Is it possible to return purchased plane tickets? How to return air tickets purchased online. Who returns the money for the ticket?
Nowadays, due to convenience and saving time, most people make purchases online, including booking airline tickets. Therefore, to purchase them, it is not at all necessary to go to the ticket office or contact a travel agency. On airline websites you can choose and book the most suitable option yourself.
Important! Air tickets purchased online are no different from those purchased in the usual way.
Often, having seen a favorable fare for a planned flight, promotions, discounts, tourists are not interested in the terms of its return and exchange if necessary. Don't worry, you can almost always get back the money you spent or part of it. Let's figure out how to return an air ticket with the least financial loss.
Electronic ticket and fare
First of all, pay attention to the fare specified by the air carrier.
Print out your e-ticket; it will contain all the information you need:
- point of departure (airport) and destination;
- last name, first name, patronymic of the passenger;
- number of your passport or other identification documents;
- airline code;
- flight number;
- booking class;
- type of tariff;
- departure date and time;
- fare set by the airline;
- air ticket price and number;
- date of its registration and validity period.
Non-refundable tariff
It is worth making sure that the air ticket purchased via the Internet does not have a note in the fare: “Non Ref” or “non refundable”. This word translated means “irrevocable”. At this rate, the cheapest tickets are purchased, on special promotions and on low-cost airlines. Such non-refundable budget fares may be called differently for different airlines.
For example, for Aeroflot PJSC these are economy class tickets: budget (saver) and promo (promo). In this case, it will be difficult to return the money. It is usually allowed to postpone the departure date with an additional payment by making changes to the issued transportation.
Sometimes this is an easier way out of the situation. According to the Federal Law of April 20, 2014. No. 79-FZ “On Amendments to the Air Code of the Russian Federation”, air carriers have the right to sell two types of air tickets. Some of them provide for the conditions for the return of freight charges upon termination of the contract of carriage, others do not.
It is important to know! You can get a refund for a ticket purchased at a non-refundable fare in case of illness or violation of the contract of carriage by the airline. In case of voluntary cancellation of the flight, the passenger will lose the previously paid amount of the carriage charge.
Return procedure
Let's look at how to return a plane ticket purchased at a regular fare via the Internet.
Important! Rule number one - apply for a refund to the place where you purchased your ticket.
Since the purchase was made online, you don’t have to go anywhere. You need to find the appropriate form on the website where you booked the ticket and fill it out. Carefully fill in all the required information:
- flight number, ticket number and booking code;
- exact date and time of departure.
Please attach to the relevant application:
- scanned passport (page with photo);
- payment receipt or bank statement.
If there is no specific application form on the website, then you can fill it out at will, call the specified contact numbers or write to the specified email address. You can call the airline's hotline or use the support services on the website.
It is important to keep in mind when handing over an air ticket that a refund application can only be submitted by the person who purchased it. Another person does not have the right to return it without the appropriate power of attorney.
Please pay special attention to filling out all ticket and personal information correctly. Indeed, in case of errors, the application will not be accepted for consideration and a new one will have to be written. You may miss the most favorable deadlines for submitting documents.
When is the best time to return an air ticket?
When thinking about the question of how to return a plane ticket, first of all, you need to remember two main things:
- If a passenger voluntarily cancels a flight, it is best to notify the air carrier one day before the specified check-in time for the flight in order to receive back the amount paid for the ticket without paying a penalty. This applies to refundable tariffs;
- Refund conditions may vary between airlines. You need to read them on official websites. But, as a rule, the more expensive the ticket, the less problems there will be with its return;
Why is application deadline important? The sooner you return your ticket, the less fines or commissions you will pay to the air carrier. According to the Federal Law dated April 20, 2014. No. 79 “On Amendments to the Air Code of the Russian Federation”, airlines are obligated to return all money (carriage fees) paid for a ticket purchased at a refundable fare, subject to notification of flight cancellation 24 hours or more before the end of check-in flight.
If a ticket is returned less than a day before the end of check-in for a flight, but no later than the specified time for its completion, the penalty is 25% of the carriage charge and other expenses actually incurred by the air carrier. This rule applies to refundable tariffs.
