REFUND INFORMATION FOR TRAVEL AGENTS... 1 CONTACT INFORMATION... 2 PROCESSING TIMEFRAME... 2 REFUND PROCESSING ADMINISTRATION FEE...

Transcription

1 REFUND INFORMATION FOR TRAVEL AGENTS REFUND INFORMATION FOR TRAVEL AGENTS... 1 CONTACT INFORMATION... 2 PROCESSING TIMEFRAME... 2 REFUND PROCESSING ADMINISTRATION FEE... 2 EXCHANGE WITH A REFUND (NEGATIVE TAX-RESIDUAL VALUE)... 3 TIPS FOR TRAVEL AGENTS WHEN PROCESSING REFUNDS... 5 DUPLICATE BOOKINGS... 5 DISCOUNTS NOT TAKEN AT TIME OF TICKETING... 6 SAME-DAY VOID HOUR REFUND RULE... 7 FREQUENT EXCHANGE REFUND ERRORS... 7 WEB TICKETS/FLIGHT PASSES REFUNDED ONLINE... 8 DEATH AND IMMINENT DEATH REFUNDS...8 MILITARY PERSONNEL CALLED TO DUTY AND JURY DUTY... 8 TICKET USAGE... 9 HELPFUL REMINDERS AND TIPS... 9 GDS TRANSACTIONS TO DISPLAY HISTORICAL FARES IN GDS... 10

2 CONTACT INFORMATION Winnipeg Refund Services handles Deferred Refunds (PAST TRAVEL) and refund audits fr 014 tickets nly. Refunds fr ther airlines must be referred t the ticketing carrier. Web: Fax: Mail: Air Canada Winnipeg Refund Services P.O. Bx 6475 Winnipeg, MB Canada, R3C 3V2 PROCESSING TIMEFRAME Our hurs f peratin are Mnday t Friday, 07:00 15:00 CMT The nrmal prcessing time fr deferred refunds sent t Winnipeg Refund Services is up t 3 business weeks. Hwever, due t unfreseen circumstances (ex: technical issues with files, increases in ur vlumes due t extreme weather), prcessing time may increase. Nte: Please refrain frm requesting a status update within the same mnth f yur refund request. Please d nt send in a request fr the same claim multiples times r thrugh mre than ne department. Once all f the abve has been dne, if yu still require assistance regarding the refund, please visit we will gladly investigate further. A request fr refund des nt guarantee that a refund will be prcessed. Winnipeg Refund Services reviews and validates each request fr adherence t applicable rules, tariffs and plicies. The credit t yur client s accunt can take anther ne r tw credit card statements befre yur client sees the refund. With nline banking, yur client shuld see the transactin within 48 hurs. If nt, yur client shuld cntact their credit card cmpany and infrm them f the date Air Canada prcessed the refund. If yur travel agency is expecting a credit mem, please ensure that yu refund the client back as quickly as pssible. REFUND PROCESSING ADMINISTRATION FEE Refunds that culd have been prcessed in the GDS but have been sent t Winnipeg Refund Services will be subject t a nn-disputable refund prcessing administratin fee ($50 plus applicable taxes), per ticket. The fee is cllected thrugh an Agency Debit Mem (ADM) r a reduced Agency Credit Mem (ACM). Winnipeg Refund Services cntinues t prcess eligible* refund requests. *prcessing fee is nt charged. Infrmatin subject t change withut ntice. 9/29/ :09 PM 2

