When most people hear "non-refundable," they give up and count their losses. But one Reddit user turned to an unlikely source for help—not a lawyer, not a paralegal, but OpenAI’s ChatGPT. What unfolded was a surprising story where artificial intelligence went toe-to-toe with rigid corporate policies, winning back a hefty $2,500 (Rs 2.13 lakh) in travel refunds for a cancelled trip to Medellín, Colombia.
The traveller had booked a hotel and an international flight through Expedia without cancellation insurance. When a personal medical situation, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), forced him to cancel, both the hotel and the airline initially refused to budge. The user had a doctor’s note, but that didn’t matter. Expedia confirmed that his booking was non-refundable, and the hotel flat-out denied any refund, even on compassionate grounds.
ChatGPT to the rescue
The user asked ChatGPT-4 to step in. First, the AI combed through Expedia’s terms, hotel policies, and the airline’s refund rules. Then, it crafted a detailed, professional letter citing medical hardship and advocating for an exception. The hotel, swayed by the AI-generated appeal, reversed its decision and processed a full refund.
But the airline was more stubborn. Their policy allowed refunds only in the event of death or terminal illness, mental health issues didn’t qualify. Again, ChatGPT was asked to escalate. The AI responded with a firm, persuasive letter arguing that dismissing GAD as an invalid medical condition amounted to discrimination and outlined how the condition could significantly impact air travel. Within an hour of sending the letter, the airline replied: the refund would be processed.
The user credited ChatGPT with saving him from hiring a paralegal and losing $2,500. More importantly, the experience highlighted how AI is no longer just a productivity tool, it’s becoming a powerful personal advocate. “If I didn’t use ChatGPT, I would’ve walked away with nothing,” the user shared. “This AI went to bat for me and didn’t stop until I won.”
How did Reddit react?
A user said, "Redact the personal info and post screenshots of the emails. We're all curious to learn ourselves, and verify the authenticity of the post." Another commented, "Just curious about your prompts at this point. And any standard parameters you have set. And which model you used for this." One said, "Id be more inclined to believe with screen shots, with personal info removed of course."
The traveller had booked a hotel and an international flight through Expedia without cancellation insurance. When a personal medical situation, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), forced him to cancel, both the hotel and the airline initially refused to budge. The user had a doctor’s note, but that didn’t matter. Expedia confirmed that his booking was non-refundable, and the hotel flat-out denied any refund, even on compassionate grounds.
ChatGPT to the rescue
The user asked ChatGPT-4 to step in. First, the AI combed through Expedia’s terms, hotel policies, and the airline’s refund rules. Then, it crafted a detailed, professional letter citing medical hardship and advocating for an exception. The hotel, swayed by the AI-generated appeal, reversed its decision and processed a full refund.
But the airline was more stubborn. Their policy allowed refunds only in the event of death or terminal illness, mental health issues didn’t qualify. Again, ChatGPT was asked to escalate. The AI responded with a firm, persuasive letter arguing that dismissing GAD as an invalid medical condition amounted to discrimination and outlined how the condition could significantly impact air travel. Within an hour of sending the letter, the airline replied: the refund would be processed.
The user credited ChatGPT with saving him from hiring a paralegal and losing $2,500. More importantly, the experience highlighted how AI is no longer just a productivity tool, it’s becoming a powerful personal advocate. “If I didn’t use ChatGPT, I would’ve walked away with nothing,” the user shared. “This AI went to bat for me and didn’t stop until I won.”
How did Reddit react?
A user said, "Redact the personal info and post screenshots of the emails. We're all curious to learn ourselves, and verify the authenticity of the post." Another commented, "Just curious about your prompts at this point. And any standard parameters you have set. And which model you used for this." One said, "Id be more inclined to believe with screen shots, with personal info removed of course."
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