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There has been a lot of frustration among people regarding the ways that airlines have handled refunds. Even in countries where the government is requiring airlines to provide cash refunds for flight cancellations, we’ve seen airlines take a few different approaches:
The US Department of Transportation has made it clear that airlines need to provide cash refunds in the event that they cancel flights. The requirements in their enforcement notice seem pretty straightforward (bolding mine):
Well, United isn’t happy with this policy, so what are they doing? They’re simply choosing to redefine what it means for a flight to be cancelled.
View from the Wing notes the way that United is communicating with those requesting refunds when flights are cancelled.
United argues that their schedule change refund policy is in compliance with DOT requirements. United has just redefined what words mean, and they claim that their definitions are compliant with applicable law.
In the United Airlines dictionary, here’s how things are defined (this is not sarcastic, this is a direct quote based on United’s communications):
That’s right. United defines a flight being cancelled as a situation where “a flight is cancelled removed,” and where they can’t accommodate you on another flight within six hours.
The real story here is that United Airlines doesn’t “cancel” flights anymore, but rather they only “remove” them.
onemileatatime.com
- Some airlines just outright defy regulations
- Some airlines promise refunds, but say it will take a long time for them to be processed
- And then you have one airline that’s redefining what it means for a flight to be cancelled… and yep, that airline is United
The US Department of Transportation has made it clear that airlines need to provide cash refunds in the event that they cancel flights. The requirements in their enforcement notice seem pretty straightforward (bolding mine):
Well, United isn’t happy with this policy, so what are they doing? They’re simply choosing to redefine what it means for a flight to be cancelled.
View from the Wing notes the way that United is communicating with those requesting refunds when flights are cancelled.
United argues that their schedule change refund policy is in compliance with DOT requirements. United has just redefined what words mean, and they claim that their definitions are compliant with applicable law.
In the United Airlines dictionary, here’s how things are defined (this is not sarcastic, this is a direct quote based on United’s communications):
That’s right. United defines a flight being cancelled as a situation where “a flight is cancelled removed,” and where they can’t accommodate you on another flight within six hours.
The real story here is that United Airlines doesn’t “cancel” flights anymore, but rather they only “remove” them.
Oh Great: United Airlines Redefines “Cancelled”
Here's how United Airlines has redefined what it means for a flight to be cancelled so that they don't have to issue customers refunds.
onemileatatime.com
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