Refuse your plane ticket. How to return the money spent on an air ticket with minimal losses. Refund of tickets purchased through aggregates

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 considered 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 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 a response by email, which will confirm the operation and indicate 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 of 100% of their value, 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 under a promotion or 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, 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.

In the turbulent bustle of days, a frantic rhythm in which personal interests are firmly intertwined with professional needs, the fastest possible crossing of space has become an integral attribute of modernity. Passenger air transportation is probably one of those exceptional benefits of civilization, which has significantly accelerated its progress. However, no matter how perfect the machine that cuts through the air is, the human factor is present everywhere and in everything. This means that sometimes there is a need to cancel a flight, both on the part of the airline and on the part of the passenger.

Types of flight cancellations

Air ticket refunds can be forced or voluntary. In the first case, the passenger has the right to a full refund of the entire 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 legislation. Such cases include the situation when a flight is cancelled, postponed or quite seriously delayed due to the fault of the airline.

A sufficient basis for demanding a refund is a change in destination by the air carrier, cancellation of a connecting flight during a transfer, or a change in class of service. In addition, the cause may be the death of a passenger or a member of his family. In addition, refusal to issue a visa, if provided for by the rules of the air carrier, may also serve as grounds for a refund of money for air tickets.

Voluntary flight cancellation

If the initiator of the return of air tickets is the passenger himself, this is called a voluntary refusal of the flight. In aviation practice, there is a certain unspoken set of rules for resolving issues with the return of funds paid for a plane ticket. However, the main regulatory document is the 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 transportation of people by air in Russia is regulated by the Air Code. Compensation for client losses due to reasons caused by the air carrier or the passenger himself is also prescribed by separate provisions of this Code.

Probably the most general rule, relevant for all airlines, is that the cheaper the ticket, the greater the financial losses the passenger who cancels the flight will suffer. This is also true for another rule, according to which the airline’s commission will be greater, the less time remains between the moment the ticket is returned and the departure of the plane.

Refund Conditions

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 given the minimum time during which the air tickets are returned. Refund conditions regarding the direct relationship between the time interval remaining before departure and the amount of compensation for the ticket must be spelled out in detail on the official website of any airline.

So, if a passenger notified the airline of his refusal to fly within the territory of the Russian Federation more than a day before departure, he can count on reimbursement of the full cost of the air ticket without charging the fees fixed in the company’s tariffs. 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.

Refunds of tickets for international flights provide for the deduction of 10% of the fees if the client requests a cancellation of the flight more than a day before departure, and 25% of the fees if the cancellation took place less than a day before. The minimum threshold for requesting an urgent refund is four hours before departure. From the moment check-in for a flight begins, increased fines and commissions apply to such requests. Many airlines also provide penalties for failure to show up for a flight - their amount can be 25 euros.

Refund methods

Refunding air tickets involves returning money in the same way as it was paid for, i.e. in cash, by transfer to a bank account, bank card or e-wallet. It must be remembered that in any circumstances under which air tickets may be refunded, the conditions of all airlines require that a corresponding mark be placed on the ticket. Only if there is one, the money will be returned.

When returning money to a current account, you must provide the following information: full name or full name of the recipient, TIN, name, as well as TIN and bank correspondent account and, in fact, the current account itself.

In order for the money to be transferred back to the electronic wallet, you must also provide your full name, wallet number and name of the payment system. To return to a bank card, you only need to indicate the order number.

Aeroflot rules

When regulating the refund of an air ticket, Aeroflot on its website provides details only about documents purchased online. The return is also recorded online or at the carrier’s contact center. The procedure is carried out in accordance with the company's tariffs. Such a refund is only possible if the ticket is original, that is, it has not been changed or partially used. The airline transfers funds to the passenger within ten working days from the moment the refund request is recorded. However, returns are not subject to penalties.

Where to contact

If there is a need to cancel your flight for various reasons, many are often faced with the question of where to actually go with this request. It's very simple: go 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 remove yourself from a 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.

Refund of tickets purchased through aggregates

Today, purchasing tickets through so-called aggregates has become quite popular. These are special sites that process all information about air tickets from all airlines and agencies to any destination. As a rule, their main task is to find the best options in terms of price, quality and flight time. It must be remembered that the units do not issue tickets themselves, they only compile the information. Therefore, when the need arises to refund air tickets, you should not contact the site administration, but the agency or airline. The email that the customer receives immediately after booking contains the agency's details, as well as information about the route. If the email did not arrive, it most likely ended up in the spam folder.

