As we close out the week, I want to give props to Delta for doing such a great job of processing refunds. It’s something that we should take for granted, but unfortunately has not been the case for every airline.
Why focus on Delta? Well, I know Delta is not the only airline that has been good about refunds, but I also know that refunds have never been an issue on Delta. Not in my experience, not in my client’s experience, and not in my reader’s experience. That speaks volumes. Some report delays in receiving refunds, but refund departments are backlogged right now. I have yet to hear of a promised refund not eventually hitting.
It’s one thing to do the “right thing” when the spotlight is on you and you’re called out on bad behavior. It’s quite another to do the right thing from the very beginning, even when no one is watching.
What Delta Is Telling Employees About Refunds
While the refund news was overshadowed by the 777 retirement announcement yesterday, Delta CEO Ed Bastian also shared that Delta has continued to process refunds, despite the significant drain on cashflow:
We continue to hear from our customers about the great work you are doing every day. I’ve received many emails and messages in recent weeks thanking us for the amazing work of our Reservations and Customer Care professionals, particularly as they’ve assisted with processing refunds.
Delta has refunded more than $1.2 billion to our customers since the pandemic began, including $160 million so far this month. It reflects an enormous volume of cash refunds that our people have handled with their renowned professionalism and empathy.
As one customer put it in a survey response, “I was anticipating a hassle from previous customer support experiences with other companies, but my concern was addressed in a way that felt very good as a consumer. This was my best support experience ever.”
Thanks to the Reservations and Care team – you are the best in the business.
I love that Delta sees its future in taking care of customers and earning their trust. United, sadly, sees its survival changes buoyed only being stingy and downright unlawful with refunds.
What a difference…
And just like Delta should not be singled out, United is not the only one who has been playing games. Alaska, Air France, British Airways, and Lufthansa have also displayed bad behavior on the refund front.
CONCLUSION
I do not try to downplay how grim the situation is for airlines. Even as travel cautiously begins to rebound, it is still down more than 90% versus 2019. Airlines are in a fight for survival. But what’s the point of surviving if you’ve alienated all your customers? Trust is painstakingly won and quickly lost. There is a trust deficit with Delta concerning its SkyMiles program, but I must commend Delta for so consistently and so honorably ensuring refunds are processed.
image: Delta
I also managed not to steal from anyone the past month (which is what cancelling a flight without giving a refund is) and I’m not going to strain my shoulder patting myself on the back.
Delta cancelled a flight of mine in March for travel in April (stopped flying to the country completely). I requested a refund on March 30th. After 7 business days I asked where the refund was and was told it could take up to 21 business days. After 21 business (a full calendar month) I still didn’t have the refund so I asked again and was told it was taking up to 30 business days. So I filed a DOT complaint and finally got the money on the 25th business day after I requested it. In the meantime AA processed a bunch of refunds for me in 4 or 5 business days.
Your first sentence is obviously correct, but seeing that airlines *are* getting away with being bad, it is nevertheless refreshing.
Now they are lating off 7k pilots…how sad. Delta has been my prefered airline for years.
We booked our flight to Italy in February leaving May 2nd for two weeks with a AAA agent who used Avanti Destinations.
We paid in full in February. Our trip came to approximately $12,000 for 4 adults. We were booked on Delta. We were given a refund (which we haven’t received yet of $6,500 and Avanti kept the rest for “cancellation fees”, which we obviously didn’t cancel, the government cancelled. If Delta refunded to Avanti all the money for our flights, why do they get to keep our money too? I think that is called double dipping. Our AAA agent did not go to bat for us at all.
I am waiting for my refund and expect Delta to keep is commitment of full cash refund.
Best,
J.Colon
Jacksonville, Florida
The refund department probably saw your name and assumed it was a prank
I requested a refund 13 April – still have not received it- just empty promises and growing timelines. …..
