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Airfare question after cruise cancelled


Zesty Italian
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Our Riviera TA cruise for Mar. 31 was cancelled and I finally got through to one of our airlines.  It was AA and I was told the extension to use the ticket was for 1 yr. from the date of purchase not the date of travel as I assumed.  That would mean we'd have to use it by May!  Where would we go??  We were going to re-book a TA for fall, but I was told ticket would be useless.  Has anyone else been told a yr. from date of purchase?  Also, why isn't Oceania giving us any compensation for airfare when they did for cancelled cruises for Asia??

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Yes, we were told the same thing by good old AA if we cancelled, meaning we would have until Aug. this year to use the ticket.  We're holding off cancelling since the flight is to Buenos Aires and will undoubtedly (?) be cancelled by AA.  Then what will they offer?  

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Zesty:  I assume you booked your flights on your own, not O.  Check The AA site and see if they canceled your flight.  I assume you had a fight home from BCN.  AA is canceling a lot of flights that go nonstop BCN to the US and have canceled/changed them to connect through LHR. If they changed or canceled your flight I believe you may be entitled to a refund.  Try to make a "dummy" booking on AA BCN to your final destination home and see if it still exists.  If not, call them again.  Good luck!

Edited by bbtondo
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Go online to AA now.  My flight end of April has been canceled MIA to BCN nonstop.  They rerouted their MIA to BCN through LHR now.  Reps don't always give the correct answer.  What date is your flight BCN to MIA?

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All of the airlines are revising changing their cancellation policies on a daily basis. You need to be on Flyertalk to get the latest info. If the 2 cruises I have planned end up being cancelled I did my air with frequent flier miles. I can cancel my flights and get the miles redeposited possibly for a fee or not. Some airlines are waiving those fees, some aren't. You also have to do the HUCA if you don't like what one agent tells you.

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2 minutes ago, susiesan said:

. I can cancel my flights and get the miles redeposited possibly for a fee or not.

At the moment AA allows you to redeposit your miles without a fee. UA allows you to change your award for free but will charge for redeposit of miles.

Generally (before COVID-19), if your flight changed by over an hour (I believe) you could cancel it without a penalty.

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Paul, 3 days ago I just canceled UA issued award flights to Copenhagen and the miles redeposited for no fee. Then I immediately booked new and better flights to Copenhagen for 10K less per person miles. If you cancel online you get charged but if you do it on the phone you don'y. I was on the phone for 90 minutes getting this done but it was. worth it to save the money and miles.

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5 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

At the moment AA allows you to redeposit your miles without a fee. UA allows you to change your award for free but will charge for redeposit of miles.

Generally (before COVID-19), if your flight changed by over an hour (I believe) you could cancel it without a penalty.

We just canceled award tickets with United and got our miles back. I asked politely and had redeposit fees waived as an exemption by the supervisor. The major problem was a 2 hours wait to reach United representative on the phone in the middle of the night.

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2 hours ago, Zesty Italian said:

..... Also, why isn't Oceania giving us any compensation for airfare when they did for cancelled cruises for Asia??

There was no compensation for DIY airfare for cancelled/modified Asia cruises on Nautica/Insignia. Rather, there's reimbursement for airline change fees up to $300/person.

I know because we were recently on Nautica to Singapore and were scheduled for Singapore to Hong Kong to Tokyo on Insignia in May/June.

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Yes, we purchased tickets on our own.  We had AA Mar. 31 from GB to Miami.  Cruise Mia to Rome and fly home Apr.18 Aer Lingus Rome  to O'Hare.  Then United ORD to GRB. So far I have only gotten thru to AA.  She was very kind and looked 3 different things up to try to extend our tickets, but said nothing she could do.  How on earth does it make sense to give a yr. from when we bought them, when cruise wasn't cancelled till 2 mos. before they will expire?  Thought they were giving people a yr. from cancelled flight to use.  Can't wait to hear what other 2 airlines will say.  Still trying to reach travel insurance to see if our flights will be reimbursed.

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1 hour ago, osandomir said:

I understand that if you’re rebooking right away United is OK to waive the fees per their current policy. To cancel award tickets entirely is a different story...

But you say you got the fees waived for redeposit of your miles with UA - just lucky?

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3 hours ago, Zesty Italian said:

Our Riviera TA cruise for Mar. 31 was cancelled and I finally got through to one of our airlines.  It was AA and I was told the extension to use the ticket was for 1 yr. from the date of purchase not the date of travel as I assumed.  That would mean we'd have to use it by May!  Where would we go??  We were going to re-book a TA for fall, but I was told ticket would be useless.  Has anyone else been told a yr. from date of purchase?  Also, why isn't Oceania giving us any compensation for airfare when they did for cancelled cruises for Asia??

Yup....  I am in the same boat...  er  airplane.     I bought a pair of Business class to europe  $7K  this December for a Sept flight..... and just found  too that I have the same  no cash, just the 1 year credit rule. from December  ( date of purchase)  to use it    !!!!  

 Sad because so many awards open up I could have saved the 7K....... Oh well thats life   

It could always be worse

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23 minutes ago, Zesty Italian said:

Yes, we purchased tickets on our own.  We had AA Mar. 31 from GB to Miami.  Cruise Mia to Rome and fly home Apr.18 Aer Lingus Rome  to O'Hare.  Then United ORD to GRB. So far I have only gotten thru to AA.  She was very kind and looked 3 different things up to try to extend our tickets, but said nothing she could do.  How on earth does it make sense to give a yr. from when we bought them, when cruise wasn't cancelled till 2 mos. before they will expire?  Thought they were giving people a yr. from cancelled flight to use.  Can't wait to hear what other 2 airlines will say.  Still trying to reach travel insurance to see if our flights will be reimbursed.

They  ALL have the same rule......it is in the  ticket contract we all agree to when we buy.    Insurance wont pay  because your still able to fly on those days and  are also able to use the ticket value for the future.  No loss till the ticket expiers as I see it.    An expensive lesson.....  use it or loose it  is seen as your choice because you agreed to that when you bought it. !!!

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I had two cruise flights -- both Business on UA -- Outbound was MIA to SIN and return was SFO to MCO.  Both non refundable.  First UA agent said they would wave change fees.  SFO ticket was useless since it was booked in July last year.  Went back and forth with customer service and they did a refund after providing proof that cruise was cancelled plus my Company issued a quarantine for anyone going to Asia.

 

So it pays to go back in forth with CS before you cancel.  Note most airlines have the usual if they change the flight (2 hour rule) they will waive any change or refund fees.  So it does you no good to immediately cancel unless there is a benefit.

 

Regarding O's policy on ticket cancellations.  They will pay the CHANGE FEE after you rebook and pay the fee to the airline for up up to 1 year. They WILL NOT pay cancellation fees, mileage redeposit fees or anything other than CHANGE FEES.

The refused to pay for my FF redeposit fees.

Edited by PaulMCO
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3 hours ago, Paulchili said:

But you say you got the fees waived for redeposit of your miles with UA - just lucky?

That’s true - I tried to be very nice speaking to UA representative and they made exemption. The current policy: redeposit fees apply😁.

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All this airline cr*p is why when I book a cruise anywhere other than leaving from a US port I only book if I can get there with an award ticket. If I can't get the award tickets I cancel the cruise and go somewhere else. I have not actually flown overseas on a paid ticket in 15 years. I am lucky that I have over a million miles miles in my award bank.

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22 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

These days it takes almost that much for a couple of long haul RT business awards 😀

Right now there are lots of J awards at reasonable miles prices and lots of availability on UA and *A flights. Redemption levels are where they were before Nov. 15.

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