3 Nte: Refund Calculatins Please refrain frm sending requests t Winnipeg Refund Services r Custmer Relatins fr refund calculatins. Send the request fr refund t Winnipeg Refund Services and we will prcess the refund, if applicable. (Fee may be charged.) If yu have made a refund errr and have requested that Winnipeg Refund Services fix the errr, yu may be subject t bth a prcessing fee and an errr fee. HOW TO PREVENT DEBIT MEMOS All nn-refundable tickets refunded will be audited by the Air Canada Refund Services Audit Team, which will: A. Retrieve the PNR. B. Lk fr the remarks, new ticket number, flight infrmatin. 1. The remarks must be entered in the OSI line prir t refunding. 2. Remarks prvide infrmatin t the auditrs and give them insight int why yu refunded the ticket. Example: Due Death/grandfather/funeral 10ct14/submitted Death cert t YWG Example: Death/passenger/10ct14/death cert retained Example: Duplicate bking/ /seat cancelled Example: Unacceptable sked chg/flt 123/10ct14/greater than 60 mins C. Recalculate t ensure that: i. Change fee was deducted. ii. Any residual value was nt refunded if the new ticket s fare was less than the ld ticket s fare. iii. Check fr nn-refundable taxes that culd nt have been applied t the new ticket. By adding in remarks; Debit mems may g ut fr nly a fee instead f the full value Reduces the time required t research a mem Reduces the number f disputes Reduces the number f times a ticket needs t be handled. EXCHANGE WITH A REFUND (NEGATIVE TAX-RESIDUAL VALUE) Fr further infrmatin, please refer t CIC*170/17. Plicy and Cnditins Since 2005, exchanges with refund values are n lnger prcessed thrugh BSP. Air Canada sent a reminder t travel agencies in February 2011 n handling these requests. These requests are nt handled by Call Centres. Prcessing Fees Air Canada charges a prcessing fee f CA/US $50 fr each request sent t Air Canada Refund Services. The fee is prcessed if Air Canada is asked t prcess a refund that culd have been prcessed by an agency itself. An errr fee is charged if a step is missed the prcess; fr instance, referencing the new ticket. Infrmatin subject t change withut ntice. 9/29/ :09 PM 3

4 Travel Agency Prcess 1. If yu can display the ticket in its GDS, yu must: A. Add a nn-air segment B. Purchase a new ticket* (see nte belw) C. Cllect applicable fare and taxes D. Remark the riginal PNR and in the OSI field, add NEG TAX and the new ticket number**. Example: PNR/NEG TAX/NEW TICKET NUMBER E. Refund the riginal ticket, ensuring that change fees are deducted *If yu miss Step 1.B (Purchase a new ticket) and a debit mem has been issued fr the full value f the riginal ticket, if yu dispute that Step 1.B was missed with prf, yu will be charged an Errr Fee plus applicable taxes. **Please nte Step 1.D must be cmpleted prir t Step 1.E. 2. If yu cannt display the ticket in yur GDS, yu must: A. a refund request t Air Canada Refund Services B. Send in specific infrmatin, including: i. All ticket numbers ii. iii. Taxes yu wuld like refunded In the subject line f the S/B Exchange f partially used ticket; tax refund required r residual value refund required 3. Fr exchanged, partially-used tickets: A. Any refundable taxes r residual value must be sent t Refund Services. Travel agents cannt prcess these items. B. Send in specific infrmatin, including: i. All ticket numbers ii. iii. Taxes yu wuld like refunded In the subject line f the S/B Exchange f partially used ticket; tax refund required r residual value refund required. Hw t Prevent Debit Mems: All nn-refundable tickets refunded will be audited by the Air Canada Refund Services Audit Team, which will: D. Retrieve the PNR. E. Lk fr the remarks and new ticket number (Neg tax + 014) Example: PNR/NEG TAX/NEW TICKET NUMBER F. Recalculate t ensure that: iv. Change fee was deducted v. Any residual value was nt refunded if the new ticket s fare was less than the ld ticket s fare. vi. Check fr nn-refundable taxes that culd nt have been applied t the new ticket. Nte: If Neg tax + new ticket number step is missed, a debit mem will be sent ut fr the full value. Yu may dispute by prviding the new ticket number; hwever yu will be charged any applicable errr fees. Infrmatin subject t change withut ntice. 9/29/ :09 PM 4

