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A California man has filed a class action lawsuit because he was reportedly denied an Expedia refund for a flight that was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Daniel Mahoney says that Expedia denied him a number refunds for cancelled flights during the coronavirus outbreak. By refusing to refund the price of their airline tickets, the company violated the Washington Consumer Protection Act, Mahoney says.
Mahoney originally filed his class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of Washington for King County on July 29, but the case was later removed to the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Washington at Seattle on Aug. 28. His case is one of hundreds that have been filed against travel booking services, airlines and hotels nationwide since the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S., severely restricting travel both nationally and internationally.
The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 12, prompting U.S. officials to issue travel bans that blocked most travel from continental Europe to the United States. Domestic travel restrictions began four days later, on March 16, limiting the number of flights to only the bare minimum for weeks.
Travel restrictions were also placed on Americans from outside the country, with many other countries banning the entry of those traveling from the U.S. Many of those bans remain in place today, including across most of Europe.
“As airlines announced flight cancellations (combined with decreased bookings), some took a variety of steps to make it difficult, if not impossible, for consumers to receive any refund on pandemic cancelled flights,” the Expedia refund class action lawsuit says.
“Despite its role as middleman or broker in its customers’ purchase of air travel on these airlines, Expedia did not intervene or take steps to ensure that its customers were given the right to receive a refund.”
The problem was so significant, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued warnings to the airlines – in April and again in May – to remind domestic and foreign carriers that, “during the pandemic, their ‘obligation to refund passengers for cancelled or significantly delayed flights remains unchanged,’” the Expedia refund class action notes.
At the time of the first warning, the department said it had already gotten more than 25,000 complaints about air travel refunds.
Not knowing of the troubles ahead, Mahoney reportedly purchased a round-trip airline ticket through Expedia in December 2019, to travel from San Francisco to Milan, Italy on July 19 via TAP Air Portugal. He says that he paid $905.08 for the flights.
On May 24, Mahoney allegedly got a notice from Expedia saying the flight had been cancelled and advising him to respond immediately with his preference for how to proceed. The only option listed in the e-mail was to request a full refund, he said.
During an online webchat with an Expedia agent the next day, Mahoney allegedly requested an Expedia refund but was told he would receive an American Airlines voucher instead and that “the airline would not provide a refund.”
When he asked again for a refund, the agent reportedly ended the chat. A second attempt in another customer service webchat ended the same, Mahoney says in his class action.
After a series of telephone calls to Expedia, Mahoney reportedly spoke to a supervisor who said he would check into the refund and contact him later. A week later, after trying again with another Expedia supervisor, Mahoney says that he was again told he could not have an Expedia refund – only a voucher.
“During this unprecedented global health and economic crisis, consumers’ need for refunds over travel vouchers is pressing,” the Expedia refund class action lawsuit says. “Travel vouchers provide little security in this crisis, particularly where many individuals need money now to pay for basics like food and rent.”
Mahoney’s allegations are echoed in number of similar lawsuits. USA Today reported on a number of early complaints filed against some of the biggest airlines – United, American and Delta. Coverage of these lawsuits noted that, because the transportation department’s refund requirement is vague in its wording, airline policies vary and “some are using that lack of clear guidance as a way to get out of issuing refunds.”
Did you book a flight or a vacation that was cancelled by the coronavirus outbreak? Were you denied a refund? Tell us about it in the comment section below.
Mahoney and the proposed Class Members are represented by Daniel F. Johnson, Breskin Johnson and Townsend PLLC.
The Expedia Refund Class Action Lawsuit is Daniel Mahoney, et al. v. Expedia Inc., Case No. 2:20-cv-01296-TSZ, in the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Washington at Seattle.
