Often1

If you are due a refund under either or both EC 261/2004 or US DOT rules because your flight has been cancelled, stick to your choice, make a request for a refund, wait 7 days and presuming that a refund has not been initiated, initiate a chargeback and, in the case of flights to or from the US, file a DOT complaint. Do this on Day 8.

Supply a copy of your e-ticket receipt, the cancellation notice, your request for a refund, and a denial of the request or a note that you have not heard back.

Do this in writing, keep copies of everything and, as likely, when you get to the chargeback, supply the documents with your original request. The easier you make it, the faster it goes and the less likely that the carrier, FI, in this case, contests your dispute. DOT will also forward your complaint to FI and require FI to respond to you with a copy to DOT. Presuming that your flight has been cancelled and that you are due a refund, there is no good answer other than that FI has refunded you.

The key is to document everything, keep on top of it, and not to spend time confusing the situation. Once you request a refund, leave it at that.

irishguy28

Maybe if the credit card company didn't have retaliatory means at their disposal - akin to the customer/passenger - then they would treat all incoming requests in strict order!

But you know that some tasks/requests are more important/urgent than others.

In the case of a charge back investigation opened by a credit card company, you'll surely agree that both the airline, and the credit card, consider it urgent, so it will be treated quickly. The airline is in a position of having to defend themselves against a claim, which if they don't react to swiftly, could have a negative impact on them.

Companies have heft and can "impose" deadlines in ways that the small person can't.

In the case of a refund request, it is of the utmost urgency to the passenger, but from the perspective of the airline, it is just one of many, and therefore cannot reasonably be expected to be expedited ahead of all the others. And, in fact, the more people raise chargeback requests, the more the ordinary customers are pushed down the pecking order.

Braniff

It is very unfortunate how ALL airlines are treating their customers. I am having a similar issue with Air France.

dhuey

Are you defending the airline tactic of disputing the chargeback for flights they cancelled and for which they are legally obliged to refund the money? That's what we're talking about. Airlines are having their employees spend time writing and filing bogus objections to these disputed charges. There is no need for them to file anything once they see that they cancelled the flight and the customer is due the money. The only reason this is happening is because the airline wants to hold on to the customer's money, in violation of applicable legal requirements.

Often1

But, that speaks to avoiding delay. Chargebacks are expensive to both the card issuer and the carrier. That is a cost which can be easily avoided by simply processing the refund. If one can book and pay for a ticket online, the same can be done for a refund. The sole question is the amount paid and whether one or more segments have been cancelled. Presuming no segments flown, the refund is the amount paid and the problem is avoided.

dhuey

I'd be curious to know if there is any fee for the vendor when a credit card company decides to uphold the cardholder's charge dispute. If the cardholder loses, nothing happens -- cardholder must pay the same charge as before. But perhaps it's different for the vendor when they lose the dispute.

irishguy28

No - see posts 27 and 30, and my post in 32 which makes it clear which post I am addressing!

irishguy28

...which, as I explained, is why chargebacks are dealt with as a matter of priority.

dhuey

Airlines should expect large numbers of passengers to invoke that priority when there is no easy and quick procedure online to get the refund they are due under applicable law. This is not an IT or staffing issue -- it's a cash flow matter. Airlines want and maybe need to hang on to money that is not theirs.

MarcElMile

Has anyone been able to request and receive a refund from Icelandair for flights that have been cancelled by them, since the COVID-19 crisis? My YVR flight has been cancelled and will not operate for the rest of this year.

drseagrass

I have gotten tired of waiting for a refund for a flight the airline cancelled in March, purchased in January. I asked the bank issuing my credit card to initiate a charge back and I have received an interim credit.

Fredd

I'm still awaiting the credit they promised me in mid-April. I cancelled my charge back and sent them a copy of the confirmation notice we received from the credit card. After hours on the phone, I got the exact April date Chase Visa claims they sent the funds to the airline. Their reps twice promised immediate action once they received the funds, but they haven't replied to me since early May. I've written them again with a copy to the DOT rep assigned to my complaint.

I was pleased with their apparent change of heart, but it's getting to be annoying again.

Update: I'm now wondering if they're stonewalling on refunds and even vouchers because of impending bankruptcy. They're in very bad shape. I just got a vaguely rude reply to my blunt email to them. I've been waiting for for this mid-April and they claim again they have told me "many times" that Chase hasn't contacted them. Chase says they did and my credit card was charged again. Here's an interesting theory from another thread:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32393637-post5.html

lcfowler

Hello all. First time FT post here. I've learned a lot by reading posts on this forum so I want to share some information I've gathered about getting a refund from Icelandair.

My Saga Class tickets originally booked Jan. 12, 2020 for travel March 26, 2020 were cancelled by Icelandair on Mar. 22. I was rebooked on an flight one day earlier but only for the first leg meaning my wife and I would have to find accommodations in Iceland for an extra day. Needless to say with that change and the whole pandemic thing going on I elected to receive a refund. Two weeks after asking for that refund I still had not heard a thing from Icelandair so I contacted them on the phone. I was informed that due to the circumstances the refunds were taking longer than usual and to expect processing to be anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks. I waited another two weeks and called again. This time I'm told 6-8 weeks. I call back at the 6 week mark and am given the same line, '6-8 weeks for processing'. I call after 8 weeks and guess what...'8-12 weeks for processing'.

Obviously at this point I'm concerned I'm never going to see my refund. I initiated chargeback proceedings with my credit card but at the same time I dug deeper into my options under EU regulations. I found this site - [xttps]://europa[dot]eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en.htm. This led me to the list of national regulators. [xttps]://ec[dot]europa[dot]eu/transport/sites/transport/files/2004_261_national_enforcement_bodies.pdf

I then contacted [xttps]://www[dot]icetra[dot]is/, the Icelandic Transportation Authority (found on the list above). They have a section on passenger rights I found very informative. I ended up contacting them via email to which they replied by sending me a link I could use to submit a complaint which they would investigate - [xttps]://eydublod[dot]samgongustofa[dot]is/12636092677931202378

The day after I submitted the form they replied saying they would investigate. That was June 3. On June 5th I received an email from Icelandair saying my refund had been processed! Then, on June 8 the regulating body even followed up with me to confirm the refund. I've told them I'm waiting to see it returned to my CC but I did get an email from Icelandair which significantly more progress than I was getting by dealing with them directly.

So to anyone that's having a problem with Icelandair getting their refund processed I highly recommend putting in a formal complaint if you're still waiting after 8 weeks. I think I read somewhere that it has to have been at least 2 months before they'll intervene. Anyone having issues with other EU airlines you should try contacting the regulating bodies for that country.

Good luck to all!

P.S. Sorry for the obfuscated links but I'm not allowed to post links yet...

Cloud Lounger

Thanks for the advice. I have a similar story. Two Saga class tickets cancelled on March 22 (x. YYZ) and told the refund would take 6-8 weeks. Nothing back and only one email saying it was in the queue. Called today and was told the wait is 12 weeks "maximum", to which I said is upon us in the next few days. The agent hemmed and hawed and she began typing (for real, I don't know). Anyway, I'll give them to Monday and if there is nothing, will try your route.

Thanks again. Great first post....

lcfowler

I got a lot of that too. When you call you're speaking to a call center in the Philippines. I even called Iceland long distance to speak with a real Icelandair rep but ended up with the same answers. The process I posted definitely seems to get things moving.