Airline Ticket Purchase Information

1. When requested to do so in writing or by email, Volunteers for China (VFC) will purchase a ticket in the name of the passenger that is provided, once a check for $ 300 has been received.  These funds are non refundable once the ticket is bought, but the amount will be applied to the purchase price of the ticket.. This name should be the EXACT Passport Name. All volunteers are responsible for the ticket they have authorized to be purchased. The ticket becomes the property of the named passenger once purchased.
2. Tickets are non-refundable once booked. In some cases some airlines will allow a cancellation of the ticket with a penalty. This penalty may be $ 300 or it may be the entire value of the ticket. Tickets may be canceled up to and on the date of departure.
3. Volunteers must select the departure dates to China and the departure date back to the USA very carefully. VFC will not be responsible for travel arranged outside of the stated project dates unless VFC has been consulted prior to ticket booking and has agreed to the changes. Passengers who travel outside of the VFC travel dates will be responsible for all hotels, food and travel costs related to the new travel dates.
4. If passenger wants the travel dates to be changed, a rebooking penalty will most likely apply. This fee will be $ 150 to $ 250. In most cases of rebooking, the problem is not the cost, but finding a day when a seat is available at the same price as the original ticket. This may mean that one will have to stay for a number of days or weeks to get a ticket. If a seat at the same price of the original purchased ticket is not available for the new date that the passenger wishes to fly, then the passenger will have to purchase a one-way ticket at an additional cost. In MOST cases when this happens, the passenger will not receive any value from the previously purchased ticket towards the purchase of the new ticket. Passenger is responsible for all costs related to the change of ticket travel dates, hotels, food, insurance, etc.
5. Tickets may be purchased by the passenger or by a representative of VFC. The passenger is responsible for the ticket purchased by the VFC representative and will donate to VFC by check or cash the value of the ticket purchased. The payment time will be determined by the passenger and VFC representative. The suggested time for settlement of the ticket purchase is within four weeks after the ticket has been purchased, if possible.
6. Cancellation insurance is available at the time of ticket purchase. Remember that in most cases the ticket price minus $ 300 is what will be refunded to the passenger for most cancelled tickets.
7. Wherever possible E-Tickets will be the type of tickets obtained by VFC. Passengers who request paper tickets are responsible for any extra expense of these tickets.
8. Airlines are responsible for taking a passenger to their final destination, as long as the passenger checks in for the originating flight. In cases of delayed or missed flights that are the fault of the airline, the hotel and food related to the delay will be covered by the airline. If passenger accepts a rebooking on another carrier, the new carrier is the one that passenger has to deal with concerning any problems during travel.
9. Passenger must check in on day of scheduled flight or lose reservations. Illness, deaths, car accidents or “I changed my mind about going” carry no weight with airlines in relation to obtaining a non-penalty refund.

Volunteers for China
January 19, 2006