Allegiant Airlines left my home airport. What do I do with this ticket credit?

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By Christopher Elliott

When Allegiant Airlines pulls out of Bruce Sidaway’s home airport, what happens to the $117 voucher he has? Allegiant isn’t responding to his emails. But it should. 

Question

I recently had to cancel a flight on Allegiant Airlines after having an accident. The airline sent me a voucher for $117. 

Shortly after that, Allegiant announced that it was discontinuing service to our home airport, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. I’m certain I will not be able to use this voucher. 

I’ve sent Allegiant three polite emails asking for a refund, but it isn’t responding. Could you help me get a refund? — Bruce Sidaway, Independence, Ohio

Answer

You canceled your flight, so Allegiant did what it was required to do — it offered you a voucher for the amount of your ticket. But in late 2021, Allegiant said it would end its operations at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, citing higher costs of serving that market. 

When an airline pulls out of a market, you’re in a gray area when it comes to the consumer protection rules. There’s no requirement under the Department of Transportation regulations to refund your ticket. But as a practical matter, airlines will often offer a refund when they no longer serve a destination.

Your case was a little unusual because Allegiant didn’t respond to your emails. I wondered why. They were brief and polite — and they were addressed directly to the vice president of operations.

I think that was the problem. For requests like this, you’re better off going through the contact us page on the site. Only after that should you have escalated your case to one of the Allegiant executives on my consumer advocacy site.

Global Rescue is the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services. Founded in 2004, Global Rescue has exclusive relationships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations and Elite Medical Group. Global Rescue provides best-in-class services that identify, monitor and respond to client medical and security crises. Learn more about Global Rescue.

Maybe Allegiant’s customer service team thought you might be able to drive to Cincinnati, a city it still serves. Many travelers looking for a deal on an airfare would spend a little extra time in a car, but you indicated that a four-hour drive to the airport just isn’t worth it. And besides, Allegiant sold you a ticket from Cleveland, not Cincinnati. (Related: Never yell “Woohoo! Vegas!” before you board an Allegiant flight.)

If an airline no longer serves your home airport, you should get a full refund for your ticket — or your ticket credit. It’s common sense. I contacted Allegiant on your behalf. (Here’s how to use your airline credit.)

“Your inquiry must have prompted the airline to finally respond,” you said. “I received an unsigned email acknowledging their decision to refund the full amount of the voucher. The credit was applied to our credit card the next day.”

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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. He is based in Panamá City.

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