5 TIPS FOR TRAVEL AGENTS WHEN PROCESSING REFUNDS With GDS issued tickets, yu can prcess refunds n: Refundable and partially refundable tickets, prvided yu: Can display the e-ticket and the cupn available fr refund has an pen status. Can display the fare and the histrical in yur GDS. Have wnership f the PNR. Duplicate tickets, prvided that yu cancel the duplicate space and enter the duplicate ticket number in an OSI field f the valid PNR. (Fr mre infrmatin n Duplicate Bkings, see belw.) Schedule change (SKCH) r irregular peratin (IROP) tickets, when the entire itinerary has been cancelled by Air Canada. First enter the cancelled flight number, date, rigin and destinatin, in an OSI field f PNR, then prcess the refund. Nte: Taxes may be refunded fr GDS tickets where the cancellatin fee is higher than the base fare; hwever the fare and cancellatin fee will be mitted frm the refund. DUPLICATE BOOKINGS Air Canada reserves the right t issue debit mems r invices when yur agency fails t cancel duplicate space which is ticketed and nt refunded prir t departure. Vilatins may include multiple tickets that were issued fr the same passenger and bked in the GDS; bked in the GDS and nline; multiple nline bkings and multiple tickets in the same PNR. What is cnsidered a duplicate bking? Any space held fr the same passenger that cannt all be flwn, due t timeline and/r illgical itinerary. This includes when yu hld: mre than ne bking fr the same passenger; in the same r different PNR; with the same r different travel segments; in the same r different bking classes; in the same r different CRS system. DEBIT MEMO AMOUNTS OR INVOICE PENALTIES: Prir t departure, cancel space: Step 1: agency shuld qute the OSI line with dupe refund and crss refer the ticket that is ging t be used. Step 2: when the agency refunds the dupe, the agency will simply receive a debit mem fr $50 errr fee because the agency fllwed these instructins and crrected their errr. If the agency cntacts Refund Services t prcess the same refund as described abve Air Canada will charge: $100 CA/US fr Canadian and Transbrder itineraries $150 CA/US fr Internatinal itineraries in errr fees plus a $100 CA/US prcessing fee Infrmatin subject t change withut ntice. 9/29/ :09 PM 5

6 If the agency cntacts Refund Services t prcess the same refund as described abve and there is seat spilage, Air Canada will charge (regardless f pint f sale) a $100 CA/US prcessing fee, the applicable change fee f the mst restrictive fare rule assciated with the NO SHOW ticket PLUS: $100 CA/US fr Canadian and Transbrder itineraries $150 CA/US fr Internatinal itineraries including Sydney If the agency cntacts Refund Services t prcess a refund where there are 2 tickets assciated with 1 PNR and 1 bked seat (n seat spilage): a $100 CA/US prcessing fee plus a $50 CA/US errr fee will be charged Nte: Abve penalty may exceed value f the duplicate ticket If the agency prcesses the refund and there is seat spilage Air Canada will charge (regardless f pint f sale) If yu d nt crss reference the dupe tickets (as utlined abve), the agency will receive an undisputable debit fr the full value f ticket If yu d crss reference the ticket and fllw prcedures, in additin t a $100 CA/US prcessing fee and the change fee f the mst restrictive fare rule assciated with the NO SHOW ticket, Air Canada will charge a debit mem f : 1. $100 CA/US fr Canadian and Transbrder itineraries 2. $150 CA/US fr Internatinal itineraries in errr fees Nte: Abve penalty may exceed value f the duplicate ticket DISCOUNTS NOT TAKEN AT TIME OF TICKETING Crprate cntracts Effective February 14, 2011, Air Canada will n lnger prcess a refund retractively if the discunt was nt taken at the time f ticketing due t agent/agency errr. Net fare cntracts Deferred refunds are accepted; hwever, each ticket is subject t a prcessing fee and an errr fee. Children s discunts If a child's discunt was nt taken at time f ticketing, there are tw ptins available t yu: 1. Once travel is cmplete, apply fr a refund f the applicable discunt. Yu will receive a nndisputable ADM fr an errr fee and prcessing fee. 2. Purchase a new ticket and apply the discunt (based n available fare at the time f ticketing). On the ld ticket, qute the OSI line with discunt errr and the new ticket number. Refund the ld ticket. When the ld ticket is audited, Winnipeg Refund Services will crss-reference and nly apply an errr fee f $50 + tax. Infrmatin subject t change withut ntice. 9/29/ :09 PM 6

