Question about Airline Ticket Refund/Reimbursement
Discussion
I booked a flight from Edinburgh to Christchurch last June, through a travel agent - I'd had problems with internet bookings and thought I'd done the right thing. I was due to travel in December last year but due to snow at Heathrow, the Edi flight was delayed by 3hrs. This meant I missed the connecting flight, even though I had allowed plenty of time to transfer.
While waiting for the customer service desk I noticed on the airline app I'd been rebooked onto a flight in a week's time. I told a Customer Service Agent this was not acceptable as it was wasting a week of my trip. I was given a hotel for the night and told to come to the a/p the next day to rebook.
The next day I went back to the a/p and spent a couple of hours waiting in a queue. I tried calling the travel agent to see if they could assist but didn't get any reply. It turns out they had closed down, after 40 years in business.
The CSA at the desk said there was nothing they could do as they couldn't access the travel agent booking. After some phone calls to the customer service line I eventually got a CSA on the line who was quite helpful. In the meantime, my partner had been looking at flights and found me one on another airline to CHC the same day,
The CSA on the line was having difficulty finding a flight - their best option was one through the middle east the next day, then the far east, needing hotels in London and then the middle east and the far east. With the dodgy internet connection I thought it was going to be difficult to find hotels and the stress of the situation (First time back after covid delays, needing to be back for mum's memorial service etc) I just went for the new flight my partner found.
My question is, who am I best talking to about a refund/reimbursement for the unused leg LHR - CHC? The airline, my travel insurance, or the ABTA?
This is a new situation for me - thanks in advance.
While waiting for the customer service desk I noticed on the airline app I'd been rebooked onto a flight in a week's time. I told a Customer Service Agent this was not acceptable as it was wasting a week of my trip. I was given a hotel for the night and told to come to the a/p the next day to rebook.
The next day I went back to the a/p and spent a couple of hours waiting in a queue. I tried calling the travel agent to see if they could assist but didn't get any reply. It turns out they had closed down, after 40 years in business.
The CSA at the desk said there was nothing they could do as they couldn't access the travel agent booking. After some phone calls to the customer service line I eventually got a CSA on the line who was quite helpful. In the meantime, my partner had been looking at flights and found me one on another airline to CHC the same day,
The CSA on the line was having difficulty finding a flight - their best option was one through the middle east the next day, then the far east, needing hotels in London and then the middle east and the far east. With the dodgy internet connection I thought it was going to be difficult to find hotels and the stress of the situation (First time back after covid delays, needing to be back for mum's memorial service etc) I just went for the new flight my partner found.
My question is, who am I best talking to about a refund/reimbursement for the unused leg LHR - CHC? The airline, my travel insurance, or the ABTA?
This is a new situation for me - thanks in advance.
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