You changed my flight — I want my fee back!

Here’s a question I get a lot, but to which I don’t have a good answer — yet. If you pay a change fee and fare differential to fly today instead of tomorrow, and your airline cancels today’s flight, forcing you to fly on the day you were originally scheduled, are you owed a refund of the fee?

Ian Marks is wondering — and I should say that I get this question almost once a week, so it applies to a lot of my readers — after United Airlines canceled his flight from Atlanta to Washington recently.

I changed my flight from June 2 to June 1, and soon after that [United Airlines] had an equipment issue and postponed my flight, forcing me back to my previous day.

I had paid $350 for the change. A very nice reservations agent said she could only offer me a ‘customer relations choice’ email that was valued far below what I had paid.

I want a refund, or at least a voucher for the amount I had to pay for the change.

United’s response? Textbook form:

Thank you for taking the time to contact us about your recent travel experience.

Please accept my apologies for your frustrating and unpleasant travel experience. We realize that at times we are not doing as well as we should be in assisting you when there are circumstances that disrupt your travel.

While I realize that your experience with our flights does not demonstrate strong on-time performance, please be assured we are working hard to improve and provide service you can rely on.

I understand you made a change to June first and due to weather delays in the area your flight was canceled and you were offered protection the next day.

Unfortunately, I am unable to offer a refund for the voluntary change you made. While your request for additional compensation is appreciated, I am unable to honor your request.

Marks appealed. Unfortunately, United’s answer didn’t change.

The certificate was not intended as compensation to reimburse you for the change fee that you paid to change the flight. It was offered strictly as a goodwill gesture.

On June 1st UA7269 was in fact cancelled due to flow control so it was outside of our control.

Although we cannot honor your request, your understanding is appreciated.

(Flow control, for the purposes of this discussion, is an air-traffic related reason for a flight cancellation.)

So here’s how I see it. United is saying that it would have operated flight 7269 had it not been for air traffic control, which was caused by weather. A look at the flight’s history shows that’s probably true.

United seems to think that passengers should bear some of the risk of these uncontrollable delays, and I can see their point.

At the same time, United took money for a service that it couldn’t deliver.

Can you think of any other business that gets to blame someone else for not delivering a product, and then pockets your money anyway? I can’t.

United is unlikely to offer a $350 refund, but Marks should consider taking this matter up with his credit card company. He didn’t get what he paid for.

What do you think?

(Photo: Phinala nji/Flickr Creative Commons)

  • cjr

    Definitely contact the credit card. There is no excuse for United keeping the money in a situation like this.

  • SirWired

    This is a close call… really, what you are paying for is a change to your reservation, and nothing else. Which is what the OP got. (And which is why the cc dispute will probably fail.)

    Now, if he had changed his flight date, and then they did a routine reshuffling of his flight schedule, then he would have a stronger case. But since the cancellation was out of United’s control, I don’t see a refund happening.

  • Mike

    I absolutely think Mr Marks should dispute the charges. He made the change and the product was not delivered. It should not matter why it was not delivered. I also believe his case is made stronger because he then had to fly on the original date of his ticket.

  • Arizona Road Warrior

    If it was a equipment failure (as he claimed in his e-mail to you) then UA should refund the fees that he paid if UA wasn’t able to put him on another flight or another airline on June 1.

    Since it was weather related, UA doesn’t have to refund the fees per its terms. If I was UA and the passenger was an elite FF, I would refund the fee as goodwill.

  • NG

    I think United was generous to offer him a customer relations credit here. United is right: he made a voluntary change to a flight that was completely unrelated to the eventual delay. He got exactly what he paid for: a confirmed seat on the June 1 flight. If he had changed his flight from June 2nd to August 14th, and that 8/14 flight ended up being delayed by weather, no one would think he somehow deserved a credit for his change fee — these things are just entirely unrelated to each other. It’s only the happenstance that he ended up on the flight he chose to change away from that makes these two things appear related, but they’re clearly not. So much so that I think this would be a fraudulent chargeback attempt if he pursued that…

  • Arizona Road Warrior

    @ NG – you are correct with your analysis…he made a voluntary change and he got what he paid for…a confirmed seat on the June 1st flight. If he changed his flight from June 2nd to another date other than June 1st, we won’t be having this discussion.

    This is no different when I have given up my FC seat on a later flight in order to take an earlier flight in coach but the eariler flight is cancelled and I am put back on my original flight in coach since my FC seat was given away since I moved to an earlier.

  • Alan

    Definitely have it charged back on the credit card. You paid for a service you didn’t get. If United couldn’t deliver because of weather, they owe you your money back.

  • Jose

    Everyone makes very valid points for both sides. But, what is the right thing to do, from a customer service point of view?

  • SeaJimm

    Well, I got stuck in Denver on 9 June because of thunderstorms. Wound up spending 23 hours there. I never did get to my final destination and wound up going back home the next day. Even the return flight was five hours late. I did get a small voucher from United. But it did not cover hotel or original flight costs. And yeah I got the same standard answer – we are sorry but we don’t control the weather.I guess avoiding the weather problems is just part of the fun with traveling.

  • Chuck

    I could only wish that I had the financial ability to do such a change when I fly.

    Nevertheless I still think United is doing a scam job by pocketing this guy’s $350. If it was me I’d never fly United again.

  • Monica

    I don’t think he should get back his money. When he changed the ticket, he paid the fee as required. A legitiamate reason caused the delay. Because the change was only a day and ended up back on the original flight, I think this is a being seen as a bigger issue. Let’s say his original flight was on July 1 and he changed it to June 1 and had the one-day delay. Would he still be asking for a refund? Probably not.

  • James Bianchini

    Hi Elliot,

    You can have Ian reach out to us at or visit our site at http://www.aerbuddy.com. we salivate over these kinds of cases. We’ve helped numerous passengers get refunds also during the Spirit Airlines debacle. We’ll be more than glad to help him get his money back ASAP from that FEE INFESTED AIRLINE!

  • Jason

    I had a ticket on Continental from CLE to SJU with a connection in IAH. CLE – IAH flight was delayed by few hours arriving from EWR. We missed a connection and the next available flight was in two days. Continental didn’t offer anything, not hotel, not even small voucher as a goodwill gesture. The excuse was weather related, but not in CLE or IAH or even EWR. The weather was bad that day in ATL and the aircraft was stock there for a few hours. There is often a weather conditions causing delays somewhere in the world. How far back can airline use it or is it simply delay due to aircraft availability and should they rather work on the logistics?

  • Arizona Road Warrior

    @ SeaJimm – “I did get a small voucher from United. But it did not cover hotel or original flight costs. And yeah I got the same standard answer – we are sorry but we don’t control the weather. ‘
    - – - – - – - – -
    That is why you purchase travel insurance – an annual policy or a trip policy to protect yourself from delays due to weather, equipment, etc.

  • Les

    Definitely protest this, first to the credit card company and then in small claims court if time permits. A complaint filed with the Feds wouldn’t hurt, either. These disputes are rarely, if ever, settled in favor of the passenger if the airline is the sole arbiter. The carriers seem to be a black hole into which money disappears. The pathetic, often useless, vouchers are little more than a kiss on the cheek.

  • Carver

    @Arizona and NG

    I have to respectfully disagree with that analysis. The hypo is correct but not analagous in this case. The point that I think you are both missing is that he had to go back to the original date. That’s the differentiating circumstance. The OP bought a change and United effectively took the change back.

    Had they changed to another day, I might be persuaded. But by restoring the OP to the very day that he paid money to switch from is what United did wrong and should be held accountable for.

    Some say that he got a confirmed seat on the changed day which is what he paid for. Well, that the sort of legal mumbo jumbo my colleagues argue in court. In reality, he was never permitted to fly on that date so a confirmed seat is meaningless.

  • NG

    @Carver

    But United didn’t “take the change back.” The weather (or something) did. The change fee is still irrelevant to what happened here.

    Now, the OP (and all other passengers on the cancelled 6/1 flight) probably should’ve been offered refunds of their fares for that flight, especially in light of United’s apparently shifting explanations about what happened (first mechanical, then weather, then ATC). But the change fee is still a red herring. Once he volunteered himself onto the 6/1 flight, he should only get exactly what every other passenger on the 6/1 flight was eligible for (which I assume was a refund or fly on 6/2). He shouldn’t be treated any differently because of the sheer coincidence that he originally booked himself on 6/2 then changed his mind.

  • Shannah

    I think the answer is that people are currently paying very cheap airfares, but expecting high quality service. That’s sort of like paying fast food prices, then getting upset when you don’t get served a gourmet dinner.