7 SAME-DAY VOID Canadian travel agencies Yu must vid the ticket and cancel yur client s itinerary by 23:59 the day the ticket was issued. Otherwise, tickets sent t fr refund by Winnipeg Refund Services will be subject t a refund prcessing administratin fee. U.S. travel agencies ARC travel agents can vid transactins in Sabre until 23:59 lcal time the next business day after ticket issuance. Fr example, tickets issued n Friday, Saturday r Sunday can be vided the fllwing Mnday until 23:59. ARC recgnizes hlidays; agencies can vid the first business day after the hliday. Transactins are recnciled in the Interactive Agent Reprting (IAR). An e-ticket must reflect the status VOID in the cupns n the bth the ARC side and the airline side t avid ADMs. 24 HOUR REFUND RULE When a GDS fare is purchased, Air Canada will allw a refund within 24 hurs f yur purchase: Fr example: A fare that was purchased n yur GDS n May 1, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. EST, can be refunded up t May 2, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. EST. The 24 hur refund rule is applicable n: Published and net fares Tickets with cdeshare flights Tickets with interline flights T claim a refund, yu are required t g thrugh the BSP and include 24 hur rule in the OSI field n the PNR prir t cancelling the PNR. Refund errrs may be subject t debit mems. In rder t refund a ticket withut cancelling the segments r PNR itself, yu must enter the OSI, cancel the PNR and then prcess the refund. Please nte the 24 hur refund plicy des nt apply t grup fares r fares purchased fr same-day travel. Fare rules apply fr any fares cancelled r refunded beynd 24 hurs. FREQUENT EXCHANGE REFUND ERRORS a) If the value f a nn-refundable ticket is applied twards a refundable ticket, the value f the exchanged ticket always remains nn-refundable and carries frward t the exchanged ticket. (Original nn- refundable value always remains nn- refundable.) b) If yu have a refundable ticket that has been exchanged fr a nn-refundable ticket, please frward t Winnipeg Refund Services fr prcessing. Example 1 in errr, agency charged the client $ fr a change fee instead f $133.93: The travel agent shuld let the client knw that they have gne t Air Canada n their behalf t recup the funds. Winnipeg Refund Services will review the claim and charge the agency any applicable prcessing and errr fees. Infrmatin subject t change withut ntice. 9/29/ :09 PM 7

8 Example 2 agency exchanged a ticket with an ADCOL that is mre than the cst f the riginal ticket: a) If an pen ticket is wrth $500 and the new ticket purchased has an ADCOL f $200, but the entire ticket is nly $600, the residual value f the exchanged ticket is frfeited. b) If ticket #1 is valued at $500 is exchanged fr ticket that is $700 and the travel agency prcesses an ADCOL f $1200 instead f $200, we will refund and then issue an ADM fr applicable fees. WEB TICKETS/FLIGHT PASSES REFUNDED ONLINE Refundable and nn-refundable tickets, as well as flight passes, within 24 hurs f bking: The tickets will be refunded withut penalty. Refundable tickets at anytime: The refund will be credited t the riginal frm f payment r yur clients can chse t retain the value fr future travel. DEATH AND IMMINENT DEATH REFUNDS Travel agents can prcess a refund t due t death r imminent death fr bth fully refundable tickets and nn-refundable tickets n Air Canada (014) ticket stck nly. When prcessing a refund due t death r imminent death, the fllwing remarks must be included in the OSI field: flight number(s) date(s) f travel rigin/destinatin relatinship t the deceased r advise wh passed away The custmer must als prvide ne f the fllwing: cpy f the death certificate funeral directr's statement crner's statement acknwledgement f registratin issued by a prvincial gvernment In the case f imminent death, a letter frm the treating physician n fficial letterhead and/r n a prescriptin pad must be prvided. Please ensure yu keep the dcument(s) n file fr 7 years, as yu may be requested t prduce it fr audit purpses. MILITARY PERSONNEL CALLED TO DUTY AND JURY DUTY If a custmer is called t military r jury duty and is n lnger able t travel as ticketed as a result f being called t duty, Air Canada s plicy allws fr a full refund n an unused ticket withut penalty upn presentatin f military r judicial rders. Infrmatin subject t change withut ntice. 9/29/ :09 PM 8