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98 thoughts onClass Action Alleges Denied Expedia Refund During Coronavirus Outbreak
I booked a ticket on Expedia–all legs cancelled by the airline. Got my ticket refunded but NOT the travel insurance ($97). Called Expedia–told to contact AIG by email or calling. Emailed–> told to call—> got transferred three times–> got put on hold for nearly an HOUR–. nobody ever picked up. Emailed AIG several times and kept getting this response (probably from an BOT):
Thank you for this opportunity to assist you.
Due to the nature of your inquiry, we respectfully request that you call our office at 1-855-400-2646. Kindly have your policy and/or claim number available so that we can better assist you
Each situation is unique, and a representative is available to answer any questions you may have
regarding the protection plan you purchased.
Thank you,
Liz L.
Claims Representative
AIG Travel | General Insurance
TravelPlan@aig.com
Total scam and ridiculous.
I have tried many different ways for my refund, or credit but they cancelled my flights and hotel with 0 refund. This was my first time using Expedia wish someone had told me about this.
Booked flights to Spain via Expedia (5k). Flight was cancelled due to COVID. My Expedia profile showed that I had a airline credit that must be booked and used prior to April 2023. Went to book flights and found the credit to be un-usable. Now I go back and forth between Expedia and British Airways. Both claim the other owe us the credit but both refuse to grant it.
Wow. This exactly happened to me I can’t believe this Expedia is still in market. I am still fighting for my refunds but no answer. When I dispute, still did not help now I am filing a claim.
This is what happened to me as well with Expedia. Thought we had almost $10K flight credit. Went to use it, it’s gone when we can finally travel. Back and forth with Expedia and Air France. No one helping. Where did the money go?
I booked a trip in February 2020 to Roatan (flights and hotel) with expedia.If course things were card and I received the hotel refund but not the flights with Avianca of $756.I received a voucher code and I’ve also tried to get a refund,but nothing.I try calling Avianca and get put off or no answer.I’m going to try going to their office in person since no one will answer phone and show all my papers.It looks like I’m getting scammed.
El 30 de octubre compré un vuelo por Expedia y me lo cancelaron hasta el momento he intentado por chat por.correo por llamada y no lo he logrado
I had a trip planned to Canada in 2020 and was told I could only get airline vouchers which I did but the border was not open in 2021 so I still could not take the trip and Expedia keeps telling me they need to get approval from the airlines in order to refund me which I now know to be a lie. I’ve contacted them through phone at which time they said I was eligible for the refund but then all of a sudden said I wasn’t because I had used a voucher on my original flight. I also have a very long FB chat with them that they’ve decided to no longer answer. This delay tactic is intentional and very unprofessional so I’m hoping to get on the lawsuit in order to get my money back. I’ve already filed a complaint with the DOT but so far no response.
We were going on a senior trip for my daughter to Los Angeles, I got a great deal for seven of us Round trip tickets and vehicle rental. They refunded the vehicle rental and the $1486.47 for airline tickets they will only give vouchers for each person, even though I paid the total on my credit card each person has to use the voucher themselves. Some don’t want to or can’t travel by March 31, 2022 when it expires. Anything I can do?
I purchased flights from Expedia for Latam Air and Jet Blue for a trip to Peru. Expedia says they can’t get refunded from the airlines and can only offer a voucher, but the flight has to be in 2021. I am not flying to South America (Latam) in 2021. I asked if the voucher could be used to purchase a flight for 2022 they said the flight has to be in 2021. I would accept the voucher if I could use it for 2022.
My credit card company, Barclay, has also not been helpful. I will never book through Expedia again, and I will continue to pursue the $1,700 in airfare that I am owed.
Booked 2 one way flights from Dominic Republic to St. Lucia with a layover in Miami. American airlines canceled our flight from Miami to St. Lucia at the Dominic airport.
Expedia said they would rebook our flights.
When we got to Miami we could not get our flights rebooked due to the Expedia customer call center putting me on hold for hours then hanging up. We were stuck in Miami which was costing us money. Had to cancel our resort reservations in St. Lucia and had to fly home.