So, how can you get a full refund of the money spent on purchasing a ticket and how much refund can a passenger expect? The airline may reduce the amount of the above penalty. It is recommended to read the rules for applying your fare on the carrier’s official website. All conditions for the return of a specific air ticket are described in detail there.
Forced and voluntary ticket return
It is necessary to distinguish between a forced refusal to fly and a voluntary one. For example, hospitalization, illness of family members and other force majeure circumstances beyond a person’s control can change his plans. In this case, along with your passport, you must present a document that is the reason for refusing the flight. For example, a certificate of hospitalization.
It is important! If an involuntary refusal is recognized, the airline will return 100% of the fare previously paid by the passenger.
How to return a child's air ticket
We figured out how to get money back for a returned adult air ticket. With children, a similar procedure occurs. Only in addition to your documents, you must provide documents for the child (birth certificate or passport, that is, the document with which the ticket was purchased).
What to do if your flight is canceled
The following question may also arise: “How to return an electronic plane ticket when a flight is canceled or rescheduled indefinitely?” In this situation, you will need the owner’s passport, air ticket or receipt (certificate) of its purchase (in case of electronic booking).
Note! The passenger's money must be returned in full if the flight is cancelled.
How will the airline return the money?
After submitting an application for a ticket refund, the average processing time is 7 days, but can last up to a month. It depends on the air carrier.
Money is returned to the tourist in the following ways:
- cash;
- transfer to an electronic wallet;
- transfer to a current account;
- transfer to a bank card.
Most often, the same method of transferring funds for the returned ticket is chosen as it was paid for when booking.
It is important to provide the necessary additional information to speed up the return procedure:
- bank details, current account;
- name of the electronic transfer system, for example, Webmoney;
- e-wallet number.
It all depends on how the funds will be transferred.
Note! If within 90 days there is no response to the refund application from the airline, then the passenger has the right to go to court.
In some cases, it is more profitable to change the date and time of departure rather than cancel the flight. For some business class fares, a refund of the carriage fee is possible even if you are notified of flight cancellation after the end of the specified check-in time for the flight.
How to return a plane ticket and not lose money
Having considered the question that is relevant for many passengers, how to return an air ticket, it is important to remember the following rules:
- The procedure for handing over electronic and regular tickets is practically no different. By purchasing it online, passengers save their time. In case of a ticket return, filling out and submitting documents takes place on the same resource where the reservation was made;
- If a passenger voluntarily cancels a flight, it is important to submit an application for a ticket refund at least one day before check-in. If this condition is met, you can get up to 100% of the original cost back;
- It is easiest to return business class tickets, but more difficult to return for budget fares. In some cases, it is recommended to agree to change the previously scheduled departure date, so the passenger will lose less money;
- In the event of a forced return due to circumstances beyond the control of passengers, it is necessary to provide documents confirming the reason for canceling the flight. In this case, the passenger will not be charged any fines or commissions even if the ticket was returned in less than 24 hours;
- If a flight is canceled due to the fault of the airline or is postponed indefinitely, the client has the right to receive 100% of the original ticket price when returning it.
Answering the question of how to return a ticket with the least financial losses and analyzing all of the above, we can draw the following conclusions:
- Before booking a flight online, carefully study all contracts and instructions provided on the airline’s website;
- If circumstances arise that force one to cancel the flight, the passenger must return air tickets purchased online as quickly as possible by filling out an application for their return;
- Fill out all necessary documents carefully and without errors;
- Save your time by booking and returning air tickets on the websites of reliable airlines;
- Don’t be afraid to buy them in advance by finding a suitable option on the Internet, because the procedure for returning an air ticket is simple, and prices are cheaper if you book early.
Video
Happy flights to all passengers!
Purchasing an air ticket several months before your vacation is an excellent opportunity to save money from your family budget. This is especially beneficial if you periodically go on business trips. However, we should not forget that sometimes unforeseen events happen to every person. What to do if plans change and the trip is cancelled?
As a rule, when a person experiences force majeure, he is not able to calmly think about the situation. And develop an action plan too. Therefore, you need to think through the situation if the trip is canceled and you need to return your plane tickets in advance.
Methods for carrying out the procedure for returning purchased flight tickets
Situations when you need to return an air ticket can arise for several main reasons:
- For a number of reasons, the air carrier cannot fulfill its obligations to transport the passenger. In this case, a forced return occurs;
- The passenger's plans have changed, and the refund is due to the passenger's fault. Such a return is called voluntary.
