Dear Travel Troubleshooters: I have just completed a Road Scholar trip to Egypt, and on my way back, British Airways canceled my flight four hours before it was scheduled to depart. My ticket was in business class, but British Airways rebooked me into an empty seat in the back of EgyptAir's economy class. The ticket cost $416 on British Airways.
I spent $3,000 on a business class ticket. I would like to have the difference in fare refunded. But so far both Road Scholar and British Airways have refused. can you help?
— Maureen Kelleher, Simsbury, CT
answer: Flight cancellations occur. However, in that case, you will need to get a refund for the downgrade from Business Class to Economy Class.
British Airways' General Conditions of Carriage (the legal agreement between you and the airline) accommodates schedule changes such as the one you have experienced. It is clearly stated that if there is a difference in fare when using the ticket, you will receive a refund. Road Scholar's terms of service do not address involuntary downgrades like the one you experienced.
There are also Department of Transportation regulations that must be followed. It states that if you are unintentionally changed to a lower class of service, you are entitled to a refund. For example, if you purchase a first class ticket and are downgraded to economy class due to a change in aircraft, the airline must refund the difference in fare. If your flight originates from the United States, DOT rules apply.
I think you have a strong reason to ask for a refund. So what's going on here? I have confirmed the paper trail between you and Road Scholar. Since the tour operator booked your flight, they are responsible for getting your refund, so you went to the right place. But after four months, I couldn't get anything done. It's time to call my advocacy team.
I saw no reason for the refund to be delayed. In fact, two of her other members of your party had already filed a successful credit card dispute to get their money back. By the way, we do not recommend doing it as a first step to get your money back. We recommend that you first request a refund from the company. Contact information for Road Scholar executives can be found on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.
We have contacted Road Scholar on your behalf. I received a response from the person in charge shortly thereafter.
“I am pleased to report that we have resolved the situation with Maureen and will issue a refund,” she said. “Her previous complaint was routed to the wrong department. Thank you for escalating the nudge so she could go to the right person to resolve her issue.”
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve problems. Email chris@elliott.org or contact elliottadvocacy.org/help/ for assistance.
(c) 2024 Christopher Elliott
Distributed by King Features Syndicate.
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