If you purchased a ticket from American Airlines Group only to later receive a refund for that ticket, it’s possible that the refund didn’t cover the entire purchase. American Airlines Group charges a ticketing fee for in-person and phone purchases, and those fees are not always refunded with the ticket price. If you have documentation showing that your ticket and ticketing fee were not fully refunded by American Airlines, you may be eligible to join a class action suit against the airline.
Some customers are also reporting being wrongly charged a ticket-change fee. American Airlines Group states that a ticket can be changed free of charge within 24 hours of the purchase so long as the ticket was purchased at least two days before the scheduled departure time. If you were charged a fee for changing your ticket despite meeting the above requirements, you may also be eligible for compensation.
Why Are American Airlines Group Agents Charging Ticketing Fees?
According to American Airlines Group’s guide to basic fees, ticketing fees are applied to any ticket purchases booked on the phone or in person. According to the Consumerist, fees for in-person and phone purchases became popular with airlines after the majority of ticket sales moved online. Some airlines, such as Delta, have since removed these fees, but American Airlines Group is not one of them.
How Much are Ticketing Fees?
The Consumerist reports that fees for in-person or phone purchases generally fall between $10 and $35. American Airlines Group charges higher fees than many airlines. In fact, only Hawaiian Airlines charges as much for in-person purchases. Delta, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, Southwest, and Virgin Airlines do not charge in-person fees at all. Airline fees do have a tendency to fluctuate, however, so different consumers may pay different fees.
Ticketing fees are just one of the many types of fees airlines tack onto our purchases. American Airlines Group also charges for paper tickets if an electronic version is available; changing the name on an unused ticket costs $100 and just correcting the spelling costs $25. There are ticket change fees of up to $250, unless the change is made within 24 hours of the purchase.
Should Ticket Fees Be Refunded if You Cancel Your Flight?
There are many sorts of unforeseen circumstances that can get in the way of air travel. Unfortunately, the majority of airlines charge hefty fees for changes to your ticket or cancellation. The only way to guarantee that you will be able to change or cancel your flight and still get a refund is to buy refundable tickets. However, these tickets are often extremely expensive, according to Airfarewatchdog.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) lays out a series of guidelines for when airline tickets must be or can be refunded. If a flight is canceled or changed significantly by the airline, DOT requires airlines to give a refund. DOT also states that fees should be refunded in these cases. However, when the airline is not at fault for the change, DOT states that the customer may not be entitled to a refund. DOT does require airlines to give refunds for cancellations if they happen within 24 hours of booking so long as the ticket was purchased at least seven days before the scheduled departure. American Airlines Group extends that protection to any tickets purchased within two days of the scheduled departure.
How to Claim Compensation
DOT stipulates that any airline travel refunds must be processed within seven days if the passenger paid by credit and 20 days if they paid cash or check. If the refund you received didn’t cover in-person or phone fees, you may be eligible for compensation.
In order to file a claim for compensation, it is important to obtain and keep receipts and documentation of both the purchase and the refund. Not having this documentation can make it difficult to file a strong claim. If you feel you have been wrongly charged a fee by American Airlines Group for changing your ticket within 24 hours of your purchase, keep any records of the purchase, the change and the charge for that change, and any other documentation regarding the purchase. You can seek assistance from a lawyer with experience in class actions involving refunds, airlines, or American Airlines Group specifically.
Join an American Airlines Group Lawsuit
If you were wrongly charged or improperly refunded by American Airlines Group, you may qualify to join a class action against the company. Plaintiffs may be eligible for a full refund of any fees or charges. Applying to join a class action lawsuit is usually free, and a large number of plaintiffs can help convince a jury or judge to take action even if the individual cost isn’t high.
Join a Free American Airlines Fees Class Action Lawsuit Investigation
If American Airlines charged you improper fees or failed to issue a full refund that you were entitled to receive, you may have a legal claim.
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