If the airline itself is the culprit for the deal failure, then everything happens easier. A forced return occurs without any overlays. Companies return money and pay compensation to clients due in this case.
What is a forced return?
As a rule, the reasons for forced return are:
- For technical reasons, the company cancels or postpones the flight departure. There may be a long delay that the client is not happy with;
- There are problems with connecting flights if a passenger chooses flights with connecting flights;
- The plane's landing route has changed at its destination;
- The passenger was subjected to a lengthy search and missed his flight. At the same time, no items prohibited for transportation were found on him;
- The client was refused a visa;
- Due to the fault of the employee, errors were found in the travel document, which led to the ticket being invalid;
- The ticket indicated a seat, which in fact was not provided to the passenger;
- The passenger became seriously ill or died, or an accident occurred to one of his family members.
If the situations described above occur, then the passenger has every reason to demand the full amount he spent on the ticket. However, in order to be able to demand a full refund, he must provide a package of documents that can prove that a forced refund is taking place.
If the return is deemed forced, then the airline employees will return the entire amount and pay compensation.
In the event that a refund is required due to cancellation or long delay in departure of a flight, a number of conditions must be met:
- Contact the check-in service, or directly the representative of the airline where you purchased the ticket. Do this before you check in for your flight. The support service must confirm the reason and put the appropriate mark on the ticket and the carrier’s stamp;
- Pick up your flight coupon. This must be done if information that the flight is delayed or canceled appears after the check-in procedure has been completed. This condition must be met, because otherwise your ticket will be considered already used if it does not have a coupon.
Having fulfilled all the necessary conditions, you have every right to demand payment of monetary compensation in full.
What is voluntary return?
If such a situation arises, the passenger must be aware of the existence of his rights. The fact is that not all carriers agree to help the client in the event of a voluntary return.
At the same time, the rules governing the return of air tickets are prescribed in Art. 108 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation. This document reflects the passenger’s right to refuse the carrier’s services at any time, provided that the company has received notification of the refusal of services from the client.
It is worth paying attention to the circumstance! The passenger has the right by law to exercise the right to receive monetary compensation. However, the amount of the monetary payment will depend on how long before departure the company received notification of the client’s refusal of services.
If you already know for sure that the flight will not take place, then you need to inform about this as soon as such a circumstance arises.
Note! If the company receives notification from the passenger that he refuses its services one day before the flight departure, the passenger has every right to receive a 100% refund of the ticket price.
However, if the passenger decides to return the ticket in less than 24 hours, then the company may face penalties for the fact that the passenger caused financial losses to it. However, the company cannot raise more than 25% of the ticket price!
Which air tickets are non-refundable?
Often, passengers, trying to save money on flights, purchase tickets for charter flights. Of course, such tickets are attractively priced.
However, there is a rule that has been in force since 2014 and was approved by the Federation Council of Russia. There is a law on non-refundable plane tickets. Air carriers have the right to offer such tickets for sale provided that they do not exceed 30% of all tickets for a given flight. Such tickets are priced in economy class. The discount on them ranges from 15-20%.
How can I return a ticket purchased online?
If the ticket is purchased through the carrier’s official portal, then the refund will occur in the same way. Let's understand the situation using a specific example.
So, you have purchased an e-ticket from Ural Airlines. However, you encountered circumstances that made future travel impossible. What should be done?
Returns are processed exclusively through your personal account, which is located directly on the carrier’s website. Please note that this must be the official website of the airline!
- Go to the “Order Check” section;
- Find and open your order;
- Click the "Return" button, which is located at the bottom of the page;
- Use the "Confirm" button.
Note! That once you click on the “Return” button, canceling the action will be impossible!
Cancellation of a seat on a flight by telephone
In order to return your own funds, draw up a document (application) in which you indicate personal information (full name, information from your passport, as well as your ticket number). You can write an application in a free style. After this, you need to use your personal email and send the application to the carrier’s email.
If all actions were done correctly, then after the company confirms the refund, you will receive an email response confirming the operation and indicating the refund amount. As a rule, within 24 hours the funds are credited to the bank card from which the payment was made.
