Hawaiian Air’s Local Station Manager Tuli Fruean appeared before the House Commerce Committee yesterday to explain the airline’s policy for refunding airline tickets.
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That was Vice Speaker Fetu Fetui who initiated the hearing with Fruean.
He said that he lost $2,000 when he couldn’t travel and was told that the airline doesn’t issue refunds. That was ten years ago. And in February the same thing happened.
Fruean explained there are two options available to travelers when they purchase tickets.
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A traveler purchasing a non refundable ticket has one year to use the ticket but they must pay a penalty.
Fruean says the traveler can also get an extension on the time they must use the ticket.
For a refundable ticket the traveler can get a refund if they are unable to travel and there’s no penalty. He said these options are available online, at Hawaiian Air and also at all travel agencies.
Asked about the price difference between a refundable and non refundable ticket Fruean said there’s no difference.
He explained if you purchase a ticket 30 days in advance you can get a round trip ticket for $683 but if you buy a ticket just 7 or 14 days prior to travel it can cost $883 one way. Fruean advised that people should plan their travel in advance so they can get cheaper airfares but at the same time he acknowledged its hard to plan for faalavelave.
Vice Speaker Fetu said he wasn’t the only one that’s complaining about not being able to get refunds on airline tickets if they can’t travel. And he hoped Fruean was telling the truth.
The airline manager said what he was stating was airline policy and it’s applied to tickets bought online, at their office and also all travel agencies.
Fetu said it’s good the media was present at the hearing so that Fruean’s explanation can be reported so that the public understands the airline policy
