Q: Last year, I booked a flight from Seattle to Miami on American Airlines. The flight was a red-eye leaving at 12:39 a.m. This itinerary was ideal for me because I work late nights and didn’t want my trip to interfere with my schedule.
Before my flight, I received an email saying that my flight time had changed and would be departing at 10:15 p.m. I couldn’t make this flight because I was working late that night.
I called American, and a representative told me she could not refund me because it was less than a four-hour schedule change. She said I would have to apply for a refund online, and she canceled my ticket.
I applied for a refund online and received an email a week later stating that my refund was denied because of American’s policy and because I had purchased a cheap ticket.
I called American again and spoke to a supervisor. She would not even give me a flight credit for future use. She did give me an option to book another flight at that time and possibly get me money back. When I said I didn’t have any known plans to travel, she suggested I call back when I’m ready, and someone could possibly help me. But she could not promise anything.
American told me to cancel my ticket and apply for a refund. Then it denied my request for a refund. I think that’s a deceptive business practice. Can you help me get a refund?
— Neil Gupta, Seattle
A: If an airline changes its schedule, it should offer you a full, no-questions-asked refund. But American Airlines is correct: It gives itself the right to change its schedule by up to four hours without offering your money back.
The amount of delay required for a refund varies by airline. If you’re flying in the European Union, it is standardized at two hours under the European airline consumer protection regulations.
Your situation was a little different. You had spoken to an American Airlines representative who led you to believe that you just needed to apply for a refund, and she canceled your ticket. The representative should have told you that there was no way you could get your money back, even if you applied for a refund.
By the way, how much you spent on your ticket is irrelevant. The refund rules govern all tickets, no matter how much you paid.
I think this one’s on American. If a representative suggested you might get a refund, you should reasonably expect to get your money back. And, on top of that, a supervisor also suggested you could get a credit. Even if it’s a misunderstanding, American could give you a ticket credit as a gesture of goodwill.
A brief, polite email to one of the American Airlines executive contacts might have helped. I publish their names, numbers and emails on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.
I contacted American on your behalf. To be clear, American wasn’t required to do anything under its policy. But I think a refund would have been the right thing to do under your circumstances.
American Airlines agreed to refund your ticket.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at elliottadvocacy.org/help.
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