Air Fare Savings (YAPTA)

[omegaet]

jashermd....most domestic US carriers handle refunds using a voucher called a Miscellaneous Change Order (MCO). In essence, it is a credit which may be in the form of a paper document or simply a credit carrier on the electronic account of the customer for 12 months. Here is an example of the explanation offered by American Airlines:


If the new fare is lower than the original ticket, unless stated otherwise in the fare rule, the customer is entitled to a transportation voucher for the residual amount. The change fee applies and will be deducted from the voucher.

If the voucher does not cover the entire amount of the change fee, the remainder will be an add-collect. Agencies may issue a Miscellaneous Charge Order (MCO) for the residual amount, less the change fee. If the residual amount does not cover the entire change fee, an add-collect for the remainder must be done.

The residual MCO must be made payable to American Airlines for transportation only. Show "NON-REFUNDABLE, VALID ON AMERICAN AIRLINES ONLY" in the endorsements box. Failure to include this information on the MCO may result in a debit memo.

My personal experience with MCOs have only been used on the issuing carrier, not with codesharing partners. I have spent some time speaking with Customer Service Supervisors from the domestic carriers I typically use and realize each carrier may have slightly different rules for issuing the MCOs and differing fees. You might wish to do the same research with the carriers you most frequently use.

[bonniejoy03]

Omegaet. Thank you for the valuable information. I received an email from YAPTA about my November trip price decreasing on AA. I am onthe phone now with AA and they have me on hold as they "work with the refund area?" The wording below will help me when they get back on the line. Its interesting...I forgot that they will charge you a fee to do this transacation. I don't think USAir has a fee to receive a credit. Have you had good experiences in the past with AA with receiving credits? Do you use the main toll free number to request? My link that YAPTA provided doesn't seem to work. Do you instead go through YAPTA for the credit?

[bonniejoy03]

Omegaet: Just off the phone with AA. This was a first. She said I would receive a credit to my credit card for the difference in price? WOW. Didn't want to talk about the MCO. She said it will show up in a few days. Have you heard of this? I have never received a credit card credit. If it works, this would be much better than an airline credit. I'll keep you posted if this happens.

[omegaet]

bonniejoy03.AA and Delta are the two US Legacy carriers we typically use for business travel and with whom we have the most experience and businesstransactions. We always register our upcoming trips on YAPTA and check for fare changes almostdaily. When we see a price drop which exceeds their change fees, we contact the air carriers directly andrequest theyeither issue us a credit on our credit card statement or issuean MCO. If you are holding an e-ticket, typically the credit will be placed on your credit card....if you are holding a paper ticket, it typically will involve picking up the MCO at the ticket counter on or beforethe day of your flight. Some times it takes a second or third call to speak with a supervisor, but so far we have been successful through persevering.

We think YAPTA is a great service for frequent air travelers and we hope they continue to expand their carrier coverage.

There are lots of valuable (and money saving)travel trips availableon the Internet and now we have the perfect forum here in this community to share with other travelers.

[bonniejoy03]

Omegaet. Yes, I was able to enjoy the benefits of YAPTA just from reading your post and LL Forum! I still was surprised that I would be offered a credit on my cc (which I like much better than the MCO). USAIr gives the MCO then you have to go to the airport to use it for a ticket purchase. (plus, as previously posted, they will only allow one or two MCO's at a time to be used.). I did call AA back yesterday because when I received my credit, I saw I lost one of my seats on one segment!!! When I called, they said I couldn't have it back (which was across from my husband!) They said it wasn't available at my "status". HUMMMMMMM...I didn't understand (and still don't)

[omegaet]

bonniejoy03...we haven't experienced the "lost seat" phenomena. These credit issues always seem to necessitate communicating with a supervisor. Apparently, you will need to confirm all other details, such as priorseat assignmentsbefore agreeing to release the existing reservation(s) in order to receive the credit. Just an assumption, since we have nothad your experience. In our case, the credits were given and everything else remained the same. YAPTA seems like a good thing, so pass the word along to your friends and associates.

[Mountie]

bonniejoy03 wrote:

Omegaet: Just off the phone with AA. This was a first. She said I would receive a credit to my credit card for the difference in price? WOW. Didn't want to talk about the MCO. She said it will show up in a few days. Have you heard of this? I have never received a credit card credit. If it works, this would be much better than an airline credit. I'll keep you posted if this happens.

bonniejoy03 and omegaet, I have been reading about this YAPTA and visited their web site. Did I understand you have actually received credit from the airlineson your credit card statement for a reduced air ticket you had already purchased? Thank you.

[bonniejoy03]

Hi Mountie. I was told that because I purchased it with a cc, they would credit my cc. After I lost my seat and called back for another one, I again asked them about this "credit." (I had always received a credit by mail on a future flight with USAir but this was AA.) They verified I would receive a cc on the credit card I used (it was an AA cc.) I keep watching! This happened on the 7th, so I will give it about two weeks.

[omegaet]

mountie...my credit from the airlines cameas a result of a reduction in fare ona paper ticket already issued...the MCO I mentioned in an earlier post was the paper credit document I received. The reason I was given the MCO was because I was holding a paper ticket, not an e-ticket (at least that was the reason given to me by the airlines). I then used the MCO as a credit when I purchased a ticket for another flight.



I don't see where there is any down side in listing upcoming flights with airlines covered byYAPTA. It only takes a few minutes to register with the site andto enter the flight information.........and there is no cost to you. Try it, you might save some money.

[bonniejoy03]

Hello everyone. I received my credit to my credit card the other day for the price decrease. I don't believe it! I was so excited that it was handled quickly and efficiently. My only downside is I lost my seat. (hey, the good news is that I have been watching it and the one NEXT to the one I had opened up so I grabbed that. Have no idea about this but it sounds like we had "preferred " seating before I got my credit..go figure......) To help Mountie, in the past, I have had e-tickets on Usair and they ONLY give the credit to you. The credit looks like a ticket and it is usually only good for one year. Plus, the airport staff says that you can only use one or two at a time. No one can give a definite answer on this. I really appreciated AA credited my credit card directly as opposed to receiving an airline credit.