Airline Ticket

[lmontz]

What is the name of your state? TX

I purchased a non-refundable airline ticket, then didn't cancel or show up at the airport to use the ticket.

I was under the impression that since an airline could cancel the flight without notice, I could also not show without notice. Sure, I expected to pay a $100 change fee. No problem.

Now, the airline is saying that by not cancelling, we forfeited the whole ticket. It says so on their website, too.

Is this a legal, enforceable term?

 

[racer72]

Yes it is. Your empty seat took a flight instead of the airline selling the seat to someone else. If you bought a ticket for a concert, movie, or show and decided not to go, do you think you should get a refund too?

 

[lmontz]

Yes, illogical though it may sound, I do think I should get a refund less the change fee. In the wacky world of air travel, airlines can overbook the flight on the pretense there will be no shows.

If it is perfectly legal for an airline to overbook a flight and bump me for their convenience, when there is not enough room on the plane, then I should receive the same courtesy.

In fact, this used to be the case. However, I thought the law required them to do this since the law says they can overook. Now, I'm discovering that it was airline policy, and that this policy is changing with increased competition.

Do you know what law governs air travel ticket terms?

 

[djohnson]

It's their plane and their flight. They sat the rules. They were on there for you to read. I've always assumed that's what non-refundable meant, that it was non-refundable. Things happen on both sides and if you would have contacted them to cancel earlier then things might have been different.

 

[lmontz]

Actually, I didn't mean "refund" in the sense of cash back. I meant refund in the sense of cash towards another ticket.

So, does this mean you don't know what law applies to common air carriers as it relates to ticket terms?

 

[djohnson]

That would not be a refund. That would be an exchange or a credit toward future service. You said yourself they clearly had it stated that it was non-refundable. They are covered. You are out the cost of a ticket but learned a valuable lesson toward future travel.

 

[lmontz]

Not trying to get the last word in, really. But, when you purchase a "non-refundable" ticket, except for the change fee, all airlines will allow you to put it towards another ticket. In the past, they would honor this for up to 1 year after you purchased the ticket.

The term "non-refundable" is a generic term that conveniently fits your need for an easy answer. But, it does not apply to the situation at hand.

Companies post terms all the time that are illegal. People just blindly trust them, without ever questioning if it is in fact, legal. Certainly, you must agree this happens. If you can agree with that, then you can agree that looking up the law is a worthy endeavor to confirm if this is, in fact, the case.

Now, I may be 100% wrong here. I'm willing to admit that possibillity. But, I'd really like to know what law applies here so I can confirm it for myself.

I feel like a Gambini in My Cousin Vinny. Just wishing I had his girlfriend around to console my empty wallet.

Research to date indicates they can cancel my reservation on this and successive flights. Fine, let them cancel my reservation. But, nothing discusses the funds! Which law applies here?

 

[djohnson]

I'm sorry if your not getting the answer you want here or the consoling that you seem to need. Obviously that is not what it means now. You stated your self it was stated there when you bought it. If you feel the need to pursue by all means go find an attorney near you and pay him a load of money to get you no where. Try a chat room if you want someone to agree with you. More than one person has stated on here you are out the money. I don't know how much clearer that it needs to be said. But it is probably the same mentality that you also didn't understand the disclaimer.

 

[lmontz]

Then I must presume you can't figure out what law applies here. I thought it was a simple, direct question. Perhaps not.

You could've said,

1) contract law applies,
2) there is not law that applies other than what is on their site,
3) I'm too lazy to do something for you. I just wanted to give some free advice so I chat it up on this site.

Thanks for the terrific advice. You get what you pay for, I guess.