    People complain about getting nickel and dimed by the airlines, but a lot (maybe most) airline passengers shop by price.

    So why in the world do people expect to get cheap airfares, yet also get the kind of treatment shown in those old Pan Am ads, with the “air hostesses” with their little white gloves?

    I don’t work for the airlines, and I don’t know anyone who has worked for an airline for at least the last 30 years.

    Still, what Ian bought was a change to his ticket. He got a change to his ticket. Mechanical and weather cancellations happen all the time. I don’t think this should be a surprise. So then he was back on his original flight. He gambled, he lost. Would you go to the Luxor, gamble, then insist the house pay you anyway, even when you lose?

    It shouldn’t, in my opinion, be a surprise to anyone who flies even once a year that sometimes, the plane just can’t go. I doubt the airline does it just for grins, as they gain a bunch of peeved customers when it happens. So, it’s a situation beyond the airlines’ control.

    If you want the customer service folks to go back to the days of helping you find an alternate flight, try not nickel and diming *them* to death. Or, as someone has mentioned, buy travel insurance (and make sure to read the fine print to verify it covers the situations you want covered.)

  • David Z

    Another thing to remember about airfares while on the subject…

    Essentially airlines offer cheap yet restrictive fares, and rather expensive yet flexible ones. As mentioned before by (I think) a Delta Airlines executive, one ought to consider their situation (as well as a variety of factors) prior to deciding which one to purchase.

    Yes, airlines “should” offer “reasonable” fares. Well…define “reasonable” to begin with, especially one where maybe both the consumer and the airline can practically agree with.

    BTW, hasn’t Mr. Marks asked United Airlines to at least refund his airfare (not the fees paid to change) if he won’t accept their reaccomodation? Or has he taken that instead?

  • Ian Marks

    So,,,, I am a FF with UA and I did pay alot for the ticket in the first place (not a bargain ticket) and because I travel alot with UA I expected more than a form letter.

    Initially when the text mssg came alerting me (on the new flight I had just paid $350+ to change to!) to call United I was informed by the agent that it was a mechanical issue and that a replacement aircraft would be dispactched. 1 hour later I rec’d another text asking me to contact United. This time is was ATC problems due to weather (on the replacement metal?). The flight ultimately cancelled and I ended up back on the 2d of June where I started. Because this all occured in a matter of 3-4 hours I did expect UA to let me have the money back. What I didn’t expect ws the AMAZING customer service of the Starwood folks and most especially the W Downtown Atlanta. Besides being a too cool for me property, they were so nice about making sure I had a room, luggage moved etc.

    I really don’t have many choices for flying and in general I do get as good of service from UA as you can expect in the modern world, they had a chance to do better by me and they didn’t. I only wish United custeomer service would post a reply. FYI, not holding my breath.

  • Jason

    The standard change fee is $150. If Mr. Marks paid $350 to change his flight, I assume $200 portion was for a fare difference. I think United should honor original fare Mr. Marks paid for June 2nd and refund fare difference.

  • MeanMeosh

    There seems to be a lot of focus on the fact that Mr. Marks changed his ticket to a different date, he ended up flying on the same date and time that he was originally scheduled to fly. While an interesting coincidence, I don’t think it’s necessarily relevant to the analysis.

    As others have noted, a “change fee” is only a fee for changing a ticket. It basically serves to replace one ticket with another new, reissued ticket. A ticket is not, as the airlines love to remind us as many times as possible in their policies, a promise to actually deliver you to your destination at the date and time mentioned on the ticket. So, strictly looking at the policy, a refund or credit is not called for. Mr. Marks paid to change a ticket, and UA provided him with a new, confirmed ticket. I think he’d have a tough time with a CC dispute.

    NOW – the question becomes, should UA bend their policy and provide some sort of compensation. This is a strange case indeed, since UA canceled Mr. Marks’ flight just a few hours after confirming the change. What I’d really like to know is, when did UA know about the mechanical, or flow control, or whatever problem? If he got a notification only a few hours after getting confirmed on his new flight, it makes me wonder whether UA would have been aware of the delay at the time they confirmed him. If so, absolutely, he should get a full refund. That would be misleading at best, and deceptive at worst, to sell somebody a confirmed seat on a flight they know may not operate.

