A blizzard canceled my flight. Why won’t Road Scholar refund my $5,999 trip?

A historic blizzard sidelines Karen Carano’s tour to Chile and Argentina. Now, Road Scholar is keeping her $5,999 program fee, claiming she canceled the trip at the last minute. Can she get her money back, or is she on the hook for a vacation she never took?

Question

I had a trip to Chile and Argentina scheduled with Road Scholar. On the day of departure, a historic blizzard hit the Northeast, and Delta Air Lines canceled my flight.

 Road Scholar had booked my airfare, so I immediately called it to find another way to join the program. I spent hours on the phone being transferred from one person to another. They eventually offered me some flight options that would have had me arriving three or four days late for a 14-day program. 

While I was trying to coordinate with my travel companion, who had booked her own air separately, those flights vanished. The only remaining options would have landed me in South America halfway through the trip. I realized I could not make the trip.

Road Scholar then asserted I had canceled the trip. But I never would have canceled. They were the ones who couldn’t find me a flight. 

Eventually, Road Scholar refunded my $1,500 airfare but refused to return the $5,999 program fee. I’ve worked as a registered professional nurse for years and I save up for these trips. I don’t want a cash refund; I would be happy with a credit for a future program. 

Road Scholar has refused to accept any responsibility. Can you help me? —Karen Carano, Garrison, N.Y. 

Answer

When a tour operator handles your flights, it generally takes on the responsibility of getting you to your destination. It looks like Road Scholar did everything it could to get you to your destination, but it should have explained your options better. 

The terms and conditions of these tours can be unyielding. Most tour operators commit their funds to local partners—hotels, guides, and transportation—well in advance. When you no-show or cancel within 24 hours of departure, that money is usually gone. 

It looks like you made a few missteps here, too. First, you declined the $800 trip protection plan. While that would have added to the cost of your tour, it would have covered this scenario. When you decline insurance, you’re self-insuring (although there may be some hope for you yet; more in a minute).

Second, your attempt to coordinate with a companion who booked her own air might have delayed your rebooking. In a blizzard, flights are like gold; if you see a seat, you have to grab it. 

It’s important to keep a paper trail of every interaction, which you did. When a company says “no,” you can always appeal to an executive. I list the contact information for Road Scholar on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. 

My team and I contacted Road Scholar on your behalf. “Due to extremely limited availability and rapidly changing flight options during the disruption, the alternatives we identified were no longer available when Ms. Carano called,” a spokeswoman told me. “Because she canceled her trip within 24 hours of departure—after all program costs had been committed to our partners—we were unable to refund the program fee.” 

That’s a disappointing outcome. Road Scholar said it had done all it could, including passing along the $1,500 refund for your canceled flight. Your best bet now is to check with your credit card company to see if you have some insurance coverage. You might still be able to get a full refund under the card’s trip interruption protection.

Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes three nationally syndicated columns. He also publishes the Elliott Report, a news site for consumers, and Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter.