In the tumultuous bustle of days, a frantic rhythm in which personal interests are firmly intertwined with professional needs, the fastest intersection of space has become an integral attribute of modernity. Passenger air transportation is probably one of those exceptional benefits of civilization, which significantly accelerated its progress. However, no matter how perfect the machine dissecting the air, the human factor is present everywhere and in everything. This is expressed in the fact that sometimes there is a need to cancel a flight - both from the airline and from the passenger.
Types of flight cancellation
Returning tickets is compulsory and voluntary. In the first case, the passenger is entitled to a full refund of the full amount of money. Such situations, as a rule, are spelled out in the manuals of all air carriers. More general rules are also regulated by state law. Among such cases is the situation when the flight is canceled, rescheduled or rather seriously delayed due to the fault of the airline.
A sufficient basis for claims to return your money is a change in the destination airline, cancellation of a connecting flight during a transfer, as well as a change in the class of service. In addition, the cause may be the death of a passenger or a member of his family. In addition, the refusal to issue a visa, if provided for by the rules of the air carrier, can also serve as a basis for the refund of money for airline tickets.
Voluntary flight cancellation
If the passenger is the initiator of the return of tickets, this is called a voluntary refusal of the flight. In aviation practice, there is a certain unwritten set of rules for resolving issues with the return of funds paid for an airplane ticket. However, the main regulatory document is a list of internal rules that guide the air carrier. Thus, decisions to impose appropriate restrictions or penalties in a particular situation depend on the carrier.
It is also worth mentioning that the transport of people by air in Russia is regulated by the Air Code. Compensation for customer losses due to reasons provoked by the air carrier or by the passenger himself is also prescribed in certain provisions of this Code.
Probably the most general rule relevant for all airlines is that the cheaper the ticket, the greater financial loss will be incurred by a passenger who refused to fly. This is also true for another rule, according to which the airline commission will be the greater, the less time remains between the moment the ticket is returned and the plane leaves.
Refund Terms
Considering that the return of air tickets involves financial losses for the air carrier, the latter tries to protect itself as much as possible, especially in the conditions of the minimum time during which the air tickets are returned. The return conditions regarding the direct relationship between the time interval remaining before departure and the amount of compensation for the ticket should be detailed on the official website of any airline.
So, if a passenger notified the airline of their refusal to fly through the territory of the Russian Federation more than a day before departure, they can expect to reimburse the full cost of the ticket without levying the fees fixed in the fares of the company. If there is less than a day left before departure, the airline reimburses the client for the amount paid for the ticket, withholding 25% of the fees, according to aviation tariffs.
Returning tickets for international flights involves withholding 10% of the fees when a client requests to cancel a flight more than a day before departure, and 25% of the fees if the recall took place in less than a day. The minimum threshold for applying for an urgent return is four hours before departure. From the moment of the start of check-in for such requests, already raised fines and commissions are applied. Many airlines also provide for sanctions for no-show flights - their size can be 25 euros.
Refund Methods
Returning tickets involves returning the money in the same way as it was paid for, that is, in cash, by transferring it to a bank account, bank card or electronic wallet. It must be remembered that under any circumstances under which the return of air tickets can be carried out, the conditions of all airlines require that the corresponding note be on the ticket. Only if any, the money will be returned.
When returning money to a current account, it is necessary to provide the following information: full name or full name of the recipient, TIN, name, as well as TIN and correspondent account of the bank and, in fact, the current account itself.
In order for the money to be transferred back to the electronic wallet, you must also provide the full name, wallet number and name of the payment system. To return to a bank card, you only need to specify the order number.
Aeroflot Rules
Regulating the return of an air ticket, Aeroflot on the website in detail applies only to documents purchased online. Returns are also recorded online or at the carrier’s contact center. The procedure is carried out in accordance with the tariffs of the company. Such a refund is possible only if the ticket is primary, i.e. has not been changed or partially used. The airline transfers the funds to the passenger within ten business days from the date of the request for return. In this case, the return is not subject to penalties.
Where to go
If it becomes necessary to cancel your flight for various reasons, often many are faced with the question of where, in fact, to address this request. Everything is very simple: to where you purchased the ticket. However, it happens that you cannot do this because you are in another city or another country. Then the Internet will come to the rescue. A request to withdraw yourself from the flight can be sent to the airline’s email. If the ticket was purchased through a travel agency, then cancellation or change of dates must be made through them.
Returning tickets purchased through aggregates
Today, it has become quite popular to purchase tickets through so-called aggregates. These are special sites on which all information about airline tickets of all airlines and agencies in any direction is processed. As a rule, their main task is to find the best options for price, quality and flight time. It must be remembered that the units do not issue tickets themselves, they only compile information. Therefore, when there is a need to return tickets, you should contact not the site administration, but the agency or airline. The email that arrives to the customer immediately after booking indicates agency details, as well as route information. If the message did not arrive, most likely it was in the spam folder.
Features of electronic tickets
The rules for returning tickets purchased online (the so-called electronic tickets) are the same as for returning paper documents. However, there are some nuances. The most important thing is to determine the status of the ticket, i.e., to find out if it is possible to return it. A mark on this is put in the column "restriction". In English, it looks like this: non ref or non refundable, which means that it is impossible to return this ticket.If this mark is not necessary, then on the agency’s website through which the travel document was purchased, you must fill out the form, add a scan of your passport to it and send it. If you purchase a ticket at a travel agency, returning electronic tickets is possible only through this company.