    If they were unaware, given that UA seems to have provided misinformation or conflicting information regarding the reason for the delay, and given Mr. Marks’ FF status, I’d be inclined to make a business decision to give him something anyway. Maybe not a refund, but at least a voucher for the $350.

    And you’re right, Mr. Marks, don’t hold your breath expecting a reply from UA customer service.

  • Carver

    @NG

    Respectfully.United did indeed take the change back. The reason is irrelevant. Whether it was within United’s control or not, United entered into a contract where they agreed that they would fly Mr.Marks on such and such date. United was unable to perform and as such, Mr. Marks is entitled to a full refund of all monies he paid to United.

    The “why” of United’s reasoning behing taking the change back is only relevant insofar as ancilliary matters such as hotel, car, etc., which is not an issue here. United is subtly trying to hide behind fault. But fault isn’t the issue here. Performance, or lack thereof, is the issue. My non-performance is a breach of the contract even if its not my fault.

    At the end of the day, Mr. Marks paid for a flight on June 2, and United did not deliver.

    Consider an analagous case. I buy a coach ticket and use 15000 miles to upgrade to a premium class. I also pay $100 expedite fee because the flight is tomorrow. The airline has a plane change to a regional jet, i.e. one class. What should I be refunded. Few would dispute that the 15000 should be returned. But I would argue the $100 expedite fee. Sure the airline will argue that I received my $100. But its the same hollow argument. At the end of the day, I received nothing for my $100.00 solely due to United’s actions.

  • Carver

    As a business litigation attorney I am constantly amazed at the crap that airlines get away with. I’ve litigation all sort of disputes and the stuff that airlines get away with in their contracts never ceases to amaze me. In the real world, this would be a painfully simple matter. I paid to change my ticket. You changed it back, give me back the change fee. End of story. But no. In airline world this is complicated. It the same foolishness as prohibitions on back to back tickets, hidden city tickets, etc.

    Obviously, the airline world exists right next door to the Twilight Zone.

  • Mary Graham

    It’s robbery, plain and simple. Why is this allowed? Why do these companies have so much power that they can steal from their customers and somehow it’s legal? Who can we turn to protect our rights? Doesn’t seem to be anyone home….

  • Steve

    I’m with Carver here. Sure, if you twist logic to argue that the passenger paid $350 for the privilege of being issued a new ticket with a new flight printed on it – which he received – then yes, refusing the refund was justified. But come on. No one seriously believes that people pay a change fee for a ticket with an earlier flight printed on it. They pay a change fee to *fly* on an earlier flight. Sometimes, is it impossible for whatever reason to take that flight? Sure. That’s why, for example, if the passenger wanted his entire airfare refunded, or wanted a free first-class ticket in compensation, his request would be unreasonable. I don’t think the request to have the change fee refunded is unreasonable.

    And I think the fact that he ended up taking the originally scheduled flight is very salient to this case. If he had booked a flight for August 1, then paid to change it to June 1, then had that flight canceled and ended up traveling on June 2, he still would have gotten what he paid for – an earlier flight (maybe not the one he wanted, but still an earlier flight).

    “He gambled, he lost. Would you go to the Luxor, gamble, then insist the house pay you anyway, even when you lose?”

    Shannah, I think it’s a very loose definition of gambling to consider a purchase made by someone who expects either a) to receive what he purchased, or b) a full refund for said purchase to be tantamount to gambling. By that logic, if I go to a restaurant and am sickened by the food they serve me, is that gambling, too, and should they be exempt from any regulations or consequences should they serve unsafe food? If I buy an item and it breaks the next day because it was shoddily made, is that a gamble, and should I be denied a refund no matter how poor the product was?

  • Crystal Griffith

    I booked a flt from PNS to LRD and return the next afternoon for a business trip. At IAH, I found that the PNS-IAH leg was late coming in due to mechanical problems. I missed IAH-LRD. They kept saying they would put me on the next flt but then as each “next flt” came up, it was overbooked. Then they said they COULD get me on a 9 PM flt to LRD at which time I told them that there was no point in going because the business place was closed and I couldn’t do my work there so please just send me back to PNS. After 3 million supervisors got involved, they sent me back to PNS that night. I applied for a refund based on the fact that they never got me to my destination and I really didn’t feel that taking a tour of the Gulf Coast for $600 was what I paid them for. I got my money back after threatening to go to the credit card company and disputing the charge since they hadn’t delivered on the carriage contract. The other thing I pointed out to them was that I could have been assigned to AA and flown to DFW and then to LRD in time to complete my business since I started out on an early flt and sat in Houston for about 14 hrs. I asked about it at the gate but was given the “we’ll get you on the next flt” until it was too late.

