Airline refunds: What every passenger should know right now

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Despite hopes of more free movement this year, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t allow us to have any certain travel plans yet. Last year, many passengers were left with cancelled flights and vouchers that will soon expire. Will you be able to get your money back or will it be lost forever? Learn here everything you need to know about airline refunds in this situation.

We always aim to provide useful information to our clients. SkyRefund is a leader in protecting air passenger rights.

Have you experienced any problems with your flights in the last years, such as delay, cancellation, denied boarding, overbooking? You could be eligible for compensation - check your flight now.

Airline refunds vs vouchers

Most people are still unable to travel because of the pandemic and while some airlines have been more generous with the timeframe in which you can use a voucher, others have not.

Many passengers have accepted a voucher for their cancelled flight instead of a cash refund, hoping to be able to rebook at a later point. Unfortunately, this is still difficult or even impossible. And now consumers are worried their vouchers will expire and they will lose their chance for an airline refund.

Fortunately, legal experts have stated that, under EU Regulation 261, you are entitled to a full refund in cash even if your voucher expires. The airline might offer to extend the voucher, but you can insist on cash.

The problem is, most air passengers don’t know their rights. Since the beginning of the pandemic, many air carriers have been offering vouchers or alternative flights, even though they are required to give a full refund for flights that are cancelled. In the EU, airlines have to do this within 7 days of the cancellation.

Even when people have tried to contact Customer services and protect their rights, they have not always been successful. Processing refund requests seems to be slow and frustrating. Wait times for receiving your airline refund can be as much as several months. That’s a ridiculous delay violating your passenger rights.

If you booked through a travel agent, the process can also be a tedious one, since they often don’t have better luck in convincing the airline to fulfill its obligations, as ECTAA has noticed.

However, it is important to remember that you are entitled to a refund and you should always be assertive and fight for your passenger rights. You should receive your money eventually - unless the airline goes bankrupt.

How to successfully get your airline refund?

We at SkyRefund will be happy to help you claim your airline refund and handle all the administrative hassle instead of you.

As we already mentioned, the process (especially right now) can be a stressful and tedious one. Luckily, we are here to help: We will take care of all the necessary documentation and correspondence with the air carrier. Our legal experts are persistent and are even prepared to go to court if necessary.

The best news is that we work on a “no win - no fee” policy, which means that we only get paid if we successfully claim your reimbursement from the airline. Only then we charge 35% (VAT included) of the received amount.

Now you know that no matter whether your voucher expires, you will be due a cancellation refund. Most importantly, you have a better idea of how to successfully claim your reimbursement. This can take some time but don’t stress - we can make sure your air passenger rights are protected.

Meanwhile, have you had any other disrupted flights in the past 3 years? Check whether you’re eligible for flight compensation in addition to your airline refund - and we will help you claim it.