How are your REFUNDS coming?
Nov 10th, 2020, 05:14 AM
#122
Now that all has been resolved for this year, I feel like I can breathe and share my experiences.
Flights on JetBlue to Chicago and Las Vegas -- fully refunded, even though I booked months before COVID and their subsequent refund window. Just took a phone call and a very nice agent. All hotels were refundable if cancelled at least 24 hours ahead, so no loss there.
JetBlue Vacation (air and hotel) to Cleveland -- airfare refunded, but Marriott would only offer a credit for the hotel. It was only 2 nights, and we can use that anywhere.
The Ends in "0" Birthday Splurge Zambia Safari -- this was more complicated. I booked it March 2019 for August 2020. Initial deposit of $3500, balance of $12,000 was due 6/30/2020. Airfare was Business Class on Emirates. I only insured the safari itinerary cost, not the airfare, since Business Class can get a refund for a $400 fee. June 30th came around and since Zambia was still closed to tourists, the safari planner let me defer the final payment until 8/1/2020 to see if Zambia was going to open up. Found out trip insurance wasn't going to cover COVID (obviously, none did) but my Dad went into hospice care the week before my final payment was due, so I got the medical forms filled out by his doctors, filed the claim 7/31/20 and received the check for the deposit last week. Emirates gave me a fee-free refund on the airfare either due to COVID or a schedule change on my original flights, not sure which. So in the end I'm really only "out" the $700 the trip insurance cost me. But so much better than what could have been lost.
Flights on JetBlue to Chicago and Las Vegas -- fully refunded, even though I booked months before COVID and their subsequent refund window. Just took a phone call and a very nice agent. All hotels were refundable if cancelled at least 24 hours ahead, so no loss there.
JetBlue Vacation (air and hotel) to Cleveland -- airfare refunded, but Marriott would only offer a credit for the hotel. It was only 2 nights, and we can use that anywhere.
The Ends in "0" Birthday Splurge Zambia Safari -- this was more complicated. I booked it March 2019 for August 2020. Initial deposit of $3500, balance of $12,000 was due 6/30/2020. Airfare was Business Class on Emirates. I only insured the safari itinerary cost, not the airfare, since Business Class can get a refund for a $400 fee. June 30th came around and since Zambia was still closed to tourists, the safari planner let me defer the final payment until 8/1/2020 to see if Zambia was going to open up. Found out trip insurance wasn't going to cover COVID (obviously, none did) but my Dad went into hospice care the week before my final payment was due, so I got the medical forms filled out by his doctors, filed the claim 7/31/20 and received the check for the deposit last week. Emirates gave me a fee-free refund on the airfare either due to COVID or a schedule change on my original flights, not sure which. So in the end I'm really only "out" the $700 the trip insurance cost me. But so much better than what could have been lost.
Nov 11th, 2020, 07:50 AM
#123
Join Date: Aug 2006
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Happy news on my credit card statement this morning ~ full refund on our cancelled SAS flights. Trip to Belgium was to have been April 2020, and thanks to advice here, I knew to wait until flights were canceled and not to request refund prematurely.
I am much smarter since I started to read Fodor’s!
I am much smarter since I started to read Fodor’s!
Nov 21st, 2020, 04:12 AM
#125
Join Date: Nov 2020
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During the covid-19, I was in Spain, and I was stuck there and had paid a transfer from Fiumicino airport to Rome, Italy (in my country) with a company Iteritaly. The reimburse the total amount I have paid.
Nov 21st, 2020, 01:15 PM
#126
A bit of lluch with some UA tickets I had booked back in April/May. I had a family event in CA in January, back then I thought travel domestically would be possible. I booked tickets to UA when they first offered the no fee change policy. Well, I'm not flying in January and planned to get a voucher per their rules. When I went to my reservation the flight times had changed by more than an hour so I was refunded the full amounts. I was pleasantly surprised and happy.
