LATAM flights booked for May

[Jester38]

We booked last year two business class flights on LATAM for departure on 20 May 20 (next week). Flights were from MEL to GYE, via SCL. We got a message a month ago saying that the legs between SCL and GYE had been cancelled and encouraged us to book alternative dates, but no mention of the legs between MEL and SCL. I have been trying without any success via phone and website to get any sensible answers out of LATAM on this. On the website, under My Bookings, they still show the MEL/SCL legs as being active and ask us to nominate alternative dates if we cannot fly on our booked dates.
The booking conditions on the ticket provide (under normal circumstances) for only a 20% refund on cancellation (by us). There were messages up on the LATAM website a few weeks ago saying that if the flight was cancelled by LATAM, they would allow refunds.
Clearly, LATAM is not flying between Australia and Chile at present and suspect won't be for some time. We do not have alternative dates we would want to use and given that alternative dates cannot be beyond Dec 20, quite possible there will still be no flights by Christmas anyway. I have lodged online enquiries (compliants section) and just get back reference to rescheduling.
To make matters worse, our insurance relies on flights being cancelled by airlines, not us.
Sure it is the case but can someone confirm that LATAM is not flying in May, and more importantly, how I should go about resolving these tickets. I simply want to get a refund for the $7k I have paid but so far unable to get any traction whatsoever with LATAM. Really appreciate any assistance you can provide. Thanks

 

[RosieD]

We had flights booked 7 May 2020, but LATAM didn't cancel the flight until that actual day. But, sneakily, they never advised us: they just kept saying we could travel at another time. We found though we could request a refund back to our credit card (there is a choice for the refund to be made to your bank or credit card). Within 48 hours, they sent us travel vouchers, of course! Apparently, we can redeem these vouchers for cash. But, we haven't attempted that as the only way you can do this is if you give your bank details.
Long story short - yes, on the face of it, you can get a refund. LATAM are not flying internationally or domestically. But, be prepared to engage in bureaucracy that has no limits and to hand-over your bank details and first born.

 

[Jester38]

We had flights booked 7 May 2020, but LATAM didn't cancel the flight until that actual day. But, sneakily, they never advised us: they just kept saying we could travel at another time. We found though we could request a refund back to our credit card (there is a choice for the refund to be made to your bank or credit card). Within 48 hours, they sent us travel vouchers, of course! Apparently, we can redeem these vouchers for cash. But, we haven't attempted that as the only way you can do this is if you give your bank details.
Long story short - yes, on the face of it, you can get a refund. LATAM are not flying internationally or domestically. But, be prepared to engage in bureaucracy that has no limits and to hand-over your bank details and first born.

Thanks so much for this. Really appreciated. Suspected that they would take it right down to the wire.
Interestingly, we had separately booked internal flights which were 100% refundable. They actually cancelled these four weeks out. Had exactly the same outcome as you where they issued vouchers. I decided to provide bank account details and miraculously the refund went through in about 4 days.
My concern with the international flights was that if I tried anything prior to them canceling the flight, we might only get the 20% back.
Guess I will have to stare them down and wait until the day. What really got me on the last communication from LATAM wa the subtle reminder that if we were ‘no shows’, we would forfeit everything. This for a flight that they know is not going to happen!

 

[Jester38]

We had flights booked 7 May 2020, but LATAM didn't cancel the flight until that actual day. But, sneakily, they never advised us: they just kept saying we could travel at another time. We found though we could request a refund back to our credit card (there is a choice for the refund to be made to your bank or credit card). Within 48 hours, they sent us travel vouchers, of course! Apparently, we can redeem these vouchers for cash. But, we haven't attempted that as the only way you can do this is if you give your bank details.
Long story short - yes, on the face of it, you can get a refund. LATAM are not flying internationally or domestically. But, be prepared to engage in bureaucracy that has no limits and to hand-over your bank details and first born.

You probably have seen the news of the LATAM bankruptcy today, so if you have not already tried to cash in the travel vouchers, I would do it asap otherwise the administrators are likely to make future refunds pretty tough. We only received our vouchers back today and have applied immediately for the cash back into our accounts. Keeping our fingers crossed that the payment goes through.....

 

[RosieD]

You probably have seen the news of the LATAM bankruptcy today, so if you have not already tried to cash in the travel vouchers, I would do it asap otherwise the administrators are likely to make future refunds pretty tough. We only received our vouchers back today and have applied immediately for the cash back into our accounts. Keeping our fingers crossed that the payment goes through.....

Good luck!
I'm not holding my breath: after your post (13th), we tried to redeem our travel vouchers for cash, but, curiously, the travel vouchers weren't recognised by their system. So, I then went back to our original refund request and it showed we had been refunded $ back to our credit card. Our course we hadn't! We instituted a 'chargeback' process. Not hopeful, at this stage.

