Airline canceled original flight

[gduvall]

If the airline cancels my direct flight and I will be ariving over 3 hours later, does the airline have to refund my tickets if I request.

 

[dioxide45]

They don't have to refund you, but depending on the airline, they may do so.

 

[gduvall]

I thought there was some rule, if your flight changed over so many hours, they had to refund purchase price if requested.

 

[dioxide45]

I thought there was some rule, if your flight changed over so many hours, they had to refund purchase price if requested.

You need to check your contract of carriage with the airline you bought tickets from. It is what you agreed to when you bought your tickets. Each airline has different policies on this. There is no law or rule on this.

 

[kaytieeldr]

All your ticket guarantees is passage from point A to point B on the given day. If the airline changes your flight time substantially (widely disparate definitions of this word depending on the airline), they may refund your fare - but then you would need to purchase a ticket on another airline at a much higher price.

Mind if I ask why you're asking? Does your airline have a history of cancelling a flight on which you're already booked? Are you thinking of buying an inexpensive ticket in the hope that the airline will cancel that flight and put you on a more desirable but more expensive one? Something else?

 

[bicker]

I thought there was some rule, if your flight changed over so many hours, they had to refund purchase price if requested.

It depends on the airline. For many airlines, the threshold is four hours.

However, then, as Kaytie mentioned, you're stuck without a flight.

 

[ancestry]

Often what many airlines do, is allow you to choose another flight that day (and in some cases the day before or day after) without charging you a change fee. Getting your money back is a whole different story. You might be successful in doing so but in most cases they are not obligated to give you your money back.

 

[dioxide45]

Often what many airlines do, is allow you to choose another flight that day (and in some cases the day before or day after) without charging you a change fee. Getting your money back is a whole different story. You might be successful in doing so but in most cases they are not obligated to give you your money back.

You may also be successful in getting a refund in the form of a credit to use at a later date. Of course that doesn't help when re-booking on a different airline.

 

[gduvall]

All your ticket guarantees is passage from point A to point B on the given day. If the airline changes your flight time substantially (widely disparate definitions of this word depending on the airline), they may refund your fare - but then you would need to purchase a ticket on another airline at a much higher price.

Mind if I ask why you're asking? Does your airline have a history of cancelling a flight on which you're already booked? Are you thinking of buying an inexpensive ticket in the hope that the airline will cancel that flight and put you on a more desirable but more expensive one? Something else?

I was just checking, because I'm thinking about canceling trip because of job loss and thought this would be a way out?

 

[dioxide45]

I was just checking, because I'm thinking about canceling trip because of job loss and thought this would be a way out?

It can be, and it doesn't hurt to call and ask/complain if a change in your itinerary happens. Some airlines will provide a refund, but not all. There just isn't any specific rule about it.

 

[bicker]

(Well, there is generally a specific rule about refunds due to schedule changes; again, often the change has to be > 4 hours. There isn't a specific rule about refunds to do job loss, though -- perhaps that's what you were saying?)

 

[crashbb]

(Well, there is generally a specific rule about refunds due to schedule changes; again, often the change has to be > 4 hours. There isn't a specific rule about refunds to do job loss, though -- perhaps that's what you were saying?)

No, the PP probably meant what they wrote. Many airlines say "significant change" or something similar. They do not name a specific time frame required.

And, there is a specific industry-wide rule at all. Though there may be industry-wide generalities.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

This happened to us on airtran and I believe they would have refunded me. However, since I did want to get to FL they did work with me and allow me to leave from Baltimore instead of Dulles for a time closer to my original time without the change fee.

 

[bicker]

No, the PP probably meant what they wrote. Many airlines say "significant change" or something similar. They do not name a specific time frame required.

I don't recall any airlines that do not name a specific time-frame. As far as I know, they all specific amount of time.

And, there is a specific industry-wide rule at all. Though there may be industry-wide generalities.

I think you meant to say that there is no industry-wide rule. That is true. It was struck-down as part of airline deregulation.

 

[crashbb]

I don't recall any airlines that do not name a specific time-frame. As far as I know, they all specific amount of time.

I think you meant to say that there is no industry-wide rule. That is true. It was struck-down as part of airline deregulation.

Yes, I did mean no industry wide rule.

I don't have time to link them, but there are definitely airlines without a specific rule. They have been discussed here before.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I was just checking, because I'm thinking about canceling trip because of job loss and thought this would be a way out?

You will most likely be assessed whatever the airline's cancellation fee is, with the rest being put on your airline account as a credit redeemable for a year.

I wouldn't expect the airline to make an exception - lots of people, including those with airline tickets, have gotten laid off in the last eighteen months or so. I was one of 'em. I even had a chance, when paying for my ticket, to purchase insurance from the airline specifically for job loss, but I thought, "Nooooooooo, I'm never going to lose my job...". Ha!

 

[ohlas]

and this is how i got stuck in alanta, ga airport for 8 hours, they canncelled the flight because it didnt have enough people to make them money, but they didnt bother to tell the people that prepaid for the ticket how nice of them.