9 If a change fee is paid, change fees can be refunded n a deferred basis. The refund applies t: the custmer called t military r jury duty immediate family members ticketed t travel with the military persnnel/jurr travel cmpanins ticketed t travel with the military persnnel/jurr When prcessing a refund due t being called t duty, the fllwing remarks must be included in the OSI field: Military/Jury Duty Date Military/Judicial rder n file Military/Judicial rder f travelling cmpanin n file Fr partially used tickets: If yur custmer prefers t keep the value f the unused ticket fr future travel, please advise yur custmer that they are respnsible fr any additinal cllectin. Hwever; One change fee may be waived. Please remark the reasn why the change fee is being waived. Example: Jury Duty/14sep15/change fee waived Please ensure yu keep the rders n file fr ne year, as yu may be requested t prduce it fr audit purpses. TICKET USAGE If yu are unable t display the e-ticket, please cntact Air Canada at [email protected] t validate the cupn status. Please refrain frm cntacting Ticket Usage fr refund requests. HELPFUL REMINDERS AND TIPS When cancelling 014 tickets which include ther airline segments, please cnfirm the cancellatin/cupn status with the ther airline. An ADM will be issued if the ther airline sends Air Canada a PAX NO SHOW message fr the scheduled flight. It is against IATA ticketing rules t issue 2 r mre tickets fr the same passenger n the same PNR. Ensure that yur clients are ntified f schedule changes. When an itinerary has been cancelled by Air Canada as a result f irregular peratin (IROP) please cancel any assciated tickets. Enter the cancelled flight number, date, rigin and destinatin in the OSI field f the PNR, then prcess the refund. As per IATA regulatins, a travel agency cannt use their wn credit card r an agent s persnal credit card t pay fr a client s travel. This practice is nt nly a significant client irritant as it creates a tw-step prcess fr the client t receive their refund, but it may subsequently nullify the client s travel insurance and impact re-issuance f tickets. When a client has paid cash fr a ticket, any eligible refund will be prcessed as an ACM t the travel agent. Please be reminded that it is the travel agency s respnsibility t reimburse the client. Infrmatin subject t change withut ntice. 9/29/ :09 PM 9

10 Web tickets (nn-refundable and refundable) can be refunded withut penalty within 24 hurs f bking. Outside f 24 hurs f bking, refundable web tickets will be credited t the riginal frm f payment. Clients may als chse t retain the value fr future travel. If yu believe that an errr has ccurred when making an nline bking, verify yur bking activity via Manage My Bkings tab frm the hme page f aircanada.cm/agents and cntact Air Canada Reservatins. D nt make a secnd bking, as yu may be charging yur client s credit card mre than nce. GDS tickets can be refunded prvided: yu have wnership f the PNR the e-ticket and the fare can be displayed the cupn status is OPEN Please try t crrect any errrs as sn as they are discvered. If the errr ccurred n a nn-refundable fare, the travel agency will be subject t an ADM based n the applicable fare rules. Under-refunded tickets shuld visit fr handling. Future travel errrs (child fare/wrng name/duplicate bkings) shuld be handled as fllws: Refund in full, qute the reasn fr the refund/errr in the OSI line and ensure the new bking is referenced. Agency will nly receive a debit mem fr the errr fee. Winnipeg Refund Services des nt handle requests fr future travel. If yu are unable t display an e-ticket, please cntact send an t [email protected] fr validatin f the cupn status. Refunds submitted withut the cancellatin penalty cannt be adjusted nce submitted. An ADM will be autmatically generated. If a ticket has been vided instead f refunded in errr, an ADM will be autmatically generated. GDS TRANSACTIONS TO DISPLAY HISTORICAL FARES IN GDS Yur GDS prvides help pages and help desks t assist yu with varius transactins: Apll HELP $DHISTORY Display up t 1 year prir t tday s date $DYYZYVR11JUN09T24MAY09+AC (departure date / ticket issue date) Sabre FQAFO010 under Frmat Finder Display up t 400 days prir t tday's date FQ24MAY09YYZYVR11JUN09-AC (ticket issue date / departure date) Wrldspan HELP 4F Display up t 13 mnths prir t tday s date 4FYYZYVR11JUN0924MAY09-AC (departure date / ticket issue date) Galile H/FD r HELP FD Display up t 1 year prir t tday s date FDYYZYVR11JUN09/AC (departure date) Amadeus HELP FQD (als see MS190) Display up t 1 year prir t tday s date FQDYYZYVR/AAC/D11JUN09 (departure date) Infrmatin subject t change withut ntice. 9/29/ :09 PM 10