Refunds For Unused International Flights

[Wellington]

In March we booked two tickets from Phuket to London/Paris via KL with Malaysia Airlines through a local travel agent

In early April I had severe Heart problems and surgery was necessary (not here!)

Therefore we had to cancel.

The outward flights were for May and June.

The travel agent says the money ,less 5000 bht fees, will be refunded ,but not for SIX months.

This seems unreasonable

Anybody have similar experience or know what is normal and acceptable in Phuket?

Edited August 24, 2007 by Rse

[wileycoyote]

Generally,your agent is right.

He has to apply to the airline,who direct to their accounts who check the transaction who forward it to refunds who contacts your agents.

Even in the old days of paper tickets it took up to 3 months.

I believe that it it even slower now ?

Wiley Coyote

[dman]

In March we booked two tickets from Phuket to London/Paris via KL with Malaysia Airlines through a local travel agent

In early April I had severe Heart problems and surgery was necessary (not here!)

Therefore we had to cancel.

The outward flights were for May and June.

The travel agent says the money ,less 5000 bht fees, will be refunded ,but not for SIX months.

This seems unreasonable

Anybody have similar experience or know what is normal and acceptable in Phuket?

This is correct. I used to travel on business from Thailand for several years and had an excellent travel agent in CM. On one occasion I had to entirely cancel a flight to Limerick. When I called the agent to cancel, he said the refund would take 3-4 months. I thought he was scamming me at first, but on further questioning and apologies on his part he explained that the refund does not come directly from the airlines but from a holding company or middle man between the travel agents and the airlines. Welcome to Thailand. This is the one downside of using agents for international flights. If you buy direct from the airlines at the counter or from their websites you do not have the 3-4 month wait for a refund. BTW. I did finally get my refund after 5 months.