CAL's painful refund policy

THE EDITOR: Permit me space in your popular publication to send an open letter to Caribbean Airline's managing director Mr Garvin Medera.

Dear Mr Medera,

I’ve been a loyal and regular passenger with Caribbean Airlines, and before you…BWIA.

Today, I’m even more of a regular traveller with you, particularly between Port of Spain and Toronto. Yet of all the pain and discomfort I put up with, I find your refund policy particularly hurtful, and seemingly designed to underwrite some of your budget.

WHY does it take “six-nine months” to refund a passenger ticket, particularly if payment is made with credit card?

During the pandemic I lost the value of two business-class tickets to Port of Spain, because your agents said I did not have the flight reference number.

As I write, I do have more recent reference numbers for July and November '22, but the response is the same, six-nine months! Why? You’ve tied up thousands of my dollars and no doubt, thousands of other thousands.

In the same period, I’ve received instantaneous credit-card refunds from several business outlets, most notably hotels in Dominica and Guyana.

Shortly after the worst of the covid pandemic, governments in the US, Canada and Europe stopped their airlines from these delayed refund policies. They were right, it is wrong!

I look forward to hearing an explanation from you and a resolution to my problem.

DIK HENDERSON

Port of Spain