  • Cheryl

    Chris, I think this is one of those times you could help by stepping in.

  • ronin

    We’re posting with the assumption that airlines keeping fares (in which I include ‘fees’) and not delivering the service is an act of God. It’s not, it’s a chosen policy of the airlines.

    Twenty years ago you got a refund. The airlines chose to impose non-refundable rules with the fake explanation that it allowed you to get lower fares.

    It did nothing of the sort, of course. Airlines would raise fares and raise them again if traffic allowed. This is another way of saying that fares are always as high as they think the market could bear. You’re getting nothing back for them being non-refundable.

    In the old days every reasonable person would have understood your predicament. The airlines wouldn’t have hesitated.

    Their policy makes a mockery of consumer friendliness, and since they all band in industry lockstep. the consumer is stuck.

    Dispute the charge. If that doesn’t work, go to small claims. Fight it all the way. You may not win, but everyone needs to fight the good fight. Maybe we can actually get their attention.

  • Cat

    So many people who become bogged down by technical detail and point of law! Many airline practices are unfair, unethical, and sometimes downright thievery. They have lawyers who’s sole purpose is to make certain that the airlines are exploiting every loophole and siphoning every single nickel and dime to the maximum allowable by law- and sometimes a bit beyond.
    Instead of defending and justifying clearly unfair and one sided policies, we need to look at how the airlines are able to do these things and, by what ever means works best, correct the conditions that allow such dispicable practices to flourish.

  • http://waynedayton.tripod.com Wayne Dayton

    Take the matter to Small Claims Court. Do you really think their General Counsel will fly in from ORD to dispute the case? In most jurisdictions, only an employee can defend themselves, not hired outside counsel…so, your local stumblebum Station Manager IF he/she shows up will hum and haw…and most judges are like you and I and have been screwed royally by an airline here and there and are just looking for a chance to stick it to them back….so you have a good chance by pursuing matters.

  • Ian Marks

    A little follow up.

    Today I rec’d a phone call from UA executive folks asking to help out. And like I mentioned in my original email to United, they were very nice and apologetic. As i mentioned previously, I have had good luck/service with United the last couple of years. This person was very nice and seemed honestly concerned. I was informed they would do thier best with the refund dept to make this right. Not sure yet what this means, but I will post when this is resolved.

    My only concern in all of this is; why did it take all of this in order to get some love? Is this a blip or a return to the UA customer serice I got 4 years ago? I hope not. I do think all of the airlines I am elite with make an effort to help the Freq traveler/customer. I only wish the original customer service persons I spoke with on the phone or by email were empowered to look at the circumstances, FF status etc and make a decision for such small amounts of money. I ahve noticed they are more free with the customer service coupons ($100-200 certificates) but I would like a little more flexibility for them. Thanks Elliott for giving me a forum.

  • Ernest

    The fact is that he got nothing for his money. Sure, had he moved the flight a month and got set back a day, he would be entitled to nothing. He paid NOT to fly on a day by changing his flight the airlines took his money and made him fly on the day he paid to avoid. They should rule in favor of the passenger just because of the unique nature of the change and the fact that they basically undid his change.

    If the airlines had any integrity, they would refund his change fee based on that issue alone.

    Had he paid to have his flight moved 30 days and the airline eventually made him fly his original day, it would stink of a scam, one day is no different.

    The thing the airlines lack now is ethics. They need to look at what is right and fair. I disagree with the comment that we pay for fast food and expect gourmet foods. Its like paying for fast food and only getting the wrapper minus the food.

    The airline sets the fees and makes the rules. If I follow their rules and pay the amount they ask, then they should follow up by doing what they agreed to do instead of makeing up excuses. If they can’t do what they say, they are not entitled to take the money.

    Someone really needs to take the airlines down a notch. If they won’t police themselves, then I think the government needs to enforce standards. I dislike having the government get involved in everything because they tend to go overboard but it may be the time to step in.