Yeah, I booked a (flexible fare) Delta flight two months ago and I cancelled this morning in a matter of minutes (got the confirmation, just waiting for the money to show up now). On the other hand, Lufthansa cancelled my flight which I am supposed to take very soon (Sunday) over three weeks ago and our requested refund hasn’t even been confirmed yet.
my refund from Delta hasn’t been processed after month and a half. Got an email of refund immediately after cancelletion but even today it shows “pending” even though email said 21 business days max…So I just started a dispute with my cc company. I have to disagree in this case.
Thanks for the data point. Did you file a DOT dispute or just go right to your credit card company?
I guess I’d say at least Delta has promised it, not denied it like UA/LH/AF.
Why do you have a hard on for Delta? Obvious hate for United and others. Pssst. They’re all the same.
Different experiences for different people.
I held for 90 minutes with SWA today and have to get approval for a refund on a flight they cancelled but then reinstated.
Hard on for Delta? Have you heard me tear Delta and Bastian apart for their hypocrisy on subsidies. Keep reading. I’m a fair guy.
Yep, exactly. They are good at the part of saying they will process a refund, they are not good at the part where they actually have to give your money back.
My flight was to Florida in early April, requested a refund via their website and haven’t heard a word. Rebooked for next week, and a credit didn’t even show up. Not thrilled about the customer service that others are raving about.
Excellent article Matthew, thank you.
Thankfully I don’t log 200k a year like you do (I’m a platinum on Delta and gold on AA).
Companies like Delta will be rewarded when things return to “normal” and others will be penalized for “bad behavior”, and rightfully so.
Delta has always treated me right and have earned my business for doing the right thing.
AMERICAN AIRLINES GAVE REFUNDS IMMEDIATELY!
DELTA ONLY FOLLOWED AA!
The refused to give me a refund.
Service Representatives said that I cancelled the flight so therefore I was not entitled to a refund. Irregardless that the country (Aruba) I was traveling to had shuttered its airpots.
They gave me a credit. I need my money now! Not a credit.
Same… requested refund on April 10, still in Pending Status.
I got $3500 back from them without even asking for a cancelled Europe flight.
I still would have flown, but they didn’t even ask, just gave me full refund.
I’m flying Delta every week right now, and about to book more paid J for intl stuff.
I am not looking at flying any other airline right now.
They get my money
Delta kalways goes above and beyond i am not surprice that they will continue to do great things because their priority is always there custumers. As a Delta custumer i support them 100% and as soon as i am able to travel to STI i will be using my tickets i have on hold its always a pleaure cant wait to fly with you again.
Luz Serrano
Delta took quick care of our Sky Miles and FCM refunds, all returned within 5 business days. Yes, the phone calls took a while, waiting for the robo-return-calls was hours, but worthwhile. The CS personnel were pleasant and professional, we commiserated at the number of calls and variety of screens needed to make the whole thing work.
But it worked. Thanks, Delta!!
It is great to hear that Delta are doing the right thing with refunds. We had a good experience with Spirit surprisingly. It wasn’t a refund but they let us use the credit (which we did successfully to a later flight). The good news with Spirit ended there though. The air hostess on the flight was horrible and had no consideration of COVID19. We asked to move seats as the plane was half empty so we did not have to sit side by side with people. She said “You are on a commercial flight – sit where you are placed. If you choose to fly during COVID19 – you are flying at your own risk”. Pretty stupid theory , some people have to fly to return home. No wonder it spread so fast!
I didn’t get a refund from Delta for two canceled trips. I did however get a credit, good for a year. The only thing I’m worried about, is that if I can’t make the trips up in a year, then I will lose the money.
Double check the expiration date – it should have automatically extended to 9/30/2022. I recently canceled a Delta flight and that’s how long my credit is valid.
Matthew,
I absolutely agree with you. Delta has been the best at issuing refunds for me when the flight travelled without a cancellation but the destination country had revoked visas for foreigners. It took a few weeks and just two calls and the refund did come through.
They let me change my april flight like 5 times without problems. They had isses with klm/air france on my flight to barcelona. No up charge if they did I would have asked for a cash refund and got a lower price later in the year, Long wait time but other than that they were cool with it as I have a flight with them in sept.
