'Travel preferences' and not COVID-19 led to cancelled airline ticket, B.C. tribunal rules in refund dispute
A B.C. man has lost his bid to get his money back after cancelling a non-refundable flight to Germany when COVID-19 restrictions were ramped up in that country.
A decision from the province's Civil Resolution Tribunal was posted online Wednesday, outlining the reasons the would-be traveller argued he should get a full refund and the decision not to grant him one.
Hamid Seyed Alamolhoda booked his plane ticket in October of 2021, planning a vacation over the Christmas holidays, according to the decision. The cost of the airline ticket was $1,760.36 and he was booked to fly with Lufthansa.
On Dec. 7 – amid a surge in cases driven by the Omicron variant – he decided not to make the trip.
"Mr. Alamolhoda grew concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic and elected to cancel their flight reservation," tribunal member Andrea Ritchie wrote.
"Specifically, Mr. Alamolhoda says most of the shops in Germany were closed, and he was supposed to go on a holiday, not to a 'ghost town.'"
Although the booking was made through a travel agent, the tribunal heard, Alamolhoda approached the airline directly for a refund.
A representative for Lufthansa told the tribunal that the ticket was non-refundable, and provided documentation to that effect while also saying Alamolhoda was given the option to rebook his travel at any time within the next year without incurring any change fees.
For his part, Alamolhoda denied purchasing a non-refundable ticket but "did not provide any evidence showing the ticket’s fare rules," Ritchie wrote.
Ultimately, the tribunal ruled in the airline's favour.
"I find it was Mr. Alamolhoda’s choice to cancel their reservation based on their holiday preferences, not based on any COVID-19 travel restrictions," Ritchie concluded.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.