  • James

    I’ll pose this to the forum: If there are two flights, 6am and 11am from BOS-SFO, and I choose the 11am, and pay $50 more because I don’t like to get up early…you can see where this is going…and the airline cancels the 11am flight, and moves me to the 6am. Should I have a legitimate claim for the fare difference? (I didn’t get it; a friend also didnt’ get the then-$50 change fee he demanded mostly in jest when a similar thing happened to him.

  • David Z

    My only concern in all of this is; why did it take all of this in order to get some love?

    If the airline executives probably gave honest answers to that, I doubt people would like it anyway. :)

    Still, good to see you’ll (hopefully!) get your money back.

  • PauletteB

    I think he DID get what he paid for: He requested a flight change, and United made the change he requested. The other circumstances were outside United’s control, and the OP’s credit card company will most likely agree with the airline. I’d take the voucher and run.

  • Carver

    @James

    You could cancel your flight, demand a refund, and rebook on the 6am flight and effectively accomplish what you just described.

    @Paulette

    Circumstances outside of United’s control don’t excuse the fact that United failed to deliver what it promised. When you and I contract, if I cannot perform my end, even for the most noble of reasons, I can’t keep your money.

    Consider. If I agree to purchase 5 cars from your car dealership. I give you the money. But before you can deliver, the cars are stolen from your otherwise secure lot. Would you expect to keep the money? It was circumstances outside of your control. But at the end of the day, you didn’t perform so you can’t keep the money.

    Same here.

  • Joel Wechsler

    @Carver I don’t think your answer to James would work if the air,ine had already canceled the later flight. However, if the earlier flight is cheaper he could aoply the value of the original ticket to that flight and get a voucher for the residual value of the originall (maybe).
    Also I don’t think your car analogy is apt. The cars can be replaced, an unused airline seat can not. If the cancellation here was really weather-related, Mr. Marks MIGHT get a refund for the price of his ticket, but not the change fee, which, like it or not, the airlines regard as payment for the few keystrokes needed to change a reservation, and which is non-refundable.

  • William

    First I’d dispute it through a chargeback on your credit card.

    If that does not work then I’d file a Small Claims Court action. They are inexpensive to file and the judge probably would be sympathetic (given that most of us have had a bad experience with at least one airline). Given that the airline would have to send along an employee (and most likely could not send an attorney, depends on court rules), they will probably settle before the court date.

  • Bill

    As messed up as this all sounds, I don’t think United did anything wrong. However, this is one of these things that just doesn’t “feel” right even though it makes perfect sense.

    I don’t think a chargeback would be effective with the credit card because it is all legit.
    However, given the nature of the problem..booking on a day, moving the flight a day ahead, and flying on the original day anyway, it would be good of United to give him his money back. Most change fees are not quite like this..

  • Carver

    @Joel

    You might be right, but only because the airlines occupy the twilight zone. In the rest of the world, for such a simple transaction, the airline would be required to refund the money. The fact that the airline cancelled the flight for weather related reasons would be so irrelevant it would be comical. Remember fault isn’t an issue.

    I don’t understand the point of the replaceability of airline seats v. cars. But if that’s an issue for you, let’s change the analogy. You have a vintage, limited edition, 1957 Cadillac, that Elvis once owned. I agree to buy it from you and I pay for it. While its in your garage, that’s more secure than Fort knox, the car gets stolen. Clearly not your fault. Do you expect to keep my money? I’d hope not.

    You are correct that the airline consider it payment for making the change itself. However, since ultimately, they didn’t deliver the change, they shouldn’t keep the money.

  • http://www.cockam.com ajaynejr

    This one is for SeaJimm.

    >>> [I] never did get to my destination.

    Shouldn’t the airline refund your ticket given that you gave up and returned home as soon as possible from the connection point where you were stranded?

    This is called a trip in vain, or a futile flight.

  • Ian MArks

    Last follow up….

    I did receive a refund of the change fees from United.

    I hope this is to be the norm for me and other United travelers. I look forward to The airline providing followup and service to all of us.

    Thanks Elliott.

  • Jennifer Hanuschak

    He did pay for a service (the opportunity to take a different flight) that he did not get. I think the reason, while certainly not the fault of the airline, is irrelevant. Whether he paid for the privilege to fly a day earlier or a day later, he did not get to fly on the day he wanted. He should be refunded.