I-Team's Call for Action Helps Ashby Couple Keep JetBlue Credit From Canceled Spring Training Trip
ASHBY (CBS) -- Steve and Mary LeBlanc have traveled all over the country to watch the Red Sox play.
"Cleveland, Toronto, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Kansas City," Mary said listing all the MLB parks they have visited.
Back in 2020, they planned a trip to Fort Myers for a couple of Spring Training games at JetBlue Park.
"It's a gorgeous field. It's not as big as Fenway Park, but it's a nice replica," Steve explained.
But when the pandemic hit, the games were canceled and so was the flight to Fort Myers. And while they were technically due a cash refund, they agreed to accept a travel bank to use at a later date.
"We thought, that's fine because we will just do the same thing next year," Steve recalled.
But when March of 2021 arrived, COVID-19 vaccines were just rolling out and they didn't feel comfortable flying. This year, there's the Omicron variant and a baseball lockout.
"We wanted to move it to next year, but unfortunately JetBlue is not doing another extension," Steve said.
Steve tried a number of times to get JetBlue to make an exception, but the airline refused, suggesting they go some place else.
"We don't want to go some place else," he told WBZ-TV. "I did start realizing I was not going to get a positive answer, and that's when I called Call for Action."
We reached out to JetBlue and a spokesperson got right back to us. In an email, he said:
"As a one-time courtesy, we have extended the expiration of this credit by one year, with a new expiration date of 3/11/2023. This customer does not have to fly by 3/11/2023, rather book travel using this credit by that date for any flights in our schedule. We look forward to seeing them on one of our flights when they are ready."
"I was just ecstatic when you got back to me and said you've got an extension until 2023," Steve said.
He and Mary are now planning their trip for next year.
"It's great that WBZ has this service. It's been such a pleasure working with you. I feel like a made a new friend."
Under federal law, airlines are obligated to provide a full refund if a flight is canceled and the passenger is not able to rebook or simply chooses not to travel.
Many airlines will offer a voucher or credit, but the passenger does not have to accept it.