bostontraveler

These threads are very long I know, but might I suggest listing the following information in the wiki to save (especially North American travelers) some time?

Specifically:

1) By all means reach out to TP and cite the EC261/2004 requirement to refund but expect lengthy delays. In early April, the European Commission restated the obligation of airlines to offer customers the choice of a refund OR a voucher. Airlines across Europe ignored this and blatantly (as we know) continued to issue vouchers for canceled flights. On April 29th, a petition https://www.forbes.com/sites/davekea.../#7e14efd6112f was made to the European Commission by 12 European governments requesting that vouchers be an acceptable form of compensation in light of the Coronavirus crisis. The European Commission appears to agree yet has not taken any action against local airlines in this regard.

2) For flights that touch US soil, customers may also file complaints with the US DOT.

3) NORTH AMERICANS can typically request chargebacks from their banks/card issuers- this is probably the easiest way to go since one can presume TAP is not eager to refund-- although it may help to cite that they are not compliant with EC261 and/or the latest DOT statement requiring a full refund when requested.

4) IN EUROPE, the situation is more nuanced. Some issuers-- American Express in particular- are refusing to open chargeback disputes for cardholders. Unclear whether other banks issuing Mastercard or VIsa cards are adopting this policy.

Key players to Tweet to NOW as this issue is being imminently defined--

**Adina Ioana Valean European Commissioner for EU Transport @AdinaValean
**EU Transport @transport_EU
**Věra Jourová Vice-President for Values and Transparency in the European Commission @verajourova
**European Commission @EU_Commission
**EU Consumer Affaires @EU_Consumer

progol

<<So the CC company denied your chargeback? I assume the grounds was TAP claimed to have issued you a voucher?>>

No, I received a package from my CC that showed that TAP refused the refund and that they were offering only a limited voucher through 12/2020.

The CC asked if I want to continue the dispute, which I am doing. I the. received the newest vouchers from TAP with the extended date and statement that a refund would be provided by email AFTER I received the package from my CC. I AM continuing the dispute and feel much more confident that a refund will be given, now that I have the most recent emails from TAP.

Barciur

Any news on that? I have the same deal with my 6/27 - it is not showing up as a flight at 11:55PM but there is a flight to Lisbon at 5:35PM and I can technically buy a similar itinerary - just not on my hours. I, too, am getting "access denied" when trying to manage my reservation.

ironmouse

I'm in the same situation, my CC came back after 5 weeks to say that the sum would be re applied to my account, accompanied with lots of irrelevant paperwork from TAP - copies of original booking, ways to apply for a voucher etc.
I got back to my CC to ask what the grounds were for their decision, seems that they were in agreement with TAP.
Anyway they suggest that I reopen the dispute and try again as I should have a good case for a refund ie refundable ticket, EU directive etc.
I'll give it a couple more weeks.

gr2020

One more update (hopefully the last!) - Amex inquiry appears to have been closed and resolved in my favor, and they say my account will be credited on the next statement. The wording of the letter I got implies that TAP might have never responded to their inquiry; it says Amex may consider their response at a later date, but it also says I can consider the resolution final if I don't hear anything more by 5/21.

deaddogfluffy

Let me contribute to this discussion with my situation: TAP cancelled our flights for September (so almost 6 months upfront!) Chicago-Lisbon-Budapest and back and automatically gave us airline credit. Since they suspended all overseas flights, we actually have no possibility to use the credit! I am trying to contact them and request money back, to no success so far. I can't even find the refund request on their site! Would going to the CC company be our next step?

iahphx

I checked their website over the weekend and my itinerary had returned, listing the flights that no longer actually exist.

I'm thinking of calling TAP this week. Given my prior refund calls with online travel agencies and airlines, I'm not looking forward to the experience. Is TAP answering the phone? I do have my chargeback "investigation" under way with AMEX with a provisional credit, so I guess I could do nothing, but I've previously found it helpful with the credit card companies to get the airline to actually issue a refund. I'll see if that's possible with TAP.

bostontraveler

If you are in North America which I presume you must be then contact TAP.
also open a chargeback. That will be faster than waiting for them to refund.

FLYDCA

There are 2 steps you can take as TAP is unlikely to refund you right now. File a complaint with DOT and state you were given a voucher instead of a required refund. Also contact your CC company to open a dispute since TAP owes you a refund.

36902BRF

This is basically what I did. The DOT complaint and the CC chargeback are pretty close to completely overlapping so I was able to draft up and submit one letter (slightly modified for each audience) and all my evidence (ticket terms, refund request screenshots, etc.) to both. I also feel it strengthens your chargeback a bit if you can reference you have also filed a DOT complaint.

Baflyer11

Update: I checked my reservation number today and the flight now shows as cancelled. TAP removed the reservation details from my account and did not send a cancellation email - so they removed my ability to “manage” reservation in my account. The only way to view the reservation is through typing in the reservation number on the “manage reservations” tab. Only options shown are rebook and request voucher. I will be contacting TAP to have a formal cancellation email sent for my records (hopefully they will accommodate this...) to submit DOT complaint. This would be a critical document needed to cancel my AirBnB reservations, which after reading many stories regarding the AirBnB “extenuating Circumstances” policy seems to be very hit or miss and difficult to navigate.

Will update further on DOT complaint process and TAPs response.

36902BRF

Yeah this is a real issue and not just with TAP. I had a Delta flight booked with Virgin Atlantic points and they cancelled the transatlantic leg but left my domestic leg intact. No cancellation email from either Delta or VS. Thankfully I was able to use my state's stay at home order which had an end date after my trip to get a refund from AirBnB. I realize now however that by proactively cancelling my TAP refundable booking I may have messed up my AirBnB refund options for this summer. That said it seems likely that the country is question isn't going to open up to international travel so hopefully I can use that.

stephem

What utter disdain this company's customer service employees have for their customers. I think if they survive this, we wont ever consider flying them again. My saga of getting $3400 refunded continues. AMEX Travel is incompetent and saying that TAPs directions are insufficient. So I emailed TAP back with my case number and said "please put a note in the PNR so that AMEX feels empowered to act on this email."

Response back, which is oh so helpfulI am now one month past date of cancelled travel and still not even in the processing phase of my refund. No more AMEX Travel, no more TAP.

Barciur

I just logged in to check and this is what I got. It appears that only the Lisbon - Barcelona parts of the trip were cancelled. Nevertheless, the whole trip is a bust. No e-mail, like you said. Do you guys recommend calling TAP first and then filing a Chase chargeback if they refuse a refund?

IAN-UK

They are required to give you a refund. There's nothing to stop them offering it in the form of a voucher - but absolutely no obligation on you to accept that option.

They cancelled the flight: you get to select the remedy. It's European law, not open to a member-state, still less an airline, to suspend or alter.

You don't want to risk becoming an unsecured creditor of a bankrupt airline, so think twice about a voucher, even with a 20% uplift



In short, if you want a refund then they must give you a refund. If they refuse to give you your money back, certainly try speaking to a supervisor to make your position clear, but if you don't gain satisfaction you should immediately pursue the credit card charge-back route.


If they agree to a refund, it should be implemented within 7 days. If they haven't paid up after a couple of weeks, then consider turning to your credit card company for assistance. I wouldn't hang around too long before registering a dispute: TAP has never enjoyed robust financial health and the current crisis must be testing its resources.