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Old Jan 9, 2016 | 6:57 pm
  #1  
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Fully refundable air ticket

Is there a particular airline more friendly with fully refundable ticket? I just need to book a ticket and then cancel after few days. I was wondering if there is a airline that would issue you a check for the refund instead of crediting back to the original form of payment.
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Old Jan 9, 2016 | 6:59 pm
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This sounds like more of a manufactured spending question.
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Old Jan 9, 2016 | 7:13 pm
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Fully refundable air ticket

Something smells fishy-why not just credit original form of payment?
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Old Jan 9, 2016 | 7:18 pm
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If your original form of payment was cash or cheque, any airline would do it. However, if you paid by credit card (which I'm assuming is the case the OP is actually trying to take advantage of), I don't think any sensible airline would do this and eat the credit card fees for nothing.
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Old Jan 9, 2016 | 7:46 pm
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This has nothing to do with the merchant vendor (air carrier), but the card processors' contracts. So far as I know, all require that refunds be processed to the original form of payment without exception.

I could be mistaken, but I doubt that you will find an air carrier willing to jeopardize its relationship with a card issuer for you.

Sounds really odd.
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Old Jan 9, 2016 | 8:54 pm
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Okay, let's say it is not possible to change the form of payment (CC); Is there a airline that issues FULL refund without hassle, without slapping fees, bringing in fine print?
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Old Jan 10, 2016 | 1:33 am
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Why isn't it possible? The major issue you'll have with any airline is that the situation you're proffering is a massive red flag.
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Old Jan 10, 2016 | 3:02 am
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All IATA airlines will refund a fully refundable/flexible fare. The 'dead-giveaway' is in the name. There may be a time delay as it goes through various admin departments, but you'll get your money back.

My immediate thought on reading your OP was that you were going to buy a fully-flex economy fare, get a refund, buy a cheaper economy/business ticket, but have a receipt for an expensive fare to show someone from whom you'll be claiming the expense. But then I'm probably just cynical.
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Old Jan 10, 2016 | 3:03 am
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Originally Posted by Oformula
Why isn't it possible? The major issue you'll have with any airline is that the situation you're proffering is a massive red flag.
Red flag? Not at all. I buy fully refundable fares all the time and refund some of these that I end up not taking because my plans have changed. The same goes for fully-flex hotel rates that I end up cancelling later. Expensive tickets = insurance against changes.
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Old Jan 10, 2016 | 5:31 am
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Originally Posted by LondonElite
My immediate thought on reading your OP was that you were going to buy a fully-flex economy fare, get a refund, buy a cheaper economy/business ticket, but have a receipt for an expensive fare to show someone from whom you'll be claiming the expense. But then I'm probably just cynical.
Also, if you look at the OP's history of posts and threads started, the overwhelming majority are in Manufactured Spending with occasional forays into Credit Card fora.
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Old Jan 10, 2016 | 6:02 am
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Originally Posted by UAPremExecflyer
Also, if you look at the OP's history of posts and threads started, the overwhelming majority are in Manufactured Spending with occasional forays into Credit Card fora.
Hmmm, maybe not so cynical after all
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Old Jan 10, 2016 | 6:57 am
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OP - IATA carriers have what will be classified as a YY fare. This is fully refundable without fees or penalties. Some non-IATA carriers also offer similar fares.

As to your specific question, when the payment is made with a CC, the refund is made to the CC used to purchase the ticket. This is consistent with vendor contracts, avoids a wide variety of AML and fraud issues and allows the customer to sort out what to do with the refund.
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Old Jan 10, 2016 | 9:45 am
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Originally Posted by LondonElite
Red flag? Not at all. I buy fully refundable fares all the time and refund some of these that I end up not taking because my plans have changed. The same goes for fully-flex hotel rates that I end up cancelling later. Expensive tickets = insurance against changes.
Sure. But how often do you look for carriers that will take one form of payment, but deliver your full refund to another credit card/check/cash? The fully refundable fare isn't the flag, it's the funny business with how the refund is delivered.
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Old Jan 10, 2016 | 9:59 am
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Originally Posted by Oformula
Sure. But how often do you look for carriers that will take one form of payment, but deliver your full refund to another credit card/check/cash? The fully refundable fare isn't the flag, it's the funny business with how the refund is delivered.
Which is why carriers won't go near anything that smells of fraud, AML or tax issues. Simply not worth the paperwork, let alone risk. Whether it can theoretically be done, what carrier wants to file a CTR or IRS 8300 and its equivalent in some other country in order to process a simple YY ticket?
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Old Jan 10, 2016 | 10:00 am
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Originally Posted by Oformula
Sure. But how often do you look for carriers that will take one form of payment, but deliver your full refund to another credit card/check/cash? The fully refundable fare isn't the flag, it's the funny business with how the refund is delivered.
My apologies, I may have misread/misunderstood your reply. I thought you were suggesting the purchase and subsequent refund of a ticket was the cause of the red flag.
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