Continental Airline Tickets

How do I get a refund on a non-refundable airline ticket purchased directly from the carrier?

I have heard it can be done. My father canceled weeks before the scheduled flight due to health reasons. His doctor has said he will not be able to fly-period. Continental's heartless supervisors will not let him transfer the credit to buy me a ticket (I have done this with Southwest). I have talked to the credit card company and they may be able to reverse the charges.

Public Comments

1. I'm not sure if this can be done however like you said you may be able to fight the charge thru the credit card company.
2. Unless you can appeal to someone high up in Continental, you probably won't be able to get the money back. He knew it was non-refundable and they don't legally have to give you the refund. Of course it is morally and ethically reprehensible, but they don't care about that. I'll remember not to fly with Continental.
3. A non refundable ticket is just that nonrefundable, However, you can cancel a ticket and receive a voucher from that airline to use that ticket witin a year from the time of purchase with a good reason (Health Reasons, Deaths ETC), but heres the trick, the ticket can ONLY be used for the original name that the 1st ticket was issued in. IE: Your Father's name. So sorry to say your SOL. You will have to purchased your own ticket.
4. Flight tickets are not transferable and if it is non-refundable you should not be surprised that it is ... "non-refundable"! Medical reasons are very often not accepted. For this case there are travel insurance policies that cover the damage. However, you might ask for a refund of the taxes. Nowadays taxes make a big part of the ticket fare - so maybe not all is lost! Good Luck!
5. It's a nonrefundable ticket. The only way they will refund it is in the case of death and then they'd be asking for a copy of the death certificate. Most airlines do not allow changing the passenger on the ticket. The exceptions are Southwest and Alaska. That "heartless" supervisor was quoting the rules which are available to every traveller on the airlines website. Buying a ticket is an agreement to follow their rules. I can guarantee that is you try to do a chargeback you won't be successful. Every time you've called the airline they've documented the whole conversation in your record. The only possible hope is that you have a note from a doctor stating that he'll NEVER be able to fly again and send that to customer service.
6. The ticket is non-refundable and non-transferrable so you really don't have a lot of options. It sounds like when you were dealing with Southwest, you had a TRANSFERRABLE ticket. Not sure why you are so bitter about Continental just honoring the terms of the purchase you (or more accurately, your father) agreed to. He should be entitled to a voucher in his name but there is no reason why Continental should refund the entire purchase.
7. I think you answered your own question. Your father should be able to get a refund due to illness all you need to do is submit a letter to the company's customer relations department with supporting documentation from the doctor, but I think you're wasting your time by calling up the reservations office, they rarely have the authority to give refunds. I know it sucks that truthful people have to jump through hoops, but you would be amazed at the number of people who lie about these kind of things.