How to confirm refund amount?

[Airbumps]

Hi All,

I'm three quarters the way through an international itinerary with QF. I called QF to enquire about the amount I would be refunded if I cancelled at this point and the consultant gave me an mount thats only several hundred dollars short of the full amount I paid.

I paid $6600 for the flight - She's telling me I'm going to get $6000 back, including the cancelation fee.

There's no way this can be right as the ticket so far as taken me half way around the world, but she confirmed it for me twice.

Is there any way I can confirm the amount in writting (or via the website) prior to deciding to cancel? The consultant mentioned emailing via the website but I can't see where thats an option?

I'd love to get that amount back - But something tells me I'd end up only getting $209 back and no avenue of recourse!

 

[33kft]

What seat class did you book? Flex Y? Are you expecting a refund in cash or a travel credit?

 

[muppet]

Hi All,

I'm three quarters the way through an international itinerary with QF. I called QF to enquire about the amount I would be refunded if I cancelled at this point and the consultant gave me an mount thats only several hundred dollars short of the full amount I paid.

I paid $6600 for the flight - She's telling me I'm going to get $6000 back, including the cancelation fee.

There's no way this can be right as the ticket so far as taken me half way around the world, but she confirmed it for me twice.

Is there any way I can confirm the amount in writting (or via the website) prior to deciding to cancel? The consultant mentioned emailing via the website but I can't see where thats an option?

I'd love to get that amount back - But something tells me I'd end up only getting $209 back and no avenue of recourse!

If I was in your situation, I start my phone recording app, repeat my name and PNR, flag the sectors already used and ask for the fare refund value.

If you are comfortable with the number, tell the agent to cancel and refund that amount.

Airfares are complex, you’re entitled to rely on Qantas’ staff’s representations.

 

[Cynicor]

While the advice above might make sense if it was legal in your state, and actually viable, the truth is unless you would take it to court you still are never going to find someone to give you that money.

I’d call 2-3 more times and see what the average is, esp if you get someone in Hobart.

 

[tdimdad]

This raises the inevitable question: can and should you take the QF agent's responses in good faith?

Using the scenario above, the agent processes the refund and somehow manages to produce a $6,000 refund, paid to the pax into their bank or CC account. Can you receive that in good faith and presume the case closed?

 

[offshore171]

Can you add details about what the routing was and the fare type (eg: saver, flex etc)

 

[muppet]

This raises the inevitable question: can and should you take the QF agent's responses in good faith?

Using the scenario above, the agent processes the refund and somehow manages to produce a $6,000 refund, paid to the pax into their bank or CC account. Can you receive that in good faith and presume the case closed?

Yep.

I’ve paid $500 to fly oneway MEL-SYD and I’ve paid $500 to fly return to Singapore.

Just because the OP has flown a number of sectors or most of the distance, doesn’t mean they’ve used most of the value.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This raises the inevitable question: can and should you take the QF agent's responses in good faith?

Using the scenario above, the agent processes the refund and somehow manages to produce a $6,000 refund, paid to the pax into their bank or CC account. Can you receive that in good faith and presume the case closed?

While that seems nice in principle, I don’t believe it is supported in law.

If QF makes a mistake, they are entitled to rectify it. If you somehow seized in that mistake and say spent the money, you may be on the hook to repay it. If you paid $6000 for your fare, flew half way, you probably should be aware that you wouldn’t be due the full $6000 back.

There are some circumstances where consumer law steps in, particularly in the EU. But that’s mainly for involuntary schedule changes and cancellations where you might be half way through your trip but are forced to abandon it and return home. In that case the airline must fly you home and refund the full amount.

Not as easy in Australia… we had reports in another thread where someone flew from their home base via sydney or something but missed the connection to Perth. Apparently there’s a bit of an effort to get a full refund! I think that was on virgin?

 

[Airbumps]

Hi All,

By way of follow up I called again yesterday and the agent said the refund amount was $305. Called again and was told the same $305.

Whilst it would have been nice to think I'd get a $6000 refund on a $6500 ticket after travelling 3 of the 4 long haul flights the reality was if the agent had hit the refund button it would have gone to the team that processes refunds and they would have just refunded the $305. There's no way I'd ever have gotten 6k back.

Still, it's frustrating you can trust the agents. You should be able to see the refund amount online

 

[muppet]

Hi All,

By way of follow up I called again yesterday and the agent said the refund amount was $305. Called again and was told the same $305.

Whilst it would have been nice to think I'd get a $6000 refund on a $6500 ticket after travelling 3 of the 4 long haul flights the reality was if the agent had hit the refund button it would have gone to the team that processes refunds and they would have just refunded the $305. There's no way I'd ever have gotten 6k back.

Still, it's frustrating you can trust the agents. You should be able to see the refund amount online

It’s interesting that when the amount of refund is tiny, we believe Qantas, but when it’s generous, we think Qantas made a mistake.
Qantas has trained us well.

 

[encryptededdy]

Would it be too much to expect someone working at an airline call centre to realise that a 90% refund for a ¾ flown ticket might be an error, and to double check with their supervisor etc. before giving the customer potentially wrong information? Evidently yes, at least at Qantas/Mindpearl

 

[encryptededdy]

Also to OP: I'm genuinely surprised you got any refund at all! If your original booking was a return ticket, I would've expected re-pricing the 3 flown flights as one-way would've exceeded the cost you paid for your ticket, thus resulting in no refund.

 

[madrooster]

thus resulting in no refund.

This is mostly never true except for some obscure scenarios. There will always be something refundable... taxes for one, and potentially some of the fare.

Lots of people think they won't get anything back, but that's actually incorrect. The majority don't know/think they can actually get something back and therefore don't ask.