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Clerical error leads to loss of airline vouchers, thousands of dollars

By: Pete Knutson

Posted at 10:07 AM, Sep 08, 2022

and last updated 2022-09-08 23:40:13-04

TULSA, Okla. — An airline customer was told her family was out thousands of dollars in airline vouchers after a trip was canceled due to COVID-19.

The island of St. Lucia seemed to be calling their names last December. After a couple of years of COVID-19 lockdowns, masks, and restrictions, Debbie and Dorian Dolph just wanted to get away.

“When I booked it, we were a little leery, but I had some vouchers that were going to expire so we went ahead and made arrangements to make that trip,” Debbie tells us.

Then, as luck would have it, COVID-19 seemed to rear its ugly head again. Another bout was making the rounds.

So Debbie says she called American Airlines to see what would happen to their $3600 worth of vouchers if they canceled the flights. Would they lose them? Or could they still use them?

“They told me they were going to make an exception and that basically, we could use our vouchers, they couldn’t refund our money, but we could use our vouchers and we’d have until December of this year to use them.”

Debbie had American send her an email confirming the agreement.

So, it was much to Debbie’s surprise, when she got ahold of the airline several weeks ago, to schedule that long-delayed and much-needed getaway to be told the vouchers weren't valid anymore.

“I called and basically they told me the vouchers had already been used, and we couldn’t use them.”

No problem, Debbie thought. After all, she had emails from American stating they indeed could still use those vouchers. Except time and time again, Debbie says she was told, that was a no-go.

“I said, this is crazy.”

As weeks passed, along with more emails and calls, Debbie says American Airlines apologized for giving them wrong information.

“They just need to make it right.”

Still, Debbie says she was told the vouchers couldn’t be used again. They were out $3,600.

“I’m sorry, our mistake, we made the mistake, we shouldn’t have told you that, but we did. I said that doesn’t do me any good.”

And the fact she had a paper trail of emails and notes from phone calls documenting she was right, made Debbie even more upset.

“I just got frustrated with it and said enough is enough.”

That’s when Debbie called the 2 News Problem Solvers.

We got in touch with an American Airlines representative, who researched the situation. We were told the confusion seemed to be caused by some clerical errors. So Debbie and her husband were given credits, totaling almost $4,000, to be used in the next year.

“So we’re planning a trip, right now, probably just Cancun, go somewhere we can get away, and use the vouchers, put that behind us.”

Put their experience in the rearview mirror, even though the island of St. Lucia, may no longer be calling their names.

It’s important to remember. Debbie keeping that paper trail made it possible to get her problem resolved.

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