refund for non provision of service

TabeaK

Thanks, learned something.

As a result of the first dispute, I got the ticket price back (the credit card company sided with me, then Emirates processed the refund), but kept the seat reservation fee, claiming that the seats are still "open" - whatever that means. As a result I filed several additional refund requests with Emirates specifically for the seat reservation fee - they did not respond. I thus re-opened the credit card claim for the missing seat reservation fee - this time the credit card company sided with Emirates - no additional details provided, beyond "Services were renderred" - I am about to re-dispute the closed claim again - maybe third time is a charm.

I have in all cases provided the evidence of my claims with Emirates...

Dave Noble

When Emirates responded, the card company should have given you opportunity to address the airline's claim on why it was justified. that flight was cancelled would make it impossible for the airline to have provided the service

warakorn

You need to push back here and explain to your card issuer again that the service was not rendered.

DYKWIA

I tried that with Amex... they wouldn't budge.

Bubus78

I am wondering if would a cash upgrade - offer from EK sent via email within the OLCI timeframe, would qualify for refund ? While purchasing the T&C's state non-refundable but guess seating selection (against $) fall in same category or not really?