By Matt Gephardt
Produced by Michelle Poe
(KUTV) Saint George – Steve Nebeker and his wife were all set for a romantic vacation to Spain last summer. Then just hours before they were supposed to blast off from the Salt Lake International Airport, Nebeker says his phone rang. It was United Airlines calling.

“United basically called us and said, we're sorry your flight has been cancelled,” Nebeker said.

United was able to book Nebeker onto another flight leaving the next day but since Nebeker is from Southern Utah, he couldn't just drive home come back. United offered Nebeker flight vouchers to make up for the money he would need to spend on a hotel.

"It seemed fair at the time,” Nebeker said.

Nebeker and his wife each got a $250 voucher from United but when they tried to use them to book a flight to Boston, in March, he discovered the vouchers were not valid. They had been cancelled in November.

In November, Nebeker says he had talked to United about using the vouchers for a possible trip to Hawaii but that had all been cancelled. Nebeker says United had promised the vouchers would still be good.

Nebeker went ahead and booked his flight to Boston, and paid, then he again called United customer service where he was told he'd be getting a refund.

Nebeker waited several months for that refund, but when it never came, this time he decided to Get Gephardt.

When 2News called United Airlines, they apologized calling the cancellation of the vouchers "inadvertent."

As for Nebeker, after months of waiting, he got another call from United. Those vouchers have been credited to his flight and the money Nebeker paid has been refunded.

For the trouble, Nebeker says United also covered the additional costs for his Boston flights not coved by the vouchers.

(Copyright 2012 Sinclair Broadcasting Group)
Airline Vouchers Prove Worthless