My parents, who live in Palm Beach County, Florida, were unable to attend my son's wedding in NJ because the airport was closed due to Hurricane Frances. Extremely disappointing to them.

Continental won't refund their money because they say it wasn't their fault that the flights didn't fly. True enough, but it wasn't my parents' fault, either.

They are going to write to Visa because they paid for a service they didn't get. Is there any other way to get their money back? Is it reasonable to try to get reimbursed?

Normally, Continental will allow the cost to be put towards another trip with no change fee penalty.
Did they not offer that? Or are your parents not interested/not planning to travel in the next year?
You can try with the credit card company, but I don't think they'll refund your parents if Continental offers the option. They usually refund only if there's absolutely no options left, like the airline going under.
Good luck.

Before the first 2 hurricanes on several airline websites (I know Delta was one - no idea about Continental) there was a temporary banner stating credit towards another flight policy for hurricane-disrupted travel.

I certainly am not doubting what Continental told them, but your credit card is protection against any goods or service you are charged for and do not receive - sounds like this fits that category.

Yes Gail but federal law says you have to try in good faith to resolve the dispute with the seller. The credit card company may say Continental is showing good faith by offering credit towards another flight. That could be the sticking point for a credit card refund.
If abram can let us know the end result of this dispute when it's known, it'd be much appreciated to all of us credit card users.

My guess is that the situation you describe is covered by the fare rules of tickets your parents purchased. Your parents didn't choose fully refundable tickets. (I don't blame them. Neither would I.)

I'm no lawyer, but my take is that by choosing a given fare, they entered into a contract. That agreement provides for credit toward a future flight in a situation such as this, so that is the proper remedy -- not a refund. Continental isn't refusing or failing to provide a service.

There are substantial savings for the purchase of non-refundable tickets. The downside is that they ARE non-refundable. I agree with caribtraveler 100%. Your parents should capture the value by booking a different trip under the terms the airline is offering; not by attempting to renege on their end of the deal. There is probably a window of time during which they much act without incurring change fees or perhaps even losing the value entirely.

Just to throw in my opinion, it would be fair and decent if any airline that had to cancel a flight allowed those passengers to use that towards another flight, it seems only fair and just. Although the bad weather wasn't "their fault" it also wasn't "your fault".

I should clarify that Continental does offer the credit option. My husband and I were set to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary in the Bahamas on Sept. 29th. Our resort was damaged by hurricane Frances. Even though the airport there has re-opened, our resort is not till the end of October. Continental allowed us to change our destination and did not charge us the mandatory $100/ticket change fee. I have read that some other airlines are not waiving the change fee which I think is really unfair.
Flyboy is correct. There is a window of time to make the change and to travel as well. I can't remember what Continental said about that because I didn't care since we still wanted the same travel dates.

Abram, even before hurricane Continental gave an option to reschedule flights. Continental gave an option to all passangers to reschedule, until certain date, any flight from/to and through all the airports that were closed due to hurricane. Or passangers can reschedule their flights within 1 year of purchase date for $100.00 fee per passanger. If they chose the second option they can fly anywhere they want not nesessary to the same destination. Credit card won't give them credit as this is clearly stated by Continental. I know because we had a similar situation. Continental agents were very helpful and accommodating but we did not try to tell them they have to retrun our money because our flight was canceled due to storm.
Another thought, instead writing to Visa ask them to call first and find out whether they should go on with their claim.
I agree it had to be very dissapointing not to go to their grandson wedding but it had to be dissapointing to all airlines as well not to be able to fly all passangers for a few days and then to reschedule all those flights. There are always two sides of each story

If you go to continental.com this is what is posted regarding hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne. The similar options were listed for hurricane Frances and included all airports which were closed