If the ticket was purchased through an agency
The law allows you to return an electronic plane ticket even if it was purchased through an agency. To do this you need to take several steps:
- Fill out the form for a refund on the agency’s website;
- Make a scan of your passport and attach it to the application form.
Note! Before applying for a refund, check the status of your air ticket and make sure that the procedure can be completed!
If the ticket status is marked “Restricted” or “nonrefundable” is written in English, then such a ticket is classified as non-refundable. Additionally, agency fees are non-refundable.
Features of returning economy class tickets back to the airline
Let's determine how the tariff can affect the ability to make a refund for a ticket.
Most agencies link airline ticket refunds to fare plans. All tariffs that apply to carriers are divided into several types:
- Tickets purchased at a business class fare can usually be returned without any difficulties. But it is unlikely that you will be able to avoid a fine;
- Premium class. Such travel documents are subject to a refund in the amount of 100% of their cost, even if the passenger does not show up for the flight. Such tickets have quite a decent price, which is already included in their price. Therefore, the company's likely losses are already justified;
- Economy class tickets. If a passenger who purchased a ticket at this fare refuses the flight, then the company’s losses are quite significant. Therefore, most often, carriers are reluctant to refund money for such tickets.
Note! By purchasing a ticket at a low price, you are taking a risk. In practice, it can be difficult to return such a ticket. It is even more difficult to obtain monetary compensation for it.
How are economy class tickets refunded?
Before purchasing a cheap ticket, you should first find out the features of returning such a travel document.
Don't forget that there are different situations in life. It is necessary to clarify the possibility of returning a ticket before paying its cost.
Return conditions are usually indicated on the company's website. You should definitely read them!
After reading the refund conditions, you will have an idea of whether it is possible to return the ticket or whether it is non-refundable. By purchasing tickets on a promotion or under the terms of a sale, you expose yourself to a certain risk - most often it turns out to be impossible to return them.
In the event that a ticket is not purchased as part of the promotion, then standard conditions for its return will apply.
- You can receive full cash compensation. This opportunity is provided for flights within Russia, if the carrier has received a notice 24 hours in advance;
- If the carrier received notice less than 24 hours in advance, then he has the right to impose a fine of 25% of the ticket price. A similar fine will be imposed when traveling on an international flight with less than 24 hours notice;
- The company has the right to impose penalties in the amount of 10% in the event that an international flight ticket is refunded upon receipt of less than 24 hours notice.
Refunds occur in the same way as receiving money when paying for a ticket. This can be in cash, a transfer to a bank account or to a payment card or to an electronic wallet. In the same way as in the case of a forced return, a corresponding mark is placed on the ticket form.
It happens that you have to cancel a trip due to various circumstances. Many people are interested in how to cancel a flight ticket and get their money back. It is worth clarifying that boarding passes are either refundable or non-refundable.
What tickets can be returned?
All boarding passes purchased from airlines of the Russian Federation are subject to return and exchange. These rules were established by Order No. 82 of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation “On approval of the Federal Aviation Rules”. Therefore, Russian air carriers are obliged to provide such an opportunity.
Tickets are refunded in accordance with Article 108 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation. It stipulates all the nuances of the procedure.
Download the following regulations for viewing and printing:
When returning a boarding pass, the airline may apply the following to the passenger:
- remove the return fee;
- apply penalties;
- collect a certain amount of penalty.
Is it possible to return a plane ticket that was purchased from a foreign company? Yes. In this case, the air carrier also charges an additional commission. As a rule, this amount is insignificant.
To return your boarding pass, you must notify the airline in advance. This must be done no later than one day before the aircraft’s departure. This guarantees that the carrier will only charge 25% of the commission.
Otherwise, the passenger may be refused, and no one will return the money.
Tickets purchased at a reduced price are considered non-refundable. They are sold by both Russian and foreign companies. They allow you to save money on flights.
Although these boarding passes are considered non-refundable, they can still be returned. To do this, you need to notify the air carrier in advance. He will return a certain fee for the air ticket: booking commission, airport taxes. The main cost of the boarding pass will be written off. The refund amount will be small.
- Is it possible to return a non-refundable ticket? Yes. This can be done in the following situations:
- Official refusal to obtain a visa. For confirmation, the passenger provides a copy of the passport with a refusal stamp.
