djjaguar64

huaca= hang up and call again

Often1

Yes, try calling again. Make certain to find out whether it is that it will take 2 weeks for your refund to be processed or that they won't accept the request for 2 weeks. If the former, that is not particularly bad (although EC 261/2004 requires 7 days). If the latter, initiate a chargeback as you are entitled to a refund and the carrier won't even accept your request.

But, the exact words used will matter a great deal here.

Barciur

I have a PayPal dispute with them since I was never able to get through, if that fails, I can chargeback through credit card still. PayPal is supposed to be waiting on their response until May 25.

cruisingmickey

Anyone with experience where only one leg was canceled? I have a bud - lis that was canceled, but the lis to ewr is still intact. Also never received an email. I tried calling today, but also had the call drop during midcall before we got anywhere. I will try calling again tomorrow. If it's only one leg that was canceled, can I still get a refund or both legs need to be canceled? It's for the end of this month. I guess I will find out when I call back tomorrow.

mmff

Yes. As your final destination is in the USA, the refund process should be mostly uneventful.

​To recap: request the refund from the airline and initiate the chargeback if they refuse to pay or fail to reply within 7 days. I'd include a brief reference to the warning letter by the DOT if you need to go down the chargeback route.

Often1

So long as the ticket is LIS-BUD with a connection, not a stopover at LIS, you are all set. May be additional pushback on the point, including from your card issuer, but it's a question of making clear that LIS is a connection (if it is).

tkflyer

Had reservation EWR-LIS stopover LIS-BCN stopover BCN-LIS-EWR ob 6/3 rt 6/12.

LIS-BCN and BCN-LIS legs cancelled, then weeks later alternative flight given. Requiring acceptance.

Contacted TAP by online msg 40 days ago with no response. Filed DOT complaint 12 days ago still awaiting response.

Called 800 # on Monday, on hold for 63 mins ! Spoke to agent, who explained the flight changes for cancelled legs and said you are all good.

Highlighted the fact that there are no flights EWR-LIS currenlty and also none available on day of departure. Offered voucher with 20% uplift in value valid for 24 months. Politely declined and said I wanted a refund back to my credit card. Agent said OK and said 7-15 days to process. Got reference # for the call. So can follow up. Will updated when refund credited.

IAN-UK

Worth noting the Commission's latest guidelines reaffirm the absolute right of passenger to choose cash or voucher as a refund if a flight is cancelled.

It further offers guidance on vouchers: they should be redeemable for cash after one year.


Listening, TAP ????


Under EU rules, travellers have the right to choose between vouchers or cash reimbursement for cancelled transport tickets (plane, train, bus/coach, and ferries) or package travel. While reaffirming this right, the Commission's recommendation aims to ensure that vouchers become a viable and more attractive alternative to reimbursement for cancelled trips in the context of the current pandemic, which has also put heavy financial strains on travel operators. The voluntary vouchers should be protected against insolvency of the issuer, with a minimum validity period of 12 months, and be refundable after at most one year, if not redeemed. They should also provide passengers sufficient flexibility, should allow the passengers to travel on the same route under the same service conditions or the travellers to book a package travel contract with the same type of services or of equivalent quality. They should also be transferable to another traveller.



https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pres...l/en/ip_20_854

stephem

What a crazy circle with TAP and AMEX Travel, finally AMEX sent me a link to a TAP page that allows me to enter the ticket numbers and request a refund. How long are people going this route waiting to get their funds credited back to original form of payment?

natemoore12

Quick update - I had an ongoing case with TAP for flights from LHR - GIG via LIS earlier this month. Outbound cancelled. Inbound still operating later this month. Have been requesting a refund for a while and kept rejecting the vouchers offered. Today I was able to get my own flight refunded because I am a US citizen (I had to send them a passport photo but they processed everything on the same call) which is new...I am dual UK / US so never thought about this before. However my travelling companion who is Spanish they would not refund.

They did give a reference number when asked (format 2020-0000xxxxxx) and suggested I call back in the coming days as the policy may have changed for EU citizens. It sounded like it would, as I specifically asked about the new EU guidance issued yesterday and other airlines (KLM, who I am also fighting with) have already updated their policies to offer refunds here. The agent was helpful and also clarified:

If you want to change your flight only (free of charge, though you will pay any difference in fare for now), you have up to 24 hours before it leaves to do this.
If you want to cancel and take a voucher (or refund if you can) you can do this for the entire ticket validity (IE 1 year from date of issue).

I suspect there is a little YMMV here but thought it would be useful to post this as a DP. I called the US number as @lia_b helpfully included above (Thank you!), option 6 then 6 again and they transfer you when they know you are asking for a refund.

Often1

Citizenship is a red herring. Neither the contract nor applicable law, in this case EC 261/2004, distinguish rights by citizenship. Your companion is equally entitled to require a refund under the Regulation, not because the companion is Spanish, but because both flights on this ticket originate in the EU and this is an EU carrier.

The companion ought to make the request for a refund, wait 7 days and then initiate a chargeback with the companion's credit card issuer (bank). Supply the e-ticket receipt, the notice of cancellation, the request for a refund, the denial of a refund (or note that no communication has been received), and the assertion that a reimbursement (refund) is due under EC 261/2004 both because TP is a community carrier and the ticket is a departure from the EU.

Ultimately, if the companion is based in the UK, whether a citizen or not, the companion could also initiate an MCOL action in the UK or, if not, a small claims action (hearings held via telephone). But, that is well down the road.

natemoore12

Thanks! And yes, completely agree about it being a red herring. My initial chargeback with Chase was denied as they said the purchase was too long ago (!!) but I followed up with a more aggressive email and they have now asked for more supporting forms, which I've just sent in. Will keep the ADR service as a backup but I need to wait 8 weeks from the initial email to start using that.

36902BRF

For what it is worth Visa and Mastercard allow chargebacks within I think 120 days of when the services or goods were expected to be delivered so in the case of air tickets you should have 120 days from when your last flight was scheduled to do a chargeback as long as it doesn't exceed 520 days (I think going from memory) from when the charge was processed. Some Googling should turn up the details if you need them.

natemoore12

Thanks, that’s my understanding of things too...which is why I felt more confident reapplying for the chargeback when Chase said no the first time.

Often1

The key is to submit all of the supporting documentation with the chargeback request.
1. E-ticket receipt.
2. Cancellation notice.
3. Request for refund.
4. Denial of refund or a note that no response has been received.

The key date will be the date you were notified (which could be when you looked or called).

The easier you make it for the card issuer to process, the more likely you are to succeed and to succeed quickly.