Air Transat cancellation - no refund?

bigChris

Butts said:

parrots said:

Has anyone else booked with travel agent in particular Lastminute.com. The reason I ask is that they never contacted me, as I had to contact them,  as we were due to fly on 15th July and return on 29th July (Gatwick to Toronto). I spoke to a representative of Lastmoinute.com and he said he wasn't sure. He then done some research and informed me that my flights were cancelled. I asked why didn't you inform me. I told him that I wanted a full refund  and his response was that I would need to email them. Which I did and I have been contacting them and keep getting generic emails, stating that they are chasing the refund. Please see below latest response.

"Hi, 

Thank you for your email.

We kindly inform you that the related department is still working on your request and will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

We are sorry for the delay and thank you for your understanding.

For further queries we remain at your disposal.

Kind regards.
 

Customer Care"

I am wondering if I should do a chargeback or wait. I am asking if anyone else had booked with Lastminute.com and what was the result that they received.

Thanks

Have you typed Lastminute.com into the search box before posting or is it a rhetorical question ?

Just submit a chargeback claim.  you've tried your best and have the written evidence that you've tried to get your refund.  Most CC companies have a back log of charge backs.  Mine (Tesco CC) is six weeks.  Might as well get the ball rolling.

Butts

bigChris said:

Butts said:

parrots said:

Has anyone else booked with travel agent in particular Lastminute.com. The reason I ask is that they never contacted me, as I had to contact them,  as we were due to fly on 15th July and return on 29th July (Gatwick to Toronto). I spoke to a representative of Lastmoinute.com and he said he wasn't sure. He then done some research and informed me that my flights were cancelled. I asked why didn't you inform me. I told him that I wanted a full refund  and his response was that I would need to email them. Which I did and I have been contacting them and keep getting generic emails, stating that they are chasing the refund. Please see below latest response.

"Hi, 

Thank you for your email.

We kindly inform you that the related department is still working on your request and will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

We are sorry for the delay and thank you for your understanding.

For further queries we remain at your disposal.

Kind regards.
 

Customer Care"

I am wondering if I should do a chargeback or wait. I am asking if anyone else had booked with Lastminute.com and what was the result that they received.

Thanks

Have you typed Lastminute.com into the search box before posting or is it a rhetorical question ?

Just submit a chargeback claim.  you've tried your best and have the written evidence that you've tried to get your refund.  Most CC companies have a back log of charge backs.  Mine (Tesco CC) is six weeks.  Might as well get the ball rolling.

Agreed, or you might be lucky, with Capital One it took 6 DAYS from start to finish for a chargeback (twice Lastminute.com & Ryanair)

epm-84

Butts said:

bigChris said:

Butts said:

parrots said:

Has anyone else booked with travel agent in particular Lastminute.com. The reason I ask is that they never contacted me, as I had to contact them,  as we were due to fly on 15th July and return on 29th July (Gatwick to Toronto). I spoke to a representative of Lastmoinute.com and he said he wasn't sure. He then done some research and informed me that my flights were cancelled. I asked why didn't you inform me. I told him that I wanted a full refund  and his response was that I would need to email them. Which I did and I have been contacting them and keep getting generic emails, stating that they are chasing the refund. Please see below latest response.

"Hi, 

Thank you for your email.

We kindly inform you that the related department is still working on your request and will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

We are sorry for the delay and thank you for your understanding.

For further queries we remain at your disposal.

Kind regards.
 

Customer Care"

I am wondering if I should do a chargeback or wait. I am asking if anyone else had booked with Lastminute.com and what was the result that they received.

Thanks

Have you typed Lastminute.com into the search box before posting or is it a rhetorical question ?

Just submit a chargeback claim.  you've tried your best and have the written evidence that you've tried to get your refund.  Most CC companies have a back log of charge backs.  Mine (Tesco CC) is six weeks.  Might as well get the ball rolling.

Agreed, or you might be lucky, with Capital One it took 6 DAYS from start to finish for a chargeback (twice Lastminute.com & Ryanair)

How can it be start to finish in 6 days, when the retailer has 45 days to appeal a decision?  You might have the money credited back to your account but if the retailer appeals it could be clawed back.  I'm sure I read that someone said Air Transat appealed their chargeback on the 45th day and then it took a few days for their bank to tell them after that.