- Death of a close relative. The passenger provides a document confirming relationship and death certificate
Illness of the passenger, which entails hospitalization. Provide documents from the hospital.
The passenger can also return the boarding pass if the flight was delayed due to the fault of the air carrier. Such cases often happen, but companies almost always do not admit their guilt. You can return a ticket if a flight is canceled or rescheduled, the route is changed, or flight connections are not provided when performing a single carriage (on one air ticket).
The passenger is obliged to notify the company about the refusal of the boarding pass no later than 24 hours before departure. Air carrier employees decide on a refund for a ticket on an individual basis.
There is no time limit for consideration of an application for the return of a boarding pass. Sometimes it lasts for weeks or months.
If the air carrier recognizes the refund as involuntary, the passenger will receive the full cost of the ticket back. Service fees will be non-refundable.
The sooner the passenger notifies the company of his refusal to fly, the better. This can be done directly on the airline's website. To do this, you need to go to a special section “Booking” or another (depending on the menu of the online resource). Enter your air ticket number in the appropriate field.
An electronic ticket will appear in the window that opens. You need to find the return icon. Click it and follow further instructions.
If this option is not available on the airline’s website, you must contact them directly by sending an email. You can do this on the website.
You can also call the hotline. To do this, dial the number indicated on the carrier’s Internet resource page. The operator is informed of the reservation number and reasons for the return.
It is worth considering that airline ticket sales agencies can also issue a document return. To do this, you need to contact them by email or by calling the operator.
Nuances of returning an electronic ticket
Air tickets purchased via the Internet can only be returned on the carrier’s official website. For this, companies have developed a certain procedure. The passenger must fill out a special electronic form indicating his contact information. After this, the company manager will contact him and explain further actions.
Some air carriers require the passenger's personal presence in the office when returning a document. To do this, you need to come to the company and fill out a written application. This method is considered the most effective.
Returning your boarding pass will not cost you any fees. Amounts are withheld in accordance with the established rules of the carrier.
How much money can you get back?
Refunds for plane tickets are carried out in accordance with the Airspace Code (Article 108). In this case, the passenger must receive the full cost of the boarding pass. The exception is service fees.
Important! The carrier will charge a fee of 25% of the total cost of the boarding pass. This rule is stated not only in the code, but also in the airline regulations.
If the ticket was purchased through an agency, it may be difficult to return it. Of the total cost of the boarding pass, not only 25% will be deducted in favor of the air carrier, but also 10-15% in favor of the agency itself.
Advice. Before purchasing air tickets through intermediaries, you must first familiarize yourself with the refund rules.
If a passenger is late for a flight or misses it, the money may be returned minus large penalties. It is better to notify the operator a few hours before departure so that upon arrival at the airport you can issue a refund of at least some part of the cost.
Is it possible to exchange tickets for another date?
This possibility exists. How to exchange a plane ticket? Exchange rules depend on the following factors:
- reasons that force you to exchange an already purchased boarding pass;
- airline tariffs established for this purpose;
- dates of departure and passenger's request.
It is better to familiarize yourself in advance with the rules for returning and exchanging documents on the carrier’s official website. It must be remembered that the lower the cost of the air ticket and the closer the departure date, the more difficult it is to exchange it.
Important! You cannot exchange a ticket for another person's name.
You also cannot exchange business class boarding passes for economy class. It is prohibited to choose another airline. In case of ticket exchange, the passenger will be charged a certain commission. It includes interest on delivery of the document, as well as service fees. As a rule, it does not exceed 30% of the total cost.
To exchange a coupon purchased on an online resource, you will need to fill out the appropriate field. If the ticket was purchased at the airport ticket office, the passenger must personally arrive at the place, providing the cashier with a passport, ticket, and returning the money for service fees.
Dear visitors of the Aviawiki website! There are so many of your questions that, unfortunately, our specialists do not always have time to answer them all. Let us remind you that we answer questions absolutely free of charge and on a first-come, first-served basis. However, you have the opportunity to be guaranteed to receive a prompt response for a symbolic amount.
Did you miss your flight due to heavy traffic jams and now you have lost your chance to fly on vacation, and along with it the money for the ticket you purchased?
