in this case
- Michael Damarino and his wife booked refundable American Airlines tickets through Expedia from Boston to Tucson via Phoenix. A 90-minute delay in Phoenix, tied to a sick first officer and a baggage weight problem, made them miss their connection.
- With no later flights available, they rented a car and drove the final 100 miles to Tucson. That choice, made to save their vacation, quietly turned them into a “no-show” for the last leg in the airline’s system.
- American offered only a flight credit and insisted the ticket was nonrefundable, even though they had paid for a refundable fare. Expedia pointed to American, American pointed to Expedia, and Damarino was stuck in the middle, which raises the question of what a “refundable” ticket really guarantees when you solve the airline’s problem yourself.
After an airline delay leaves him stranded in Phoenix, Michael Damarino rents a car to finish his trip. But American Airlines voids his refundable ticket because he’s technically a “no-show.” Can he get his money back?
Question
My wife and I were recently scheduled to fly from Boston to Tucson, Ariz., via Phoenix on American Airlines. We booked refundable tickets through Expedia.
The first flight was delayed 90 minutes because the first officer fell ill, and it also had a problem with weight calculations on checked baggage. Because of the delay, we missed our connecting flight to Tucson.
There were no later flights with space available, so we had to rent a car and drive the 100 miles to Tucson.
American Airlines is offering me a flight credit. It has erroneously stated my ticket was nonrefundable. I have gotten nowhere, and I need help getting my refund. — Michael Damarino, Brockton, Mass.
Answer
I admire your initiative. When American Airlines handed you lemons in Phoenix, you made lemonade by renting a car and hitting the highway so you wouldn’t miss your vacation.
Here’s the thing about airline logic: It rarely aligns with the logic of a rational human being.
You purchased a refundable ticket. In the real world, that means if you don’t use it, you get your money back. In the airline world, however, “refundable” often comes with strings attached.
When I miss a connection because of an airline delay, they automatically re-book me on next available flight. This re-booked flight is the one they would have missed. If American Airlines’ computers failed to do the automatic re-booking, then he didn’t have anything to cancel. I don’t get it. At any rate, not his fault. I feel sorry for all of us airline passengers these days. Sigh.
But also, book DIRECTLY with the airlines! No 3rd parties.
Read more insightful reader feedback. See all comments.
The most important string is the “no-show” clause. If you aren’t at the gate when the flight closes, and you haven’t canceled the reservation before your departure, the airline assumes you aren’t coming. It marks you as a no-show, cancels the rest of your itinerary, and you often forfeit the value of the ticket.
When you decided to rent a car and drive to Tucson, you effectively became a no-show for that second leg. You solved your own problem, which is commendable, but you didn’t tell American Airlines you were doing it so that their computers wouldn’t categorize you as a no-show.
Since you booked through Expedia, there was an extra layer of complexity. The online travel agency saw that the airline had marked you as a no-show, which tied its hands regarding a refund.
Expedia told you to talk to American. American told you to talk to Expedia. It was the classic travel industry game of Pong, and you as the ball.
To be clear, you should have received a full refund for the unused portion of your ticket. The delay was caused by the airline’s operational issues—a sick pilot and baggage weight problems—not an act of God. Under the Department of Transportation’s rules, you’re entitled to a refund if the airline cancels your flight. When it comes to a delay, it must be “significant” (more than three hours for a domestic flight) to be considered for a refund. Your delay wouldn’t have qualified if you had a nonrefundable ticket, but your ticket was refundable, so you should have received it, as long as you notified American before the flight departed.
However, because you took matters into your own hands without formally canceling that second leg first, you gave the airline a technical loophole.
For future reference, if you decide to bail on a connection and drive, make sure you cancel the remaining flight segments immediately. Get an agent to document that the cancellation is due to a significant delay. That preserves the value of your refundable ticket.
If you ever find yourself stuck in a customer service loop between an agency and an airline, you can often cut through the red tape by escalating your complaint to an executive. I publish the names, numbers and emails of the top executives at American Airlines and Expedia in the company contacts section of my consumer advocacy website, Elliott.org.
I contacted Expedia on your behalf. The company reached out to American Airlines regarding your situation. The airline initially stuck to its no-show policy, adding two $50 trip credits to your existing credits for the inconvenience, but then did an about-face and refunded the entire ticket. You say it would have been impossible to notify American that you weren’t going to use the next leg of your flight because of the initial flight delay, and the airline eventually agreed.
A refundable ticket collided with a “no-show” rule when a traveler solved his own delay. Damarino’s case raises real questions about how far a passenger’s rights go.
Your voice matters
Delays, no-shows, and refunds: what to know before you drive
Solving an airline delay yourself can put your refund at risk. Here is what travelers ask most. This is general information, not legal advice.
Not unconditionally. A refundable ticket generally means you get your money back if you do not use it, but airline rules add strings. The biggest is the no-show clause: if you are not at the gate when the flight closes and you did not cancel beforehand, the airline can treat you as a no-show and void the remaining value, even on a refundable fare. A no-show is when you do not appear for a flight and did not cancel the reservation before departure. The airline assumes you are not coming, cancels the rest of your itinerary, and you can forfeit the ticket’s value. If you abandon a connection to drive without canceling first, you can trigger this clause by accident. Cancel the remaining flight segments before they depart, and ask an agent to document that the cancellation is due to a significant, airline-caused delay. That preserves the value of a refundable ticket and avoids a no-show. Making your own arrangements without canceling first can hand the airline a technical reason to deny the refund. Under U.S. Department of Transportation rules, you are entitled to a refund if the airline cancels your flight and you choose not to travel, or if it significantly delays or changes your flight and you decline the new itinerary. A significant delay is generally three or more hours for a domestic flight, or six or more for an international one. Shorter delays do not automatically trigger this refund right, so on a shorter delay your fare type matters most. Because it adds a layer. When the airline marks you a no-show, the online travel agency sees that status and often says its hands are tied, while the airline points back to the agency. This back-and-forth is common with third-party bookings, which is why it helps to resolve the underlying no-show issue directly and keep clear records. Escalate. If frontline agents at both companies keep redirecting you, a brief, polite email to a named executive can cut through the red tape. Bring your documentation: the itinerary, the delay notice, and a clear timeline showing the missed connection was caused by the airline. Do not go silent. Before you make your own way to your destination, tell the airline and cancel the unused segments so you are never recorded as a no-show. Keep every confirmation. For more help with airline refund disputes, see Elliott Advocacy’s consumer help resources.Does “refundable” mean I always get my money back?
What is a “no-show” and why does it matter?
What should I do if a delay makes me miss my connection and I want to drive?
When do federal rules require an airline refund?
Why did booking through a third party complicate the refund?
How can I break a loop between the airline and the agency?
What is the single best way to protect myself?
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