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From: ajs@hpfcla.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: How to get an airline ticket refund
Message-ID: <42000015@hpfcla.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 11-Nov-85 11:04:00 EST
Article-I.D.: hpfcla.42000015
Posted: Mon Nov 11 11:04:00 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Nov-85 05:27:42 EST
References: <42000014@hpfcla.UUCP>
Organization: 11 Nov 85 09:04:00 MST
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Re: airline ticket refund

The Net comes through again -- it didn't take long to get a competent
reply by mail (thanks!).  For your interest I'll excerpt the key points,
and leave off the author's name as I haven't gotten permission to post
the whole letter.

Alan Silverstein

...it has been my experience that the airline refunds the cost of the
new and more expensive ticket purchased minus their "lost ticket fee"
which usually runs in the vicinity of about $25.00.  If you bought the
ticket through a travel agent it is part of their service to help you,
and if you got it direct from the airlines the people on the res line
should also be able to answer any questions.

Since you found the ticket, you should report that immediately to the
airline.  It not only may speed up your refund, but it possibly might
even save you some money.  (they might choose to forgive the fee).

...I have never seen the airlines to not refund a lost or stolen ticket.
It has taken anywhere from a few weeks to almost a year but averages
under 3 months.  The 6 month warning is usually a CYA by the airline.

...you should always buy airline tickets with a credit card.  When a
ticket is refunded it goes back to the form of payment which paid for
it.  Therefore if you have a ticket stolen the crook can only refund it
back to your credit card, use it, or have it rewritten.  In the latter
two cases they are frequently afraid because they do not know the extent
of the computer power in notifying the airline agent about the stolen
ticket so they usually deep-six the ticket.