Aer Lingus issued her voucher but ghosted her husband for over a year

Q: My husband and I had to cancel our Aer Lingus flights last year because of a death in the family. The airline issued us vouchers, which should have been straightforward. But it hasn’t been.

I received a voucher for $938. My husband, Jorge, got an email saying his $925 voucher had been processed. But when I called the next month to book our next trip, an Aer Lingus agent told me his voucher was never actually issued.

Here’s where it gets complicated. We live in Buffalo, New York, but wanted to fly from Toronto to Scotland because the fares are better. I asked Aer Lingus if we could have the vouchers reissued in Canadian dollars. They opened a case for both of us.

I received my voucher in U.S. dollars within a reasonable time. But Jorge’s voucher never came.

I’ve been calling Aer Lingus for months. Each time, I get the same response: “A supervisor is working on it right now.” I’ve tried their WhatsApp line during office hours, but the virtual assistant just tells me to contact them during office hours — which I’m already doing. I’ve emailed. I’ve contacted the CEO. Every few months, I get an update email saying they’re “reviewing the case.”

Six months after the cancellation, an agent told me to request a currency conversion and assured me it would be expedited. They said to wait a few days for the voucher in Canadian dollars. I waited. Nothing. The next month, another agent said we were “in the queue.”

A year later, I had enough. I sent another email saying I’d accept the voucher in U.S. dollars — I realized the currency difference was minimal anyway. I just wanted my husband’s voucher.

It’s now been over 15 months since Aer Lingus said it processed Jorge’s voucher. I received mine. Why not his? This was supposed to help us travel after dealing with a death in our family. Instead, it’s been nothing but frustration. Can you help us get Jorge’s voucher?

— Beatrijs Albarran, Buffalo, New York

A: Aer Lingus should have issued your husband’s voucher immediately after you had to cancel your flights.

According to Aer Lingus’ own policy, vouchers are issued in the same currency as the original booking. You didn’t need to exchange your vouchers for Canadian dollars to make a booking from a Canadian airport. But if you wanted a currency conversion, and Aer Lingus said you could do it, that should have been handled as a straightforward request — not a 15-month ordeal.

The airline’s behavior here is inexcusable. It issued your voucher but kept giving you the runaround on your husband’s voucher. Telling you repeatedly that “a supervisor is working on it” is a classic delay tactic. And those automated “we’re reviewing your case” emails? They’re designed to make you think something is happening when nothing is.

You kept great records of every phone call, every WhatsApp attempt, every email. That paper trail is exactly what consumer advocates need to help resolve cases like yours. You even escalated to the CEO, which shows persistence. You might have tried some of the customer service managers. I publish the names, numbers and email addresses of the Aer Lingus executives on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.

The Department of Transportation has strict rules about refunds. While your case involved a voluntary cancellation and the issuance of a flight credit, the principle remains the same: Airlines must process these requests promptly.

A few years ago, I wrote about another Aer Lingus customer who had trouble with a voucher that didn’t work. The airline eventually made it right after my advocacy team intervened, but it took four years to resolve the case. That story suggests a possible pattern: Aer Lingus sometimes promises vouchers but fails to follow through.

I contacted Aer Lingus on your behalf. Within days, the airline finally took action.

A manager issued your husband’s voucher in U.S. dollars, as you requested. Initially, a customer service representative suggested you buy a new ticket and submit a claim for reimbursement — which you correctly refused. Why should you pay out of pocket when the airline already owes you the money?

“We apologize to this customer for the delay in issuing their voucher,” an Aer Lingus spokesperson told me. “Aer Lingus is liaising directly with this customer to resolve the matter and we hope to welcome them on an Aer Lingus flight soon.”

Remember, if you’re dealing with an airline voucher issue, document everything. Keep records of every conversation. Don’t accept vague promises. And if you hit a wall, escalate to the executives. Companies respond differently, sometimes more positively, when someone is watching.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at [email protected] or get help by contacting him on his site, Elliott.org.