Consumer complaint received 2023-06-20
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: OR
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with rewards from credit card

Complaint:
I booked Trip ID : XXXX, Flight Confirmation # XXXX through Chase XXXX by Chase Bank on XX/XX/2023. 

According to the U.S Department of Transportation, customers are allowed to cancel or change their flight free of charge without service fees during this free cancellation period. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX policy explicitly allows a customer to cancel or change any ticket within this free cancellation / change period which for XXXX XXXX tickets is until XXXX EST the date of the flight booking. 

I should have had the right to cancel my flight for free within the free cancellation period. However, when attempted multiple times over hours to cancel for free so I could rebook the flight that I actually needed, I was proudly distressed to discover that the " systems were down '' and I attempted for hours to cancel or change the ticket through Chase XXXX. However, it was impossible and I was NOT ALLOWED to cancel the ticket for free within my rightful 24 hour free cancellation period.

I tried for over two hours on the Chase XXXX web site to cancel it starting around XXXX EST. I am attaching screenshots of the types of errors I encountered. This was NOT a problem on my end. As I tried multiple devices, multiple browsers, and multiple Internet connections. No matter what I tried it didn't work. I was also simultaneously trying to make the free cancellation / change through the Chase app. The same thing with being NOT ALLOWED to make my rightful free change. 

I was becoming worried that it was close to the deadline so I tried calling Chase XXXX  on the phone around XXXX EST at phone number XXXX. I still had 30 minutes to make the necessary free change or cancellation. I was planning to cancel the ticket free of charge and book the " XXXX XXXX '' class ticket instead of the original " XXXX XXXX. '' I spoke with a Chase XXXX service rep immediately and he informed me that unfortunately Chase XXXX 's booking system ( s ) were down and that they would be unable to help me change or cancel my flight or free. This effectively stripped my right to the free change or cancellation that I was within my rights to make. I was transferred to a supervisor who said that she's sorry that the systems were down and they were able to allow me to make the necessary change for free but she would credit my Chase XXXX XXXX account with XXXX points ( {$75.00} cash value ). 

It is good that they credited my account with XXXX miles however it is NOT good enough. I still needed to make the necessary change to my ticket or cancel it without being charged fees within the permitted free cancellation period. 

After Chase XXXX XXXX system was back up again. I called back again and said that it is not fair to me that their systems were down and I was not allowed to make the free cancellation or change that I should have been within my rights to make. I still needed the XXXX XXXX ticket. 

Chase XXXX said they would need to charge a {$190.00} fee to make this change. I strongly disagreed about this as my rights were violated the day before when I was not allowed to make the change for free. I contacted XXXX XXXX ( separate from Chase XXXX ). XXXX initially agreed to waive the {$190.00} fee but they later told me that it would mean the ticket would be transferred from Chase XXXX to XXXX XXXX XXXX direct control. As it turns out airline fares for EVERY date on XXXX 's own web site were at least XXXX or XXXX more expensive than the fares for EVERY date for the exact same flight, itinerary, and dates as the Chase XXXX web site. Of course I declined this because the fares were XXXX or XXXX higher.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief