Comments on: A downgrade without a refund? Here’s how to fight back

By: Richard Callaby

Richard Callaby — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:14:24 +0000

Thanks for sharing this story. I am sorry that this happened to you and I do feel that you were cheated. It makes me want to get an AMEX blue card knowing that they will fight for me if something like this ever happened. So I guess I should get to know all of the rules that most of the airlines have so as to protect myself as well. Knowledge here is true power. Glad it all worked out for you.

By: Lynn R.

Lynn R. — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 05:39:09 +0000

I am glad for Ms. Tolley that American Express solved her downgrade problem with Delta. I had just the opposite experience. I had charged a full fare, fully refundable/changabe economy (Y class) ticket on Continental from Chicago to New York and believe it or not, I got stuck in the hotel elevator for an hour and missed my flight. I did all the right things, sent the ticket via Fed Ex, signiture required, to the airline for a refund. Continental claimed they never received the ticket, so no refund. American Express made me repeat the process three times over the next year and I got nowhere. Continental signed for the ticket but refused to acknowledge responsibility. Finally American Express told me they could do nothing for me and it was now between me and the airline. I was a Gold card member for over 30 years, paying an annual $75 fee, and they just abandoned me. I called directly to the airline’s refund department. They said if the ticket had not been used, I was indeed entitled to a refund. It hadn’t, and my card was credited the very next morning. I called Amreican Express, furious that I could do in one day what they had taken a year and one half to fail to do, and cancelled my card. Even that took them six months! I will never ever have an American Express card again.

By: James

James — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 06:35:01 +0000

Since this flight was flying to an EU Country would she have had rights under the EU rules as well?

James

By: Randall

Randall — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:21:14 +0000

I had the same thing happen to me with an award ticket. I flew Delta using double the miles to get around the limited number of first class seats. They switched aircraft and I flew coach. I asked to be moved to an aircraft with first class and they said they couldn’t do that. There were two connections and the flight was late so I missed my connection. They didn’t put me in first class on the next flight. I had to overnight in SLC because of this and then I made it home the next day.

Since it was an award ticket, are they obligated to compensate me in any way (miles or the like) or is it in the fine print that they can do whatever they want? Thanks.

By: Allan J.

Allan J. — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:44:48 +0000

I would have thought that airlines would want to give first class treatment to passengers who actually purchase first class tickets.

Otherwise why would those passengers want to buy first class again or suggest that anyone else try?

Result: A lot of money that the airline could have made but did not.

First class treatment includes a cash refund that is greater than the difference between the price paid and what the passenger could have had by booking coach to begin with.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:26:15 +0000

There are so many people that say the same thing about AmEx. I hate the annual fee, but they went to bat for me against Marriott a couple of years ago and saved me $1700. I just consider it my insurance premium against crappy business practices now.