Don’t despair, you can partially compensate for your bad mood by returning your air ticket.
How to return a ticket purchased online in 2019 and in what cases can it be accepted?
In accordance with Russian legislation, passengers always have the opportunity to refuse a flight.
The laws of the Russian Federation provide for 2 types of ticket refunds:
- Voluntary return– when a person’s plans have changed, there is no need or opportunity to fly.
- Forced return– when a passenger wants to fly, but for some reason he cannot do this, for example, a person gets sick or one of his relatives who was supposed to fly with him got sick, or the flight was canceled (delayed).
Depending on what type of ticket refund is provided, the amount of ticket refund depends.
According to paragraph 2 of Art. 108 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation, the paid ticket fee is returned to the passenger in full, in the following cases:
- in the event of illness of both the passenger himself and a member of his family, a relative with whom the passenger was supposed to fly on a scheduled flight;
- in the event of the death of a family member or close relative. A refund for the ticket will be made if the passenger notifies the airline in advance that he will not be able to fly;
- if a passenger refuses a flight due to a delay in the departure of the aircraft.
Are there non-refundable tickets?
In general, such tickets exist. These are fares at which the passenger cannot voluntarily refuse to fly.
At non-refundable rates, you can get your money only if a person has a compelling reason for refusal.
Are there non-refundable tariffs in Russia?
No, there are no non-refundable tariffs in the Russian Federation. There are tariffs that depend on the class of service, the type of transportation, as well as special seasonal tariffs.
With a non-refundable fare, if the passenger voluntarily refused the flight, he will be able to return the fee that the carrier withheld in favor of foreign countries for crossing their airspace.
If a non-refundable ticket was purchased by a passenger, but the person experiences some force majeure circumstances, then the money will be returned to him.
You can get your money back at a non-refundable fare, for example, if the flight was canceled or the carrier representative issued the ticket incorrectly.
Also, a forced refusal to fly may be considered to be the illness of a passenger or the death of a member of his family (spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, grandparents, adoptive parents) who was supposed to fly with him. In this case we are talking about a forced return.
The person must independently notify the airline of such a case..
The fact of illness or death must be confirmed by special medical documents, which must state that on a specific date medical indications prohibit the passenger from flying on an airplane.
In this case, the money for the ticket will be refunded.
If we talk about the purchase of air tickets within Russia by Russian airlines, then ticket refunds are allowed.
As for buying an online ticket for some foreign company, the client can say goodbye to the money for the online ticket.
The fact is that foreign companies selling tickets via the Internet practice selling so-called non-refundable fares.
All air tickets used by passengers to fly within Russia are refundable.
What are the rules for returning an air ticket if the ticket was purchased online?
The rules are the same as for regular ticket sales, because everyone sells tickets (carriers or their agents) according to the same rules established by current legislation.
Therefore, everyone must follow the airline's rules.
Before thinking about how to do this, you need to check whether the person can return the e-ticket. If the ticket is marked “Non Ref”, this means that the ticket is not refundable.
In order to return a ticket via the Internet, you should prepare the reservation number, ticket, flight, time and date of departure. This data must be taken from the letter that the person received earlier after paying for the online ticket.
Next, you need to go to the website where the client ordered the ticket and fill out a refund application. If such an application is not provided on the website, then you need to write an email and send it to the company’s email address (the address can be found in the “Contacts” section).
After filling out the application, you should attach a scanned copy of your passport, as well as a bank statement or check confirming the fact of purchasing the ticket.
Only the person who issued the ticket can apply for a ticket refund. If due to some circumstances he cannot do this, then his authorized representative can do it for him.
Then, along with the return application, you should attach a scanned power of attorney.
After submitting the application and its attachments, the passenger can only wait, then the airline will consider his application.
After reviewing it, the company returns the money to the passenger using the method in which he carried out the transaction when purchasing the ticket.
Each airline does develop its own rules, but it must communicate them to passengers and agents.
However, according to the Air Code of the Russian Federation, the airline’s rules must not violate the requirements of the Federal Passenger Rules.
They can only improve some articles of the rules, but cannot tighten them.
Refund rules for tickets purchased at a refundable rate
The passenger must be refunded foreign surcharges, fuel surcharges and airport security surcharges.
