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Elliott Report

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AMERICAN AIRLINES

Rhonda Bryant’s trip to San Francisco was ruined when American Airlines canceled her connecting flight. Despite a new federal rule requiring automatic refunds, she spent nearly seven months chasing down $403 the airline withheld. Her case reveals how major carriers sidestep refund rules—and what you must do when they do. From “trip in vain” policies to DOT complaints, here’s what travelers need to know when the refund isn’t automatic.

Are airline refunds automatic now? For this canceled American Airlines flight, they weren’t

October 27, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

All Rhonda Bryant wanted was a refund for her airline ticket. She’d booked three tickets with American Airlines for a trip from Portland, Maine, to San Francisco. But when American canceled her connecting flight from Charlotte to San Francisco after hours of delays, her plans fell apart. 

Categories Advocacy
After turbulence forced a change of plans, American Airlines told the Pruchas their return tickets were still valid. But the airline later canceled their flight, forcing them to pay $969. With only boarding passes as proof, they fought a flawed system—and won their money back with help from a travel advocate.

American Airlines canceled my return flight because I missed a leg. But it said I could fly!

October 6, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

… Read more

Categories Advocacy
Passenger experienced a 14-hour American Airlines flight delay and was promised compensation, but never received it. Learn about EU 261 regulations and how to get your due.

American Airlines promised me compensation for my flight delay. Where is it?

June 25, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

American Airlines promises Joseph Muskovich compensation for a lengthy flight delay. But despite repeated promises, it never pays. How can he get American Airlines to honor its promise?

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
After American Airlines canceled Nathan Ciurzynski's flight due to Hurricane Milton, he was offered only a flight credit. Frustrated, he sought a full refund. Learn how he navigated the refund process, leveraging new regulations to secure his $321 back, and what steps he took to resolve the issue. American Airlines

American Airlines canceled my flight after a hurricane — why am I only getting this credit?

May 28, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Nathan Ciurzynski’s flight from Tampa to San Diego is canceled because of a hurricane. When he asks American Airlines for a refund, it offers a flight credit instead. Can he get his money back?

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
American Airlines changes Erica Remer's flight without telling her. Now she's trying to get a refund for the original ticket. Why won't the airline help her?

American Airlines refund policy: How to get your money back after a flight schedule change

May 1, 2025April 30, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

American Airlines changes Erica Remer’s flight without telling her. Now she’s trying to get a refund for the original ticket. Why won’t the airline help her?

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
Erin Wright was banned by American Airlines, accused of intoxication and engaging in sexual activity with a stranger during a flight. But Wright insists it's a case of mistaken identity — she’s a 24-year-old lesbian who wasn’t involved. Determined to clear her name, Wright turned to an advocacy team for help. Although American Airlines eventually reinstated her, Wright’s fight wasn’t over. She posted a viral TikTok video and fought for a refund for an extra ticket she had to buy. What really happened on that flight?

Banned by American Airlines for being “intoxicated and engaging in sexual activity” — but was it her?

October 27, 2024October 7, 2024 by Christopher Elliott

American Airlines says Erin Wright was drunk and had sex with a man on a recent flight, and now she’s banned. Wright says American Airlines didn’t give her a chance to tell her side of the story and that this is a case of mistaken identity — and she can prove it

Categories Advocacy
Satrupa Kagel, an American Airlines frequent flier, booked an award ticket from Tokyo to San Francisco only to discover the day before her flight that American Airlines had canceled her reservation without notice. After spending $3,548 on a last-minute ticket, she sought a refund from American Airlines. Despite months of waiting and no response, she finally got the airline to acknowledge their mistake and issue a full refund, including her miles. This case highlights the challenges of dealing with American Airlines and the importance of confirming your flight reservation.

American Airlines canceled my business class ticket by accident. Can you fix it?

May 1, 2025September 25, 2024 by Christopher Elliott

A day before Satrupa Kagel’s flight from Tokyo to San Francisco, she finds out American Airlines canceled her ticket. Is she on the hook for the $3,548 she had to spend for a last-minute ticket?

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
Tracy Pruss lost her iPhone 13 while boarding an American Airlines flight from Raleigh-Durham to Cincinnati. Despite using the Find My app to locate the phone near the gate desk, her attempts to retrieve it were met with delays and unhelpful responses from both the airport and the airline. As days passed and the battery dwindled, Pruss feared losing the phone—and its irreplaceable contents—forever. Desperate, she drove to the airport in Cincinnati for help. Will American Airlines find her phone before it's too late, or are these precious memories lost forever?

Can American Airlines find my irreplaceable iPhone before it’s too late?

October 27, 2024September 2, 2024 by Christopher Elliott

Tracy Pruss lost her iPhone 13 as she boarded an American Airlines flight from Raleigh-Durham to Cincinnati. The device slipped out of her pocket on the jetway.

Categories Advocacy
Danielle Spivack, stranded in Tel Aviv due to war, struggles to get a full refund from American Airlines for her canceled flight. Despite her pleas, the airline insists on adhering to its policy, offering only a travel credit. Will she manage to convince them to make an exception? Read on to find out.

American Airlines canceled my flight. Why do I only get a partial refund?

July 30, 2024July 29, 2024 by Christopher Elliott

Danielle Spivack lives in Ramat Gan, a suburb of Tel Aviv. She had plans to fly back to the States late last year, but the ongoing war forced American Airlines to cancel her flight. 

Categories Advocacy
After American Airlines downgrades Margarethe Hoenig on her flight from Dallas to Auckland, New Zealand, the airline promises her a partial refund. Then it says it can't. What's going on?

Downgraded on my American Airlines flight to New Zealand — do I get a refund?

May 11, 2025June 26, 2024 by Christopher Elliott

After a passenger gets bumped to economy class, American Airlines promises her a refund for her flight downgrade. Then it refuses.

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
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