Just see this dialogue and take your own conclusions out of it:
Q: I’m trying to get a partial refund for my airline ticket, and am getting nowhere. Maybe you can help me.
I recently booked a nonrefundable ticket on Lufthansa from San Francisco to Istanbul through Priceline.com. I had to call off my travel plans because of an illness, so I decided to recoup my rather sizable surcharges and fees, which amounted to about $350.
I phoned the airline to ask about a refund, and an agent suggested I get in touch with Priceline. But Priceline said it could only refund the taxes and fees if Lufthansa agreed to it. The back-and-forth continued, with neither side able to help me.
I feel Priceline is responsible for the refund, since it was my travel agent. How do I get these two groups to talk to each other and rectify the situation? — Kevin O’Connell, San Francisco
A: Priceline should have helped you with your refund instead of passing you off to Lufthansa.
While it’s true that a nonrefundable airfare isn’t refundable, there’s another part of your ticket that I think should be reimbursed. Certain government taxes and fees ought to be returned to you.