<Continental is providing the option to reschedule or reroute your travel once, without a penalty, if you are ticketed to/from/through one of the cities listed below for travel between Tuesday, September 7, 2004 and Thursday, September 30, 2004. Travel must be completed by December 15, 2004 and tickets must be rescheduled or reissued by September 30, 2004. Please contact Continental reservations for assistance:
Aguadilla, PR (BQN)
Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda (ANU)
Aruba (AUA)
Baton Rouge, LA (BTR)
Bridgetown, Barbados (BGI)
Cancun, Mexico (CUN)
Caracas, Venezuela (CCS)
Cat Island, Bahamas (TBI)
Cozumel, Mexico (CZM)
Daytona Beach, FL (DAB)
Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL)
Fort Myers, FL (RSW)
Fort Walton Beach, FL (VPS)
Freeport, Bahamas (FPO)
Governor's Harbour, Bahamas (GHB)
Grand Cayman Island, Cayman Islands (GCM)
Gulfport/Biloxi, MS (GPT)
Jacksonville, FL (JAX)
Key West, FL (EYW)
Kingston, Jamaica (KIN)
Lafayette, LA (LFT)
Lake Charles, LA (LCH)
Merida, Mexico (MID)
Miami, FL (MIA)
Mobile, AL (MOB)
Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ)
Nassau, Bahamas (NAS)
New Orleans, LA (MSY)
North Eleuthera, Bahamas (ELH)
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Pensacola, FL (PNS)
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (POS)
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic (POP)
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (PUJ)
St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles (SXM)
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (STT)
San Juan, PR (SJU)
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (SDQ)
Sarasota, FL (SRQ)
Tampa, FL (TPA)
Tallahassee, FL (TLH)
Treasure Cay, Bahamas (TCB)
West Palm Beach, FL (PBI)
Note: This information is subject to change.


Reaccommodation due to Tropical Storm Jeanne


Continental is providing the option to reschedule or reroute your travel once, without a penalty, if you are ticketed to/from/through one of the cities listed below for travel between Tuesday, September 14, 2004 and Thursday, September 30, 2004. Travel must be completed by December 15, 2004 and tickets must be rescheduled or reissued by September 30, 2004. Please contact Continental reservations for assistance:
Aguadilla, PR (BQN)
Ponce, PR (PSE)
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic (POP)
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (PUJ)
San Juan, PR (SJU)
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (SDQ)
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (STX)
St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles (SXM)
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (STT)>

I remember reading an article "your rights when things go wrong" on CNN, Travel. It says there an airline must reimburse you if timing is important, and as an example they used a person being late to a wedding. But I think they named 2 airlines who are exception to this rule. I'm afraid Continental was one of them.

OP- sorry but no, it is not reasonable to expect a refund if the ticket was purchased in a nonrefundable fare class. Weather is no one's fault - it just happens.* CO is allowing some slack - they could be sticklers and allow no rescheduling without penalty; it seems to me thay are cutting folks something of a break. Since the missed wedding is water over the dam, can't the proud grandparents just schedule another visit for a later time?
Faina, it doesn't matter what the purpose of your travel may be in determining whether compensation is required. What does matter is whether or not the reason for the delay is under the control of the airline - e.g., mechanical problem, crew shortage, oversold flight - or not. If the cause is under airline control and you are not delivered to your destination within 2 hours of originally scheduled arrival (domestic flights) you are entitled to compensation. If it is something deemed not under airline control (weather, ATC hold) then you are not entitled to compensation, no matter how delayed you may be.
Each airline spells out its compensation policies in its contract of carriage, which you can find if you dig around on their web site.
Unfortunately, I've learned the above the hard way!

*(Although deep inside of me I believe that the latest weather is mother nature trying to erase Florida in order to prevent a recurrence of what happened in November 4 years ago. Don't argue with me - this is divine revelation and I have prayed over it at length. If you don't believe this you are a heathen traitor.)

I found that article, and unfortunately for you it says all airlines except Continental refund a cancelled ticket, only Continental issues a voucher for a future travel.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/ADVIS...hts/index.html

I just had a flight cancelled, due to weather. I am happy to get a voucher towards any flight on the airline for a year. Yes, continental may be not giving a refund, maybe this is one of the ways they stay financially solvent!

and Lord knows we need as many financially solvent airlines as we can hold onto!