I have already booked and paid for 3 tickets from Newark to Shannon at $1757.61 with tax.This was last week.I just checked the web site today and they have gone down 200.00 to 1558.5 with tax.
I spoke to airline(continental)I can change my reservation for A fee of $35 per ticket,and receive A travel voucher for 65 per ticket for future travel.I would have to pay 105 to get 3 vouchers.
Has anyone ever gotten A refund or is this standared practice.

It is a standard practice, but something is wrong with your math and your presumption that YOU have to pay.

The total cost of the original tickets was $1758. (rounding of the number)

The new total is $1559.

That's a difference of $199.

If the charge is $35 per ticket, then the total charge is $105. (you don't have to pay it again, it just that you won't get that back)

That leaves you with a voucher or credit or whatever of $94.

Not great but still it is $94.....

I was told by continental the 105 would be charged to my credit card.Then I would receive the vouchers.

well, that could be their policy, but if I were you, I would try to call back and ask for the difference minus the charge, in a voucher form or credit or whatever.

but, I really don't know their policy on this, so wait around and see what other experts, especially CO FFer's have to say.

Good luck!

Thanks

I've not flown w/ CO enough to know exactly how they do things ... but this sounds like they are going to MAIL you the vouchers. If so, will the new fare you found still be AVAILABLE then?

I would not do this unless the credit is immediately available ... in fact, unless the new flight can be booked at once. I don't know how many times I've seen a flight avail, and even started booking it, when at the last minute the "no longer available" notice is displayed.

Maybe some CO FF's or TA's can respond.

Yes, you need to pay your $105 up front.

And they can rebook you immediately. The "voucher" is simply two codes that you can use to book futher flights with - you can use it immediately on continental.com if you have other trips coming up.

I stop looking at prices once I purchase my plane ticket
;-)

When are you flying? If it's not for a while, wait to see if the fare goes lower, you don't want to keep dealing with voucher after voucher.

Suze - me too. I find a price I like and then move on to other stuff, like scoping out good places to eat

When the fare went down on our tickets from Sacramento to France in September 2004 we just got a credit-card refund from American Airlines--no additional charges.

Their fare rules don't state anything about a voucher. They should charge you $105 change fee but then credit your for the fare difference, resulting in just a credit balance on your credit card.

"CHANGES
ANY TIME
CHARGE USD 35.00/EUR 30.00 FOR REISSUE/REVALIDATION"

That's all it states. P.S. Their fare for Shannon in February is $350 per person so you must be going in summer/high season.

tracy - The OP definitely get a deep discount fares, for <$600 to Europe. The rules of these fares are long. In generally, about 50-60 lines.

Unlike some other airline, CO doesn't credit one's credit card. You pay the change fee, and you get a voucher. That's the reality.

Thanks for the replys.
We are going the end of june,the start of the high season.
I booked early because the fares were starting to rise and our dates were not very flexible.
I just checked the web site to see if the seats we picked had been marked off ,I'll never do it again.
It has really put A damper on my mood.
Susan

Well... I checked my Continental... my trip price went up $400. I feel smaaaart

NJsusan, if they refund your credit card, you're lucky compare to others! Usually they issue vouchers for 1 year, and there is a fee involved for using them, or you lose your money.

Susan, are you having problems with seat assignment on Continental? Call their 800 number and ask for computer support, read here what I went through:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...6&tid=34717091

What is dampening your mood? That you can get $200 back, if you're willing to give them $105 more? Sounds like a good thing to me. I don't get it.

Or you don't have to do anything, and be happy about it.

Getting tickets to Europe at end of June for <$600 a ticket is a steal. Now, it's another $60 off.

If that will get you upset, then I don't know what to say.