i_gtgo

Here's my chronology:

Apr 30 - Submitted my first request on Zendesk to cancel ticket.

May 7 - Didn't hear anything so sent another follow up on Zendesk and also contacted goingplacestogether, after which I got an immediate response on the same day saying refund is in process

May 12 - Refund hits my card.

A big thank you to goingplacestogether. I've been waiting for months on refunds from Virgin and Emirates, so the turn around time with Qatar has been AMAZING!

marcusm1

Just to jump back into my original thread. Now 9 weeks and no refund, nagging via CS and phone has just produced a "please wait" and "we'll send a message to the refund team" emails but ZERO action on the actual logged Zendesk ticket.

I'm giving them until 3 months mark and if nothing then will be suing them in the small claims court.

elsenor

Are you US based? Do you use Twitter? I find general complaining on Twitter annoying and worthless BUT with a legitimate issue, it can get the job done sometimes like nothing else can. If it were me, I'd compose a tweet or two, @'ing both their main and help accounts, and mentioning it's been X weeks your zendesk request has languished. "Do I need to open a DOT [or insert other country's authority] complaint?" Then, I'd still probably file a complaint.

For anyone needing the link, find it here: https://airconsumer.dot.gov/escompla...nsumerForm.cfm

marcusm1

Yep tried Twitter and they were fast to reply but of no real use. I've just had a private message from what I am presuming is a Qatar representative 'goingplaceswithyou' and have shared the support reference number so hopefully it will get looked at.
A complaint to the DOT is a good idea as well. I hope it doesn't come to that but I am reaching the end of my patience level and will hit the big red button shortly unless I get somewhere....
Worst thing is I have another booking in June that will no doubt get cancelled....here we go again...sigh...

elsenor

From my understanding, a DOT complaint in your case is likely warranted regardless. Such a delay, especially if you paid by credit card is absurd. I think DOT suggests airline refunds should be ~7 days. I get maybe a few more days, but definitely not MONTHS.

If your tweet was a while back, I'd probably go at it again, polite but firm. Consider @'ing a major travel blog (or 2). GL!

marcusm1

It is absurd, seeing as how other people had their refunds, I really don't know what's going on, it seems to have been forgotten. I will give it a few more days now the Qatar representative has messaged me and if that doesn't produce an at least bare minimum of a date when it will be done, I'll go nuclear with a complaint, small claims court and contact some travel blogs. I had four long haul returns booked with Qatar this year , flown two and was switching most of my long haul to them, after this bad taste in my mouth. I'm just small fry, but as a business you would think you wouldn't want to annoy your frequent flyers this much! Thanks for your idea of the blogs!

gary_nj

Just a positive data point... My PHL-DOH-KBP flight (booked for June travel through amextravel.com using the Amex IAP) cancelled on May 7 Doha time. I called the online Amex team immediately to request a cash refund. I see the refund posted to my account today (May 14). So a one-week turnaround on a cash refund for a cancelled flight through Amex.

mfordy

My money was returned within a week of contacting QR on twitter. Very impressive.

marcusm1

Finally had the refund, the interverntion of the QR rep on the forum here seems to have done the trick and after being contacted through PM I had a refund email the next day, and received the money back to my card!
Next problem, my June ticket that no doubt will be cancelled!

Lefly

For me it's almost two months of waiting... and counting.

gav0106

10 weeks for me and counting. Had 3 lined up on the zendesk. One was done 2 weeks ago. The other two are one in my account and one in my wifes account. Repeated calls to them, kept being told it is being processed, they will chase up. I am to call again to check. Expect it costs around £3-£5 each time you have to call!

friskygeek

I was told by a QR rep on the phone that refunds are taking up to 2 months. I opted for a voucher instead for my canceled flight.

oruvin

Had my refund request sitting on the zendesk for 3 weeks, then sent a message to QR twitter a week ago, after some details confirmation got a refund back to my Amex within 6 days. And actually "earned" £192 due to NOK/GBP exchange rate fluctuation...

oliver2002

Go on twitter and send a DM to QR there with the Zendesk case details. If its on hold for more than 4 weeks they will make sure the refund is processed.

subject2load

Well in a way I feel a little reluctant to share my own experience- simply because I’m always conscious of just how frustrating the success stories can be for anyone on the wrong end of what seems some dramatic inconsistency in timely receipt of refunds.

Using the published UK number for QR support (diverted to various call centres AFAIK), I got through to a very courteous agent within around 20 mins or so. Gave details of my cancelled flights to Tokyo and was told that cash refunds were generally taking “about 28 days, but could be as long as 3 months maximum. If you haven’t heard back within 28 days, please feel free to call us again”.

Other than being very (very) nice to the agent, (which is my default approach in all cases !), I don’t believe there was anything unusual about the way I made my request. I did make a point of asking for an email to be sent to me, confirming that a refund would be made (in due course) ; my thinking on this was to avoid any subsequent confusion / misunderstanding that a voucher was acceptable.

My phone call was made on May 12. The email was received within minutes of the call ending. Then ..... to my pleasure (and no little surprise), I spotted a full refund on my credit card statement on May 16, so ..... just four days later. Icing on the cake was a bonus of GBP 44, due to an exchange rate swing in my favour.