OP-ED: You’re Entitled to a Refund for Any Canceled Flight, Even During a Pandemic Editor’s note: On April 3, the DOT of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings issued an Enforcement Notice firmly supporting the federal requirement that airlines issue cash refunds when they cancel flights. The notice affirms that issuing a future credit or voucher does not satisfy the DOT requirement. Failure to comply, says the notice, “could subject the carrier to an enforcement action.” You can read more here. Airlines like to charge for everything—bags, boarding groups, seats, seat selection. But they rarely get so brazen as to refuse refunds for simple things like a canceled flight, probably because it’s squarely illegal in the United States. Why, then, has one airline has been denying customers refunds on flights it has canceled amid the global pandemic? The Department of Transportation (DOT) says it is aware of customer complaints that United is offering only airline credits to passengers on flights that have been canceled outright. Multiple U.S. senators are also now calling on airlines to provide refunds. RELATED:

The Dos and Don’ts of Canceling a Trip Due to COVID-19 According to USA Today, United has tried to say it will only provide airline credit, not cash refunds, for canceled domestic flights: “United is not issuing refunds unless the new flight their computer system automatically put you on delays your departure or arrival by more than six hours. If it doesn’t, and you don’t want to travel, you’ll receive a travel credit for the value of the ticket.” For international flights (almost all of which are now canceled due to a Global Level 4 Health Advisory), “United is effectively delaying any passenger refunds for up to a year” and giving customers a credit that’s good for a year. If they don’t use it within a year of the ticket purchase date, the airline says the customer can then get their money back. Most other airlines have been amiable—even helpful—in canceling flights and guaranteeing the refunds travelers are, in fact, owed. And they should be: In uncertain times like these, you probably need that money you spent months ago on a flight you’ll now not take. And consumer rights advocates are accordingly admonishing United and other airlines trying this, which also include JetBlue and British Airways.

Here’s how the DOT lays out your rights in a cancellation (emphasis mine): “If your flight is cancelled and you choose to cancel your trip as a result, you are entitled to a refund for the unused transportation—even for non-refundable tickets. You are also entitled to a refund for any bag fee that you paid, and any extras you may have purchased, such as a seat assignment.”

These are trying times for airlines and people alike. But when a billion-dollar company like an airline is skirting solid consumer regulations meant to protect average people, something is awry. It might come as no surprise that the major offending airline is United, which in the early days of this pandemic overhauled its schedule-change policy (and then backtracked) from allowing two-hour delays to attempting to allow whopping 25-hour changes without refunds. If you’re questioning whether or not you’re allowed to ask (politely) for a refund when your flight’s status becomes “canceled,” the answer is yes. And anyone who’s told no by an airline should consider filing a complaint with the Department of Transportation here. More from SmarterTravel: • 14 Booking Sites’ COVID-19 Cancellation Policies • The Rule TSA Is Changing Because of COVID-19 • Travel in the Time of COVID-19: What You Need to Know.

14 Booking Sites’ COVID-19 Cancellation Responses ED PERKINS

If you booked a trip between the mid-March start of the epidemic (now pandemic) and sometime later this spring, current travel bans and shutdowns mean you face the requirement to reschedule or cancel your trips. And future trips later in the year still might meet the same fate of a COVID-19 cancellation. SmarterTravel has already shared the major airline and hotel players waiving fees for travelers who booked directly—but what if you booked through a third-party online travel agency (OTA) such as Expedia? The general recommendation is typically that you contact the OTA for rescheduling. But the situation is a bit more nuanced than that. RELATED: The Rule TSA Is Changing Because of COVID-19 Two major parent companies, Booking Holdings (also known as Booking.com) and Expedia, control around 86 percent of the worldwide OTA business through their many subsidiaries. Here’s which company ultimately owns each of the following third-party booking sites: • Agoda (Booking) • Booking.com • Cheapflights (Booking) • Expedia • HomeAway (Booking) • VRBO (Booking) • Hotwire (Expedia) • Hotels.com (Expedia) • KAYAK (Booking) • Momondo (Booking) • Orbitz (Expedia) • Priceline (Booking) • Travelocity (Expedia) • Trivago (Expedia)