2J66

An indirect comment re Air Transat (AT) as we'd booked flights for September from Glasgow to Toronto with Canadian Affair (CA).  I received a call from CA asking whether we were Canadian nationals as Canada is still effectively closed to foreign tourists. I'd already noted that our flights were cancelled by AT - the inference from CA being that flight schedules were being reviewed.  I was already aware that our flights had already been cancelled.  The options on offer were a refund for the outward leg only under EU provisions or partial/full credit for an unlimited period. When challenged about the EU rules the CA staff member professed no knowledge and said that would have to be taken up with AT.  As we have family in Canada we will be going anyway next year I elected for a refund ( likely paid in December)for the outward leg and credit for the return rather than all the hassle.  I realise it's a bit of a gamble if AT go bust but I'll then take my chance with Section 75 or travel insurance as the booking was made before Covid.  Having read all the earlier posts I appreciate some may think my approach is giving CA/AT an easy ride but I thought it worth posting to pass on my experience. 

Marmaduke123

Well, this wasn't  the news I expected or wanted. My 45 days were up on Monday, and I expected the credit on my Halifax card to become permanent.

However, an encrypted message was received from Lloyd's Group disputes team on Tuesday (yesterday) stating the merchants bank did not agree with the chargeback, and that they (Lloyds) had issued a rebuttal in order to keep the credit on my account. There is now another 45 days for the merchants bank to respond!

Flights from Gatwick out to Vancouver 30 June, back from Calgary 18 July. I have had the email from AT notifying me that a full refund will be paid, but nothing further yet. Looks like a slow speed race between the chargeback process and the refund process!

jem16

Just to update everyone.
Barclaycard has now confirmed in writing today that my chargeback is considered permanent and resolved. Apparently Air Transat did not dispute the chargeback.

Russ46

My last post was replied to by jem16 in 7th July, since then on August 14th Canadian Affairs have spoken with me and decided that i will be given a full refund and have sent me a cancellation invoice showing there is nothing outstanding (! apart from my £500).  Got my credit card statement yesterday and the £500 has still not appeared. I wonder how long it will be before i get it? Have heard nothing from my cc provider since I applied for chargeback on 22nd June (over 11 weeks ago). I live in hope.

jem16

Russ46 said:

My last post was replied to by jem16 in 7th July, since then on August 14th Canadian Affairs have spoken with me and decided that i will be given a full refund and have sent me a cancellation invoice showing there is nothing outstanding (! apart from my £500).  Got my credit card statement yesterday and the £500 has still not appeared. I wonder how long it will be before i get it? Have heard nothing from my cc provider since I applied for chargeback on 22nd June (over 11 weeks ago). I live in hope.

I would chase up your credit card provider and find out what;s happening with it. Who is it the provider?

Finead

We had two different flights booked, returns to Toronto in April and June, both cancelled and costing around £2,200 in total. Was given credits for use within 24 months (six months of which has now passed!). Tried to get one trip's worth back from my credit card with John Lewis, cannot speak to anyone at JL about it and endless requests for the same on line forms to be filled in so that has not amounted to anything.  However Air Transat have now said they will refund the outgoing UK to Canada sections of our flights whilst the rest is left as credits. Also the credits can now be fully transferable and the 24 months has been scrapped they can be used anytime now.  I have applied for a refund for the outgoing on both trips (which is the bigger cost) and the rest I will use sometime in the future so am a lot happier now. They automatically send an email to those with bookings and it just needs a response to claim the refund.   

bignred05

Finead said:

We had two different flights booked, returns to Toronto in April and June, both cancelled and costing around £2,200 in total. Was given credits for use within 24 months (six months of which has now passed!). Tried to get one trip's worth back from my credit card with John Lewis, cannot speak to anyone at JL about it and endless requests for the same on line forms to be filled in so that has not amounted to anything.  However Air Transat have now said they will refund the outgoing UK to Canada sections of our flights whilst the rest is left as credits. Also the credits can now be fully transferable and the 24 months has been scrapped they can be used anytime now.  I have applied for a refund for the outgoing on both trips (which is the bigger cost) and the rest I will use sometime in the future so am a lot happier now. They automatically send an email to those with bookings and it just needs a response to claim the refund.   

Have you actually started a chargeback on your creditcard for each transaction ?
if you have and have had no response, I would bombard whatever company it is in every way possible, Facebook page, Twitter, Their website contact us etc. continue with this until someone replies to you.

the problem you have now is the sheer backlog of claims and the fact most credit card companies staff are working from home (or so they say)

as an example I made 2 chargeback (used 2 different cards for flights(1) & seats/luggage(2) on the other)
both chargebacks were submitted on the 10/5/2020, both got acknowledged on the 18/5/2020
one card (flights) paid out and my 45 days in this case has passed without any appeal by AT, so I have had the bulk of my chargeback refunded.
my other chargeback only paid out  4 weeks later, however in this case it was 60 days for AT to appeal, which as far as I am aware they have not, so it looks like I have been had all my money refunded via chargeback.
however with this you have the summer season of chargebacks now, hence what could be causing you and others the delay.

have you joined the facebook group, Air Transat Refund Group, if not join it and you will get plenty of help/advice there to. Good Luck