Do you have to cancel your trip? Has the airline let you down? Whatever the reason, getting your plane tickets refunded is often an obstacle course. AdopteUnParking explains how.
The start of trouble
Cancellation
You're thrilled, you're about to leave for the other side of the world. You've prepared everything, your suitcases are practically packed, your travel documents are safely tucked away in a plastic bag, waiting for the big departure. You're almost there, just a few more days, a few more hours and you'll be making the trip of a lifetime. The children are just as excited as they were on Christmas Eve.
And then, tragedy strikes! Your airline cancels your flight and can't replace it, or you have a medical or family emergency that forces you to cancel your trip. Not only is this a huge disappointment, but your money's gone, because you know that for getting your money back is going to be complicatedvery complicated...
A simple formality
We all think they'll understand, whether it's the airline, the travel agency, etc. They'll understand the reason for your cancellation and refund you promptly. You can even prove your good faith by presenting them with a medical certificate. A first repayment takes place quickly. This involves the reimbursement of airport taxes which are part of a small percentage of the price of your plane ticket. For the bulk of the ticket, however, you are still waiting.
The request
Who to contact
If you want a refund, you need to know who to contact to avoid the ping-pong effect where you are the ball. Where did you buy your tickets in the first place? At the airport from your company ? On your company's official website? On a comparator ? In a travel agency ? Remember that it's the person who took your money who has to pay you back. Perhaps you have a travel insurance via your bank card and in this case you can contact your bank directly to see what they can do.
Obstacles
Now that you know who has to pay you back, you're going to have to arm yourself with the right tools. patience. A lot of patience. If you've used a travel agency, they'll probably tell you to get in touch with your company and the company with your agency... However, the regulation under European law indicates that airline This is a legal obligation. In practice, however, it is the travel agencies that reimburse travellers if authorised by the airline. The reason for reimbursement by the agency is simply that, as a traveller, you are first and foremost a customer of the agency and not of the airline. It is therefore not normally possible for a travel agency customer to claim a refund from the airline.
What's more, most airlines only reimburse on the basis of special circumstances such as bad weather. In this way, they are able to avoid their obligations. We invite you to read the Terms and conditions of saleHere you'll find all the details you need to know about refunds. For example, you will find a paragraph in our General Terms and Conditions concerning cancellations. It states that with a cancellation insuranceIn the event of a cancellation, you will be reimbursed as long as you give 2 hours' notice before your booking. Without insurance and up to 24 hours before your journey, you will be reimbursed in the form of a credit note that you can use on any of our partners, regardless of the city for which the cancellation was made. You had a car park at Roissy and your next flight is finally in Nantes? Use your credit on our partners close to Nantes Atlantique airport.
Reimbursement
Regulations
The first regulation that airlines all too often forget, for European flights, is that they must pay you a compensation ranging from €250 to €600 in the event of flight cancellation. They must be able to offer you other theft or a reimbursement of your ticket within 7 days. It is important that you, as the customer, take steps to obtain a refund. Airlines rarely offer refunds themselves. However, this does work if the airline cancels the flight. If the flight is cancelled by you, you will need to take the following steps refer to the General Terms and ConditionsFind out if your ticket is refundable and under what circumstances. If you have taken out a cancellation insurance (and we strongly advise you to do so), in which case you will have to contact your insurance company directly. Unfortunately for travellers, the law and international treaties do not lay down clear and precise rules in the event of cancellation, which makes requesting a refund even more complicated for customers.
Solutions
It can be daunting to go through all the hoops to claim a refund - not the right form, not the right documents, we're still missing this, we need that. It's hellish and nothing is done to make it easier. The first thing to do after all these attempts is to turn to the consumer associations. Some specialise in air passenger rights, such as AirHelp and Flightright. If necessary, these associations can help you take your case to court. You can also get help from a mediator if you find that nothing is going right. All consumer professionals are required to have one. What's more, their help is free of charge.
In April 2023, the DGAC (Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile) demanded almost €473,500 from 10 airlines for flights cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Proof that nothing is lost! To avoid all these setbacks, we still recommend that you read the terms and conditionssubscribe to a cancellation insurance and keep all documents related to your trip.