I had a good experience with British Airways. It took them a bit more than two weeks but they did refund. Same with AA. Fortunately I didn’t have a ticket booked with UA this time.
Kirby has no understanding of how he is decimating United’s brand and trust by not giving people their hard earned money back.
AMERICAN AIRLINES ISSUED REFUNDS IMMEDIATELY!
DELTA ONLY FOLLOWED AA!
AA #1.
YOU HAVE A “HARD ON” FOR DELTA!
DELTA’S PLANES ARE OLD!
TIRESOME.
“Not in my experience, not in my client’s experience, and not in my reader’s experience.”
You only have one client and one reader? Tsk, tsk…
It’s been a while since I felt the need to correct your spelling/grammar. Hope you’re going well.
Good for you Delta.
Matthew, how about shining a light on Condor Airlines? They just send you an email with a statement “We have cancelled your flight as requested….” (um, I have made no such request). Now trying to get my money from Condor. I filed a complaint with Condor, US DOT, disputed the charge with my credit company.
I totally disagree Delta said they will only give me a credit. I cancelled my family and I was not going to put our health in jeopardy. I said Delta needs to do the right thing and refund money people don’t even know if they they will have money or able to travel later. I need the money returned not a credit extended for month or next year. I made a complaint still have heard anything about getting a refund not happy with Delta.DO THE RIGHT THING!!!
United really has been sh!t on refunds…dealing with my own case now
Delta cancelled my flight to Egypt and rightfully agreed to a refund to my Delta AmEx card. But seven weeks later they still have not processed the refund. Meanwhile American airlines cancelled a later flight and refunded me within two weeks. I was in the process of abandoning my American lifetime Platinum status and switching to Delta, but now I’m not so sure.
Hi. I cannot compare delta with other airlines since i have been their client since 2001 (nortwest at that time). But since then i have never encountered any problems despite cancellations. I usually settled for vouchers so i can use it in the future. I am from the Philippines so i guess my case is different from the rest of you. Presently we have 4 vouchers coz of this pandemic.i just hope by december we can travel and delta will not charge more.
DL canceled our June UK trip (Dec booked) and advised we would get ecredit. Had to scour their site for a refund exemption form. Deceptive. And still waiting on a reply.
Why not just call?
I haven’t had a lot of luck with Delta on refunds for my trip that was booked to from NYC – SFO – LA – NYC (original book was for March 25 travel and rebook was June 29 travel), with my son and I attending a wedding in LA that was cancelled twice because of COVID-19, still no light at the end of the tunnel for wedding date.
Delta was not helpful with refunding my money, customer service was subpar below standard, waited six hours for return call, when I did get through, I requested to talk to a supervisor (Lindsey), even though I am a Platinum member, didn’t help a bit, they were stuck to reading a script, claimed it was a DOT thing, offered up nothing, no alternatives, how to apply for refunds, zippo – nothing, got so frustrated, I hung up.
Delta issued a credit to my account for one ticket (not what I wanted) and assuming issued same credit to my son who is not a Delta frequent flyer, still struggling to locate were the credit ended up for my son,…haven’t been able to reach Delta the past this week, they are not taking calls. It’s not right, Delta has my money, will only issue a credit to my account, to use at a later date, for one ticket, even though I paid for two tickets for my son and I, my issue is if delta goes belly up or my son or I can’t travel, I lose. It’s a “Heads I WIN, TAILS YOU LOSE” situation. A real slimy thing Delta is pulled – they get the bail out the consumer gets the shaft. Didn’t think I would ever see Delta turn a blind eye on those loyal customers that keep Delta in the air.
Anything you can do to help me with requesting a refund or having any suggestions (angle) that I can chase down would be most helpful. I’m not going to let this go – it’s a principle thing now.
“Thank You Delta For Doing The Right Thing…”, a bunch of double talk, sophistry, fallacy, deception, deceit, treachery…and the list goes on!!!!! “Buyer be ware”