 

[Jester38]

Good luck!
I'm not holding my breath: after your post (13th), we tried to redeem our travel vouchers for cash, but, curiously, the travel vouchers weren't recognised by their system. So, I then went back to our original refund request and it showed we had been refunded $ back to our credit card. Our course we hadn't! We instituted a 'chargeback' process. Not hopeful, at this stage. ☹

Really sorry to hear. Will keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[Jester38]

In the never ending saga, LATAM advised three months ago that it would refund the monies and then on Aug 12, further advised that they had sent a payment. Quite predictably, nothing has ever arrived. I left for two weeks (although no international transfer should take that time) and been trying to follow up and find a tracking number for the payment as I have nothing at this end to pursue the payment with. They keep saying that they will "check with the department concerned and revert" but of course nothing happens. My strong suspicion is that the payment has never been made.
Has anyone else out there been dealing with LATAM on refunds and had any more luck than me? Other than continually respond to their emails (like talking to a brick wall) and lodging a new complaint (they then just cancel and refer to the original case, I simply do not know what else to do to get my money back ($7k)

 

[Guvner]

There's a thread discussing this over on Flyertalk.

 

[Jester38]

Cheers - thank you!

 

[RosieD]

In the never ending saga, LATAM advised three months ago that it would refund the monies and then on Aug 12, further advised that they had sent a payment. Quite predictably, nothing has ever arrived. I left for two weeks (although no international transfer should take that time) and been trying to follow up and find a tracking number for the payment as I have nothing at this end to pursue the payment with. They keep saying that they will "check with the department concerned and revert" but of course nothing happens. My strong suspicion is that the payment has never been made.
Has anyone else out there been dealing with LATAM on refunds and had any more luck than me? Other than continually respond to their emails (like talking to a brick wall) and lodging a new complaint (they then just cancel and refer to the original case, I simply do not know what else to do to get my money back ($7k)

If you haven't already, try a chargeback or ring LATAM directly.

Interesting, on 'Flyertalk' it seems US peeps are actually getting refunds (and others are waiting for a few months, too). So, at least that's positive.

For my May cancellation, after ringing and emailing since July, I only just got an email saying 'refund is being processed, but experiencing delays . . blah, blah blah".

I've sort of resigned myself to the fact that I'll not be seeing that money again.

I tried a chargeback, but because LATAM originally issued a travel voucher I had no recourse.

 

[Jester38]

Amazingly, it has arrived! Finally. And they have also refunded an earlier flight that was of a lesser value and that I had given up on. Sapped every bit of energy I have dealing with it but worthwhile persevering....
On the question of chargebacks, the banks are getting so much harder on these, particularly when COVID travel related as they quickly become stuck in the middle. Anyway, of more than $30k on flight and travel bookings on two trips, recovered the full amount through a combination of refunds and travel insurance. Feeling a lot luckier than many....
Good luck with yours, hopefully the refund will make its way to you at some point.

 

[Guvner]

Amazingly, it has arrived! Finally. And they have also refunded an earlier flight that was of a lesser value and that I had given up on. Sapped every bit of energy I have dealing with it but worthwhile persevering....
On the question of chargebacks, the banks are getting so much harder on these, particularly when COVID travel related as they quickly become stuck in the middle. Anyway, of more than $30k on flight and travel bookings on two trips, recovered the full amount through a combination of refunds and travel insurance. Feeling a lot luckier than many....
Good luck with yours, hopefully the refund will make its way to you at some point.

Great result. Well done.

 

[RosieD]

Amazingly, it has arrived! Finally. And they have also refunded an earlier flight that was of a lesser value and that I had given up on. Sapped every bit of energy I have dealing with it but worthwhile persevering....
On the question of chargebacks, the banks are getting so much harder on these, particularly when COVID travel related as they quickly become stuck in the middle. Anyway, of more than $30k on flight and travel bookings on two trips, recovered the full amount through a combination of refunds and travel insurance. Feeling a lot luckier than many....
Good luck with yours, hopefully the refund will make its way to you at some point.

Good stuff!

 

[RosieD]

Amazingly, it has arrived! Finally. And they have also refunded an earlier flight that was of a lesser value and that I had given up on. Sapped every bit of energy I have dealing with it but worthwhile persevering....
On the question of chargebacks, the banks are getting so much harder on these, particularly when COVID travel related as they quickly become stuck in the middle. Anyway, of more than $30k on flight and travel bookings on two trips, recovered the full amount through a combination of refunds and travel insurance. Feeling a lot luckier than many....
Good luck with yours, hopefully the refund will make its way to you at some point.

Pleasantly surprised this morning to find an email saying payment has been made. Checked our bank account and there it was! Yay!