Blade helicopter flights cancelled – how to use credit

[George K]

Hey folks,

Something a bit different than the usual airplane flight cancellations and delays this time…

Just had a whirlwind trip to NYC and thought it’d have been a good opportunity to check out the Blade helicopter transfer to Manhattan. It was particularly appealing due to a) this being in the middle of a heatwave and less likely to run into foul weather and b) because I had nothing more than a backpack, I fell comfortably within their 12kg baggage limit. Beating the gridlocked NY traffic was also a small consideration, but the efficiency of the subway/AirTrain combo was never in doubt.

Unfortunately weather was behind both the original cancellation from JFK to Manhattan (despite being sweltering hot, there was low visibility in the afternoon that we landed). We cancelled and used the credit to rebook a ride to JFK from Manhattan, but that was cancelled on the day too due to the lightest of rains. There were no helicopter services later or indeed earlier, so it’s not like it was just our ride that was cancelled.

The entirety of the Blade operation appears to be quite sensitive to weather and they have clearly adjusted their commercial model to make the most of it. Blade does not allow for cash refunds unless you have opted for the most expensive flex class, which can be an extra $100 on what is already a $250 booking. Everyone else gets a refund in Blade credits, with a hard expiry of 12 months.

So I’ve now found myself with some Blade credits, and no actual plans to use them within the next year. Blade says that you can use the credits to book a helicopter for someone else, but in my extended circle of friends I might be the only one who has a taste for such methods of transportation.

I expect that a fair few people fall foul of this combination of last-minute cancellations and non-cash refunds, and I’m wondering whether anyone knows of a way to offload these credits without them being a total write-off.

Or… anything else I might be missing!

[HampshireHog]

I would be thinking about a charge back on my credit card

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

HampshireHog wrote:

I would be thinking about a charge back on my credit card

Which would likely be rejected. The T&Cs seem clear enough – no refunds but a credit on the type of ticket bought – if the flight is cancelled due to weather.

[PeteM]

Advertise it here once in a while and hope someone wants it, at perhaps a reduced price?

[TGLoyalty]

It’s true they can write what they want in T and Cs but that doesn’t mean they are fair or enforceable under statutory law. Now I know the US is different but I seriously doubt it’s that bad they allow operators to take your money when they can’t deliver a service and have the balls to say you only have 12m to use your own money.

They couldn’t deliver what was promised and no compensation is fair as they can’t control the weather but keeping your fare paid! No chance. I would be on blade to get my money back or Chargeback

[HampshireHog]

But are the terms reasonable given the service wasn’t provided? Worth a call for sure

[Travel Strong]

Advertise it here once in a while and hope someone wants it, at perhaps a reduced price?

Whilst that sounds on the surface like something I’d be interested in… I’d be concerned how it would be handled if the rebooked flight purchase with the credit then also gets cancelled! I spose terms could be agreed though.

[JDB]

Credit card chargebacks simply don’t work in the manner suggested above. Merchants are quite savvy about chargebacks and if it ends up being arbitrated by Visa or Mastercard they will apply the contract terms very strictly. s75 is totally different but also isn’t the panacea suggested. Chargeback and s75 are incredibly powerful consumer protections but unless one understands when and how to use them, they are a bit pointless. Regrettably, too many people now treat them as is being suggested which has led to significant pushback from Amex and other providers – FOS decisions are littered with totally meritless chargeback/s75 cases.

I am genuinely sympathetic to the OP but he made a rational decision to save money buying a non-refundable ticket in full knowledge of the risks. Helicopters are also well known to be supremely weather sensitive. Is is really reasonable to expect your credit card to bale you out in these circumstances? It was a gamble, like booking a non-refundable hotel, that didn’t pay off. Whose responsibility should it be? If you ran the helicopter company, how would you respond to the chargeback?

[HampshireHog]

To be clear in the case of a chargeback the credit card co isn’t standing the cost. There are numerous examples of the merchant either not challenging or losing in the case of a charge back. S75 is different in that the credit provider may well have to bear the cost and they may well erect a higher hurdle to claims such as scrutiny of the exact T&C’s.
Personally I’m not shedding tears for the helicopter companies unreasonable T and C’s when as has been said cancellations are a regular occurrence

[JDB]

@HampshireHog – no for a chargeback, the credit card company isn’t bearing the costs, but there are strict protocols and card companies do not make them on spec because the cardholder asks them to. Issuers, merchants, VI/MC/Amex and cardholders each have responsibilities. Where there is a record that a customer explicitly made an election that affected the entitlement to a refund, that’s not going to weigh in your favour. It’s astonishing that people don’t take responsibility for their own actions. The OP was very pragmatic and sensible but is then egged on to make a totally spurious chargeback. Really?!

[George K]

Thank you, all, for the discussion. I purposely didn’t opine on the merits of a credit card chargeback or dispute, precisely because I feel that this is the wrong way to go about this, despite everything. My travelling companion is less sympathetic, and feels Blade is profiteering by selling two out of their three possible booking classes with no possibility of claiming a cash refund for weather cancellations. However, I am deeply ambivalent and want to explore how to offload the credit in a manner that does not start a dispute over a fare that I booked in full knowledge of the terms. I just can’t see how I would ever have the upper hand in such a scenario.

[The real Swiss Tony]

How about a trip to the south of France and use it on the helicopter from Nice to Monaco?

Must admit I spotted those same changes in the terms for the Monaco flight & felt that they were somewhat weighted against the one-off user…

[TGLoyalty]

@George K have you atleast checked USA law on such cancellations? The fact is regardless of you having seen the T&Cs it doesn’t mean any claim is frivolous if the law is on your side. @JDB chargeback should be last resort and ONLY if the T&C affect your statutory rights. It’s like when retailers have T&Cs which tried to circumvent distance selling regulations etc

Is the U.K. there’s no doubt they would be liable to provide a full refund no matter what there T&Cs say.

[Petermc]

I looked into flying with them. Having read the T&Cs they went on my no fly list.