Always Double Check Your Flights for Costly Errors
The traveler’s problem with booking a plane ticket through the online portal Chase shows why you should always double-check your bookings for errors as soon as you make them.
According to The Points Guy , a reader tried to book a ticket with American Airlines through the Chase portal, but found that she had been issued a Basic Economy ticket instead of the Main Cabin ticket she had used to purchase. The main cabin is a “nicer” seat: it includes seat selection, free snacks, carry-on luggage and an upgrade option, while a basic economy ticket is not (technically, the basic tier is the lowest tier in the main stateroom) … This means more expensive.
To remedy the situation, she called Chase Travel Rewards and the ticket was canceled. She then overbooked but faced the same problem. Chase then booked a ticket for her and she got the correct ticket. After The Points Guy contacted the airline, it was revealed that the American Airlines system had accidentally downgraded several passenger tickets in the same way due to a systemic “error.” A.A. promised to reissue to passengers the tickets for which they paid.
This shows that all travelers should be sure to double-check their itineraries as soon as confirmation is sent to them. As we wrote earlier, you have 24 hours to cancel your reservation (provided that there is at least seven days left before departure) and receive a refund as provided by the US Department of Transportation. Here is a detailed description of how each major airline interprets this rule.
This means checking for simple things like spelling the correct name, date and airport, as well as things like the cabin room you booked in. TPG invites you to subscribe to FlightAlerts to keep track of any schedule changes to your flights.
If you spot a mistake after the 24-hour window is closed, your next step is to call the airline and politely ask if they can help you. If you have a credit card for that airline or are an Elite Status holder, this can help, as can travel insurance if you purchased one. Otherwise, you might have to pay for a change – and depending on the airline (with the exception of Southwest), this can be quite expensive . So be sure to double and triple check your booking after you make it.