Administration Fees for getting a refund from a cancelled flight from an agent?

MercilessKiller

Hi All

Looking for some advice here and has been a hot topic but still finding it hard to get a definite answer on something. 

Back in July, I booked flights from Luton to Alicante in December through MyTrip.co.uk with WizzAir.

Due to COVID causing a lack of demand, Wizzair have cancelled the full route over Xmas so no alternative flights available.

After speaking with MyTrip this morning, they told me they will only process a refund if I agree to pay them an administrative charge. I spoke to WizzAir who told me that they can process the refund for me but it would go back to the card made for payment (in this case the agents card, not mine). I then spoke again to MyTrip who told me that even in that circumstance, MyTrip would hold onto my money until I agree to pay the administrative charge for the refund to be processed back to me. 

Something smells fishy here. I've submitted a dispute of the charge through American Express to say that there's been no "delivery" of the service and given the details here that the contract has basically been cancelled by the airline but MyTrip are refusing to give me a refund without me first agreeing to paying more money. 

I've found articles online that suggest some agents do charge administrative fees for changes inc cancellations and refunds but that in this situation, legally, no charge should be applicable to myself for processing the refund (especially if WizzAir sends MyTrip the money!)

Does anyone have any similar experience fighting these administrative charges? Any success stories or have people just resorted to paying it to get the refund processed?

Thanks!

MercilessKiller

Also just to confirm, this is their Terms & Conditions:

Timetable changes and cancellation by airlines

1. Your agreement with the applicable airline may allow them to cancel or amend your bookings. We will notify You of any changes once We are informed of them by the airline.
   
   If You wish to request a change or cancellation refund, as an additional own service, We offer to handle the request on your behalf if permitted by the conditions of the airline. For a list of our fees, click here.

As I read that, if I speak to MyTrip to ask them to request a refund from WizzAir, I'm subject to the administrative charge. however, if WizzAir process the refund to MyTrip and cancel the contract, then surely they have to then pass on the refund to me (rather than hold my money). In that case, I'm not requesting a refund "as an additional own service". 

[Deleted User]

It's correct that they charge you the fee, as long as it's outlined in their terms, as they have carried out the work in buying the tickets for you and now refunding. So if you're smelling fish, it must be coming from somewhere else.

If you had booked directly, you would have received a full refund.

MercilessKiller

Deleted_User said:

It's correct that they charge you the fee, as long as it's outlined in their terms, as they have carried out the work in buying the tickets for you and now refunding. So if you're smelling fish, it must be coming from somewhere else.

If you had booked directly, you would have received a full refund.

Maybe I'm being silly but reading their terms & conditions, I'm not requesting a change here. The cancellation has happened, WizzAir are processing the refund without me requesting it from MyTrip -- My Trip are refusing to pass on the refund to me unless I pay them this administration fee. From WizzAir's point of view, they said they'd never heard of this and it shouldn't happen..

[Deleted User]

It's not because you're requesting a change, but the cost of processing and buying the tickets. It's common on all third party sales, so WizzAir are misleading you slightly.

bagand96

Problem with most of these online travel agents. They make so little money (or even nothing at all) on the flight sale so they make up for it in admin fees. 

When you booked you instructed MyTrip to act as an agent on your behalf and accepted their T&C's including their fees. MyTrip's admin fees will be to cover the work of dealing with Wizzair, and then processing the refund to you.  The option to book direct with the airline was available. 

I would expect Amex to not rule in your favour, although sometimes some do fall through. Be advised that they may credit you initially but later charge again on reviewing evidence. 

MercilessKiller

Deleted_User said:

It's not because you're requesting a change, but the cost of processing and buying the tickets. It's common on all third party sales, so WizzAir are misleading you slightly.

This is where it doesn't align well with what their terms & conditions are stating. There's a separate help page which suggests the charge for the refund is required to go to the airline and get the refund processed. As per my original message, WizzAir are happy to process it on my request to them so there's no contact needed from MyTrip to the airline on my behalf. In other words, the money will magically turn up in MyTrip's account. In this case, MyTrip are charging the administration fee to release the refunded money back to me - That doesn't align with what's in those terms & conditions I pasted above - Unless your interpretation here is different? It does specifically seem to state my request to mytrip (which in this case, there isn't one). 

eskbanker

https://uk.mytrip.com/rf/travel-conditions#APPENDICES_FEES (a link in your earlier Ts & Cs extract) clearly states that they charge a fee when the airline cancels:

Refund Handling Fee For all refunds requested by You, including requests for refund of ticket amount, taxes, fees and/or charges from the airline. The fee applies also for our administrative work in case of an airline cancellation.

55 GBP per traveler Refund following airline cancellation: 30 GBP per booking

MercilessKiller

eskbanker said:

https://uk.mytrip.com/rf/travel-conditions#APPENDICES_FEES (a link in your earlier Ts & Cs extract) clearly states that they charge a fee when the airline cancels:

Refund Handling Fee For all refunds requested by You, including requests for refund of ticket amount, taxes, fees and/or charges from the airline. The fee applies also for our administrative work in case of an airline cancellation.

55 GBP per traveler Refund following airline cancellation: 30 GBP per booking

Eurgh missed that. Weird as that wording is very different in the appendix from the wording in the actual T&C's which state these fees only apply when it's you requesting it. 

I'm just very surprised customers can be left out of pocket in this type of situation. Especially if the money is already refunded into their bank account (versus a situation where the agent is chasing the airline for you which seems to make more sense)

sheramber

Somebody has to do the admin work of booking the ticket and then refunding it.

Do you expect them to do work for you for nothing?

Thrugelmir

MercilessKiller said:

eskbanker said:

https://uk.mytrip.com/rf/travel-conditions#APPENDICES_FEES (a link in your earlier Ts & Cs extract) clearly states that they charge a fee when the airline cancels:

Refund Handling Fee For all refunds requested by You, including requests for refund of ticket amount, taxes, fees and/or charges from the airline. The fee applies also for our administrative work in case of an airline cancellation.

55 GBP per traveler Refund following airline cancellation: 30 GBP per booking

I'm just very surprised customers can be left out of pocket in this type of situation.

Should the business be out of pocket?  Their overheads need to be covered. Staff certainly don't work for free. You had the option to book direct.