Expedia/Air France cancellation
Mar 4, 2008, 5:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 2
Expedia/Air France cancellation
Hi - if any old hands can give me advice, I'd appreciate it very much. I booked a flight through Expedia on Air France for an elderly (81 y.o.) friend using his Amex card. He was to go to Paris from NYC for the month of July. He has changed his mind and feels he cannot handle the stress of travel at his age. Does he have any recourse to cancel and get a refund, minus the cancellation fee? Expedia is saying it is Air France's flight and Air France says that Expedia was paid the fee (even though Expedia has transferred the fee to Air France).
Is this a matter of being persistent, going through another channel, or will he only be able to sell his ticket through ebay or another forum (any ideas?).
Thanks!
Dennis
Is this a matter of being persistent, going through another channel, or will he only be able to sell his ticket through ebay or another forum (any ideas?).
Thanks!
Dennis
Mar 4, 2008, 10:40 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SJC
Programs: AS MVP
Posts: 2,117
Most cheap tickets these days are non-refundable.
If the ticket you bought is indeed non-refundable, there's little recourse.
It's not a matter of being persistent. You agree to the rules before you click buy, so you're committed.
Tickets these days are not transferable, so cannot sell on ebay.
If the ticket you bought is indeed non-refundable, there's little recourse.
It's not a matter of being persistent. You agree to the rules before you click buy, so you're committed.
Tickets these days are not transferable, so cannot sell on ebay.
Mar 7, 2008, 12:42 pm
#3
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He can cancel and keep most of the price paid on account with Air France for up to a year, I should think, and put it toward another flight... but he cannot get his money back. "Non-refundable" is pretty clear I'm afraid.
Mar 19, 2008, 6:52 pm
#5
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Relative better have the same name, other than perhaps Sr., Jr., or the III or it's not going to work.
The passenger named on the ticket can use the value of the ticket for another flight on the same airline and airline ticket stock, within 1 year of cancellation. Less a change fee. That's the general rule.
There are minor variations between airlines, and I'm not familiar with AF policies. Some airlines require the last day of travel on the changed flight be within 1 year of the date of issue (not the date of travel) of the original ticket. Some others will issue a new ticket with its own 1-year validity within 1 year of the ticket issuance.
Assume original fare $1000, change fee for international ticket $200, new fare for changed ticket $700.
Some airlines will figure out the new charge by:
(New Fare - Original Fare + Change Fee) = amount to charge customer
$700-1000+200 = -$100 credit voucher (NOT a refund) to the customer for a future ticket. United works this way.
Others will do similar but if fare difference + change fee are still less than original fare, zero out the remainder. No voucher back.
Others will use this formula (for example, US Airways and Air Canada do this):
(New Fare - Original Fare) = fare difference. If fare difference negative, then no rebate. Now add change fee.
In this case,
$700 - 1000 = -300. Zero that out and add $200. Customer pays $200 to change to the new flight even though it's cheaper.
In no cases will the airline refund the non-refundable ticket.
Your friend is out of luck unless he wants to do an Air France trip later.
Also, when booking through an online agent (Expedia in this case), usually they will add their own $30 or $50 change fee on top of the airline change fee. In most cases the airline will NOT deal with you directly if it was booked through an agency. In some cases you can talk them into dealing with you directly and taking control of the reservation.
The only out usually on refunds of non-refundable are death or illness (with medical certification). We all hope that neither of them will apply to your friend for a good many more years! Maybe he should try the trip - Paris can be quite renewing to the body and soul.
The passenger named on the ticket can use the value of the ticket for another flight on the same airline and airline ticket stock, within 1 year of cancellation. Less a change fee. That's the general rule.
There are minor variations between airlines, and I'm not familiar with AF policies. Some airlines require the last day of travel on the changed flight be within 1 year of the date of issue (not the date of travel) of the original ticket. Some others will issue a new ticket with its own 1-year validity within 1 year of the ticket issuance.
Assume original fare $1000, change fee for international ticket $200, new fare for changed ticket $700.
Some airlines will figure out the new charge by:
(New Fare - Original Fare + Change Fee) = amount to charge customer
$700-1000+200 = -$100 credit voucher (NOT a refund) to the customer for a future ticket. United works this way.
Others will do similar but if fare difference + change fee are still less than original fare, zero out the remainder. No voucher back.
Others will use this formula (for example, US Airways and Air Canada do this):
(New Fare - Original Fare) = fare difference. If fare difference negative, then no rebate. Now add change fee.
In this case,
$700 - 1000 = -300. Zero that out and add $200. Customer pays $200 to change to the new flight even though it's cheaper.
In no cases will the airline refund the non-refundable ticket.
Your friend is out of luck unless he wants to do an Air France trip later.
Also, when booking through an online agent (Expedia in this case), usually they will add their own $30 or $50 change fee on top of the airline change fee. In most cases the airline will NOT deal with you directly if it was booked through an agency. In some cases you can talk them into dealing with you directly and taking control of the reservation.
The only out usually on refunds of non-refundable are death or illness (with medical certification). We all hope that neither of them will apply to your friend for a good many more years! Maybe he should try the trip - Paris can be quite renewing to the body and soul.
Apr 12, 2008, 10:26 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Soon to be LEGT
Posts: 10,928
The passenger named on the ticket can use the value of the ticket for another flight on the same airline and airline ticket stock, within 1 year of cancellation. Less a change fee. That's the general rule.
There are minor variations between airlines, and I'm not familiar with AF policies. Some airlines require the last day of travel on the changed flight be within 1 year of the date of issue (not the date of travel) of the original ticket. Some others will issue a new ticket with its own 1-year validity within 1 year of the ticket issuance.
There are minor variations between airlines, and I'm not familiar with AF policies. Some airlines require the last day of travel on the changed flight be within 1 year of the date of issue (not the date of travel) of the original ticket. Some others will issue a new ticket with its own 1-year validity within 1 year of the ticket issuance.
Apr 21, 2008, 3:11 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 4
Unfortunatly Expedia can only do what the airline tells them! its the curse of working in a travel agency - we can only do so much but we take all the blame! 
Like all have stated if its non refundable then apart from taxes your friend won't get anything back.... however, I have seen some airlines offer a gesture of goodwill if a medical certificate can be provided to state he is too ill to travel... (if he can get one) and if AF do auth a refund on this basis then the travel agency will have to be persistant to ensure its a cash refund and not travel vouchers for future travel.
I highly doubt the agent would go down this route for you though, but I have managed to get airlines authorise refunds on this basis in the past - AF being one of them - so it can be done
Like all have stated if its non refundable then apart from taxes your friend won't get anything back.... however, I have seen some airlines offer a gesture of goodwill if a medical certificate can be provided to state he is too ill to travel... (if he can get one) and if AF do auth a refund on this basis then the travel agency will have to be persistant to ensure its a cash refund and not travel vouchers for future travel.
I highly doubt the agent would go down this route for you though, but I have managed to get airlines authorise refunds on this basis in the past - AF being one of them - so it can be done