FlightNetwork violating DOT rules?
Mar 3, 2019, 8:52 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 630
FlightNetwork violating DOT rules?
I booked a ticket JFK-CDG in J about 10 hours ago. The departure date is 30 days from now.
I requested a cancellation and FlightNetwork started by saying I need to pay $100 cancellation fee, I disagreed and stated DOT rules, I then said, let's do it and I'll fight it later and they came back telling me the penalty for the cancellation is now $600... what a joke.
Am I wrong here or they try to trick me into paying a penalty I shouldn't be paying?
I requested a cancellation and FlightNetwork started by saying I need to pay $100 cancellation fee, I disagreed and stated DOT rules, I then said, let's do it and I'll fight it later and they came back telling me the penalty for the cancellation is now $600... what a joke.
Am I wrong here or they try to trick me into paying a penalty I shouldn't be paying?
This notice provides guidance to U.S. and foreign air carriers regarding compliance with the customer service rule that requires carriers to hold a reservation at the quoted fare for 24 hours without payment or allow a reservation to be cancelled within 24 hours without penalty (the “24- hour reservation requirement”). The 24-hour reservation requirement is mandated by the Department of Transportation’s consumer rule “Enhancing Airline Passenger Protections” (14 CFR 259.5(b)(4), 76 Fed. Reg. 23110, 23166, Apr. 25, 2011) and applies to all reservations made seven days or more prior to the flight’s scheduled departure time.1 To comply with the regulation, carriers may not deceive consumers about the 24-hour reservation requirement when consumers inquire about cancelling or changing a reservation within 24 hours of making or paying for that reservation. This guidance also clarifies that the Department’s Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings (Enforcement Office) considers the failure to notify such consumers of the 24-hour reservation requirement to be unfair and deceptive in violation of 49 U.S.C. § 41712. It also considers the failure to offer a passenger a full refund in the original form of payment in the event of a cancellation request covered by the 24-hour reservation requirement to be an unfair and deceptive practice.
Mar 3, 2019, 9:28 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Flightnetwork is not regulated by the DOT.
Too late for you, but as a matter of general advice to others, if you absolutely must book through an opaque third-party vendor (sometimes called an OTA) make sure you read its contract provisions. DOT certainly does not regulate it and while some OTA's may provide some concessions as a matter of customer service, they are not obligated to do so by law. Here is FlightNetwork's contract provision. If the 24-hour notice was indicated at the time of booking, the best practice is to keep a screenshot so you can convince them not to charge the fee (or win a chargeback). But, I am guessing that this ticket did not have that notice.
Free 24-hr cancellation is indicated at the time of booking and only provided to particular reservations made seven days or more prior to the flights scheduled departure dates. When free 24-hr cancellation is provided, your flight is eligible for cancellation up until 24 hours after the time of booking. When cancelled outside of 24 hours, standard cancellation fees will apply.
Too late for you, but as a matter of general advice to others, if you absolutely must book through an opaque third-party vendor (sometimes called an OTA) make sure you read its contract provisions. DOT certainly does not regulate it and while some OTA's may provide some concessions as a matter of customer service, they are not obligated to do so by law. Here is FlightNetwork's contract provision. If the 24-hour notice was indicated at the time of booking, the best practice is to keep a screenshot so you can convince them not to charge the fee (or win a chargeback). But, I am guessing that this ticket did not have that notice.
Free 24-hr cancellation is indicated at the time of booking and only provided to particular reservations made seven days or more prior to the flights scheduled departure dates. When free 24-hr cancellation is provided, your flight is eligible for cancellation up until 24 hours after the time of booking. When cancelled outside of 24 hours, standard cancellation fees will apply.
Mar 3, 2019, 11:28 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 630
Flightnetwork is not regulated by the DOT.
Too late for you, but as a matter of general advice to others, if you absolutely must book through an opaque third-party vendor (sometimes called an OTA) make sure you read its contract provisions. DOT certainly does not regulate it and while some OTA's may provide some concessions as a matter of customer service, they are not obligated to do so by law. Here is FlightNetwork's contract provision. If the 24-hour notice was indicated at the time of booking, the best practice is to keep a screenshot so you can convince them not to charge the fee (or win a chargeback). But, I am guessing that this ticket did not have that notice.
Free 24-hr cancellation is indicated at the time of booking and only provided to particular reservations made seven days or more prior to the flights scheduled departure dates. When free 24-hr cancellation is provided, your flight is eligible for cancellation up until 24 hours after the time of booking. When cancelled outside of 24 hours, standard cancellation fees will apply.
Too late for you, but as a matter of general advice to others, if you absolutely must book through an opaque third-party vendor (sometimes called an OTA) make sure you read its contract provisions. DOT certainly does not regulate it and while some OTA's may provide some concessions as a matter of customer service, they are not obligated to do so by law. Here is FlightNetwork's contract provision. If the 24-hour notice was indicated at the time of booking, the best practice is to keep a screenshot so you can convince them not to charge the fee (or win a chargeback). But, I am guessing that this ticket did not have that notice.
Free 24-hr cancellation is indicated at the time of booking and only provided to particular reservations made seven days or more prior to the flights scheduled departure dates. When free 24-hr cancellation is provided, your flight is eligible for cancellation up until 24 hours after the time of booking. When cancelled outside of 24 hours, standard cancellation fees will apply.
There’s no policy in FlightNetwork that mention $600 change or cancellation fees. In addition, FN mention that the carrier (Virgin Atlantic) impose these cancellation fees, aren’t VA subject to DOT for US operating flights?