COVID-19 Cancellation Policies by OTA

Here’s a rundown of policy statements from OTAs that focus mainly on air travel and accommodations regarding a COVID-19 cancellation. Most start out with instructions to go to the OTA’s app or website and select the trip(s) you are canceling for more information about the conditions. Whether or not you’re eligible for a refund or credit will typically depend on both the third-party site in question and the company that the stay or service is with. Agoda (Booking) According to Agoda: “If your booking is eligible for free cancellation, you will see the message: ‘This booking may be affected by a current emergency or developing situation. Due to these exceptional circumstances, Agoda will waive all fees on cancellation for your affected booking.’ You may then proceed to cancel through this self-service option without contacting customer service.” Booking.com Booking.com states: “We understand you may need to change your travel plans. To get the latest info, contact the property you booked to check if they can accommodate you. You can also visit our Help Center for support with making changes to your booking.” The posted statement applies to accommodations bookings only; selecting “airfare” redirects users to Priceline (see more below). Cheapflights (Booking) Cheapflights says only that: “Airlines and travel providers are continually updating their policies and will be a go-to resource for up-to-date information regarding changing upcoming travel plans. Please contact them directly for the latest information. Many are waiving cancellations fees.” You can find a detailed airline-by-airline summary of COVID-19 cancellation policies here via Airfarewatchdog, SmarterTravel’s sister site. Expedia For air tickets, Expedia suggests that you first try to cancel online from within your trip record. If a fee applies, the website provides two airline dropdown menus: (1) links to the airlines you’re most likely to use and on which you can cancel through Expedia, and (2) a longer list of airlines less used that you have to contact directly. Expedia contacted SmarterTravel with the following updated hotel cancellation policy on April 2: “For customers that booked and paid for a non-refundable rate prior to March 19, 2020 using Expedia for a stay between March 20 and April 30th 2020, an email will be sent their way providing them with an option to keep or cancel their existing booking. If the customer decides to cancel, they will be eligible for a full refund, or in some cases, a voucher allowing them to rebook the original property at later dates. There is no need to call Expedia, however you must cancel your booking a least 24-hours before check-in to be eligible for this offer. For customers who booked a property with a refundable rate, they can visit our customer service portal to change or cancel a reservation.” RELATED: Travel Insurance: 18 Things Your Provider Won’t Cover HomeAway and VRBO (Expedia) The Expedia-owned rental sites state: “To cancel or change an upcoming reservation due to travel restrictions, you can do so right from your traveler account. If you are making changes outside the cancellation policy window, please contact the property owner or manager to discuss their cancellation and refund policies. If you don’t see a button to cancel your reservation, please contact the property owner or manager directly for assistance.”

Hotwire (Expedia) Hotwire states: “The fastest path to canceling your booking is through one of our self- serve tools” which can be found here. “Hotwire follows the policies of our partners, which means any credit, refund or change is at the discretion of the airline, hotel, cruise line or other travel provider. The quickest way to find out if travel plans can be changed without a penalty will generally be to check the airline, car, or hotel website directly.” The site goes on: “Many of our partners are updating their policies to align with changing travel restrictions, so make sure to check back regularly. Note: Some suppliers, like American Airlines, are also providing self-serve capabilities on their website. If your booking qualifies and you are able to submit a self-serve claim through a supplier directly, you will not need to also cancel your booking through Hotwire.” Hotels.com (Expedia) The Hotels.com COVID-19 “travel advice” page states “we are waiving change fees for many hotels based on where you are traveling to or from. For international bookings in the following countries (and domestic bookings, where noted), you are eligible for a full refund. Please click the blue Contact Us button above to speak to an agent … Except for travel to/from the destinations listed below, we follow the policies of our travel partners.” The listed destination countries are many, and available here. KAYAK (Booking) KAYAK’s COVID-19 page generally points travelers to the individual airline or hotel where they have bookings. It also posts links to policies by individual airlines, hotels, and car rental companies. Momondo (Booking) The Momondo website simply states, “The COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak may impact your trip. Look for alerts on our site indicating certain destination-specific travel warnings.” The Momondo help page is here. Orbitz (Expedia) The Orbitz website duplicates the information posted by Expedia (see above). Priceline (Booking) For flights, Priceline urges you to complete your COVID-19 cancellation online if you can. “Your ability to change or cancel your ticket depends on the type of ticket you purchased and varies by airline. If a cancellation is permitted, you will see a link within your itinerary. Express Deals- Priceline deals, in which the full itinerary is revealed only after you book, are non-changeable and non-refundable.” “Other reservations may be more flexible. You can view your flight’s fare rules on the contract before you book, and on your itinerary after you book. You can find your itinerary by going to check status on the Priceline homepage. If your flight’s fare rules allow changes and you’re ready to make a change, please refer to Exchange Guidance for additional information.” Priceline provides further information here. RELATED: 6 Best Places to Buy Travel Insurance Travelocity (Expedia) The Travelocity website duplicates the information posted by Expedia (see above). Trivago (Expedia) As a metasearch provider that only provides price comparisons and not bookings, Trivago advises users to check with the OTA that actually handled your booking. The same general wisdom goes for other price-comparison OTAs that don’t handle bookings, including Tripadvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent company). General Information on OTAs and COVID-19 Cancellation Policies Clearly, the general advice to get a refund through the OTA is not always correct. Although the final money transfer might come through the OTA, they urge travelers to use whatever online COVID-19 cancellation systems they have to deal directly with hotels and airlines. If you’re booking a future trip rather than adjusting existing bookings, most major OTAs direct you to airlines and hotels with flexible refund policies. Keep in mind, however, that if you book a nonrefundable service (even with a company that has a liberal refund policy) the supplier has your money and the full-value refund or credit may limit your future choices.

All the OTAs suggest that anyone traveling within 72 hours can use the agency’s phone; other travelers should refrain from calling for now, and stick to the Internet or an app to get information and make changes. All OTAs also seem to recognize that the travel restrictions are a moving target, and travelers should therefore check often to make sure they have the latest information. More from SmarterTravel: • The 10 Best Hotel Booking Sites • The Best Flight Booking Sites for Cheap Airfare • The Ultimate Guide to Travel Insurance