Orbitz Platinum bag fee benefit denied / pay-at-hotel nights not counted
Oct 3, 22, 9:52 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: TLV
Posts: 519
Orbitz Platinum bag fee benefit denied / pay-at-hotel nights not counted
I've had two disappointments with Orbitz Rewards recently. I booked and flew Philippines AirAsia. Booked on Orbitz, then later added and paid for a checked bag directly on AirAsia's site. Now I wanted to submit a claim for bag fee reimbursement (up to $50 in Orbucks per calendar year for Orbitz Rewards Platinum members), but the site says "no eligible bookings found". Chatted with two agents and both insisted that bookings on low-cost carriers are ineligible for the benefit. I couldn't find such exclusions in the T&C.
The other issue is that my hotel night count for the year did not increment after a stay at a hotel five months ago. In this case the agent stated that since this was a "Pay later (at the hotel)" booking, it doesn't earn Orbucks or status nights. It's a fact that in previous years I did earn status nights even when I paid at the hotel. So this "only prepaid hotel nights" thing is news to me. And here too, I can't find any such exclusions in the T&C.
I'll probably hit 12 status nights anyway, to retain Platinum, but I do want my $10.59 bag fee back...
UPDATE: on October 9 the flight appeared on my account's list of eligible bookings, I was able to submit a request and promptly received the requested $10.59 bag fee reimbursement. Apparently the site just takes a while to recognize completed travel.
The other issue is that my hotel night count for the year did not increment after a stay at a hotel five months ago. In this case the agent stated that since this was a "Pay later (at the hotel)" booking, it doesn't earn Orbucks or status nights. It's a fact that in previous years I did earn status nights even when I paid at the hotel. So this "only prepaid hotel nights" thing is news to me. And here too, I can't find any such exclusions in the T&C.
I'll probably hit 12 status nights anyway, to retain Platinum, but I do want my $10.59 bag fee back...
UPDATE: on October 9 the flight appeared on my account's list of eligible bookings, I was able to submit a request and promptly received the requested $10.59 bag fee reimbursement. Apparently the site just takes a while to recognize completed travel.
Last edited by Maayan; Oct 10, 22 at 4:58 am
Aug 3, 23, 4:21 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,051
I've had two disappointments with Orbitz Rewards recently. I booked and flew Philippines AirAsia. Booked on Orbitz, then later added and paid for a checked bag directly on AirAsia's site. Now I wanted to submit a claim for bag fee reimbursement (up to $50 in Orbucks per calendar year for Orbitz Rewards Platinum members), but the site says "no eligible bookings found". Chatted with two agents and both insisted that bookings on low-cost carriers are ineligible for the benefit. I couldn't find such exclusions in the T&C.
The other issue is that my hotel night count for the year did not increment after a stay at a hotel five months ago. In this case the agent stated that since this was a "Pay later (at the hotel)" booking, it doesn't earn Orbucks or status nights. It's a fact that in previous years I did earn status nights even when I paid at the hotel. So this "only prepaid hotel nights" thing is news to me. And here too, I can't find any such exclusions in the T&C.
I'll probably hit 12 status nights anyway, to retain Platinum, but I do want my $10.59 bag fee back...
UPDATE: on October 9 the flight appeared on my account's list of eligible bookings, I was able to submit a request and promptly received the requested $10.59 bag fee reimbursement. Apparently the site just takes a while to recognize completed travel.
The other issue is that my hotel night count for the year did not increment after a stay at a hotel five months ago. In this case the agent stated that since this was a "Pay later (at the hotel)" booking, it doesn't earn Orbucks or status nights. It's a fact that in previous years I did earn status nights even when I paid at the hotel. So this "only prepaid hotel nights" thing is news to me. And here too, I can't find any such exclusions in the T&C.
I'll probably hit 12 status nights anyway, to retain Platinum, but I do want my $10.59 bag fee back...
UPDATE: on October 9 the flight appeared on my account's list of eligible bookings, I was able to submit a request and promptly received the requested $10.59 bag fee reimbursement. Apparently the site just takes a while to recognize completed travel.
Interesting - I never had that problem pre-pandemic. Have always got baggage fees on Air Asia reimbursed in the form of Orbucks.
Thinking of booking a Scoot flight on Orbitz and then adding baggage through Scoot website. Have you encountered problems with Scoot baggage getting reimbursed?
