Q: I was on a 16-night cruise when my niece called to say my brother was dying. I booked a flight home through Orbitz but accidentally chose the wrong airport. By the time I reached the correct airport, my Aer Lingus flight had left. I panicked and rebooked for the next day, but missed precious days with my brother before he passed.
Since December, I’ve been trapped in a loop: Aer Lingus says Orbitz must issue the refund, while Orbitz claims Aer Lingus needs to approve it. I’ve sent my brother’s death certificate five times, but Orbitz keeps asking for “clearer” copies or more documents. Aer Lingus finally told me Orbitz must handle it, but Orbitz still won’t do anything.
All I want is a final answer — or the $715 refund — after five months of stress during my grief. What can I do?
— Brenda Stopay, Northampton, Pa.
A: I’m so sorry about your brother. Orbitz should have coordinated with Aer Lingus to resolve your refund request promptly and compassionately.
While neither the airline nor the online travel agency is obligated to refund a nonrefundable ticket, it’s common practice to issue a full refund when a passenger, or a passenger’s companion, dies. When it comes to a passenger’s relative, refunds are handled on more of a case-by-case basis. You booked your ticket after your brother fell ill but before he died, and then you no-showed for your flight, which is an even grayer area.
But it looks like both Orbitz and Aer Lingus suggested you might qualify for a refund, so you were not wrong to expect some consideration after you showed your online agency and airline a death certificate.
And you did show them a death certificate — five times! I’m not really sure why they didn’t review it the first time you sent it and give you an answer to your refund request. If I had to guess, I’d say there’s a customer service chatbot on the loose somewhere, ignoring completely valid claims like yours and making you wait months for an answer.
One more thing: Orbitz is supposed to be your travel agent and advocate for you — not putting you in a holding pattern. A good travel agent, whether it’s electronic or human, will always help you get through a difficult situation like this.
Your case shows the importance of double- and triple-checking your flight itinerary. Your urgency was understandable, but at a time like this, you might have asked a friend or travel adviser to help you with your reservation.
Always keep a paper trail — which you did meticulously — and escalate your case as soon as possible. I’ve published executive contacts for Orbitz (owned by Expedia) on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.
I reached out to Orbitz on your behalf to find out about the status of your case. A few days later, Aer Lingus offered you a $715 flight credit, which you accepted.
“I certainly learned a lesson,” you added.
By sharing your story, I hope you can help others avoid a painful and unnecessary wait for a refund.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.
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