But the carrier has the right to withhold the fee for issuing a ticket and a receipt for payment of baggage in excess of the standard.
Passengers who show up for check-in while intoxicated will be left without monetary compensation.
When returning an air ticket to the airport ticket office, the client is not refunded the entire amount he spent on the ticket.
This is stipulated in the Federal Aviation Regulations “General Rules for Air Transportation.”
This document clearly states that the full cost of the air ticket is returned to the passenger if the carrier is forced to cancel the flight.
In order to receive the maximum possible amount of compensation for an unused air ticket, you need to decide on a refund in advance, that is, one day before departure.
How many days in advance can I return an air ticket?
If a passenger, through his own fault or initiative, decided not to fly, that is, he voluntarily refused the flight, then if he returns the ticket no later than 24 hours before departure, then he must receive a 100% refund for the purchased ticket, with the exception of airline fees for the return service.
If he returns the ticket less than 24 hours before departure, but more than 3 hours before departure, then the refund penalty will be in the amount of 10% of the cost of the ticket, and if he returns the ticket less than 3 hours before departure, then the penalty will be paid in the amount of 25%.
Does how much money a person will get back for an unused ticket depend on different fares?
There are several fares from airlines: business class, economy class, premium class and so on, and some people think that the percentage of money back on an unused air ticket depends on the class of flight.
However, it is not. Conditions for refunding money for a ticket are standard for fares, regardless of class of service.
According to airline rules, air tickets are refunded at the place of purchase. That is, if a person purchased a ticket from a specific agency, then he must return the ticket to the same agency.
If he bought an air ticket on the Internet from some agent, then he must fill out an application for a refund of the air ticket there.
If, for example, a person needs to return a ticket, but he is in another city, then he must contact the airline representative.
The deadline for returning an air ticket is before the end of passenger registration, that is, 40 minutes before departure.. If a person decides to return the ticket after this time, then a refund will not be possible.
If there is a good reason, that is, a forced return, then the person needs to notify the airline in advance that he is not flying. He must give up his seat and this deadline is until the end of passenger registration.
This situation may arise, for example, when a person bought a ticket, for example, from Khabarovsk to New York via Moscow. Will money be returned to a passenger if he has used part of the ticket but not the rest?
If a person buys a long-distance ticket, then he most likely chooses a special fare that is valid from the starting point to the final point. In this case, a partial refund of the air ticket is not provided.
But if a person buys two separate tickets: Khabarovsk - Moscow and Moscow - New York, then, of course, the passenger has the opportunity to refuse one of the two tickets on which he did not fly.
A latecomer is a passenger who did not have time to check in for the flight.. In this case, you can still try to get the money back.
To do this, go to the website through which you booked the ticket, enter your passport details and reservation number. After this, you should cancel the order.
If a person cancels such an order at least 1 hour before departure, the carrier will refund him money in the amount of 75% of the total cost of the ticket. Refund money is transferred to the unsuccessful passenger within 3 days.
If you run to the airport, but the plane has already departed, then you can count on a refund for the ticket, but only if the person bought a refundable ticket, and the passenger must provide valid reasons why he was late.
For example, he was late due to a long security check by an airline employee or due to a delay in a connecting flight. In this case, the passenger’s money is returned almost in full.
If a person misses a flight due to traffic jams, that is, this is a voluntary return, then the airline must refund him the cost of the ticket minus additional fees, or the airline employee can offer him a ticket on the next flight.
There are situations when, not through the fault of the passenger himself, but through the fault of the air carrier, the flight is canceled. At the same time, when a person contacts the company for a refund for an air ticket, he is informed that he will not receive any money.
They say that the airline has its own rules for air transportation and setting tariffs, so according to their rules, money is not returned. However, this is false information.
The carrier is obliged to return the money, and if he refuses to return it, then the service consumer has the right:
- file a complaint against the airline with the Federal Air Transport Agency;
- file a complaint through the website of the Federal Air Transport Agency;
- contact Rospotrebnadzor or court.
You can get a refund for an unused air ticket in 2019 if a person experiences force majeure or if the airline fails to fulfill its obligations to the passenger.
In order for the money for the ticket to be returned, it is necessary to inform the carrier about the return of the ticket maximum 40 minutes before the end of check-in for the flight.
Video: Air ticket refund rules