Features of electronic tickets

The rules for returning air tickets purchased via the Internet (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. find out whether it is possible to return it. A note about this is placed in the “restriction” column. In English it looks like this: non ref or non refundable, which means that it is impossible to return this ticket. If there is no such mark, then on the website of the agency through which the travel document was purchased, you need to fill out a form, attach a scan of your passport to it and send it. If you purchased a ticket from a travel agency, refund of electronic air tickets is possible only through this company.

Buying plane tickets with electronic money is no longer a novelty for very busy people who fly a lot and don’t have time to buy at the ticket office. This system appeared in Russia quite a long time ago, but many cannot understand its capabilities and intricacies.

There are times when you need to return a ticket, with a regular ticket everything is clear, you go to the ticket office and return it, but is it possible to do this with an electronic ticket? If this is possible, how can this be done? Much to your relief, this opportunity exists and you don’t need to be a genius to take advantage of it.

Before returning a ticket, determine which category the return of your ticket belongs to. There are 2 categories of ticket return: voluntary and forced return.

Forced return is carried out in the following cases:

• Flight rescheduled;
• Death of a passenger. Sometimes even the death of close relatives can be classified in this category, but it depends on the airline;
• Landing was canceled at the point specified in the preliminary route;
• In case of a flight with a transfer, flights are not coordinated;
• Replacement of service company or class.

The remaining cases of return are voluntary returns, and the amount of refund of the ticket price will be made in accordance with the airline's rules.

The final deadline for returning a ticket is set by the company itself; the most popular deadlines are:

• A week before departure;
• One day before departure;
• 1 hour before departure.

You can return your ticket by calling the company. Only funds will be returned in the same way the payment was made by the passenger.

When returning an electronic ticket, you will not receive cash if the payment was made with a credit card.

Receipt of funds for the return of an electronic ticket is carried out at the place of purchase:

• From the airline providing the ticket purchasing service;
• Using the online service through which the ticket was purchased.

To issue a refund of an electronic ticket, the passenger presents the following package of documents:

• Passport;
• Documents confirming the impossibility of departure (certificate of illness, death certificate, etc.);
• Ticket payment receipts.

In case the company does not believe your truthfulness. The company has the right to require documentary evidence. It is even possible to undergo an examination by a trusted doctor of the company to confirm the passenger’s health status. This can happen if a flight is canceled due to a passenger reporting illness.

The return of the e-ticket seat is carried out in the system immediately after the person applies. You can apply for a ticket refund remotely or in person. Remote access is carried out by sending scanned documents by email.

Personal appeal, transfer of originals and copies of documents to the airline office. To quickly process a return, it is better to contact us in person. When accessing remotely, it takes time for the system to process information.

Returning seats to the system for subsequent booking is an operation that the cashier cannot cancel. Selling tickets with the same seats and at the same cost is almost impossible.

Procedure for reimbursement of expenses related to the purchase of a flight ticket

The amount of monetary compensation for the return of an air ticket depends on the fare class. Full refunds will only be issued for business class seats and other full fares. An exception to this rule is business class tickets purchased through promotions.

In case of voluntary refusal of a ticket purchased under a discount offer or during seasonal sales, a refund will only be partially made.

In case of voluntary return, the airline has the right to withhold a penalty for returning the ticket; for tickets purchased at reduced rates or with limited capabilities, it is 20-70%, unless otherwise provided by the contract. In particular, airlines retain 100% of the cost.

Let's look at the additional costs included in the payment price in addition to the cost of the seat. Such additional costs are not refunded to the client:

• Bank commission for the transaction;
• Intermediary tour operator services;
• Commission fee;
• Payment for urgent order.

These services are provided by third parties and the airline is not responsible for them. These costs are not refundable even if the passenger purchased a ticket at full fare.

Refunds for an electronic air ticket are made:

• To a bank account;
• To a bank account.

The right to choose a refund option remains with the client. You must notify the airline of your choice in writing.

Important! In the written notification, carefully indicate the details; cancellation or repetition of the operation will not be carried out.

During what time period is it best to return an air ticket?

Don’t forget that the sooner you issue a refund for your e-ticket, the more refund you will receive. For example, if a ticket is returned more than a day before departure, the full price will be returned, excluding commission, which is non-refundable.

Many airlines have a system of fines for customers and charge different fees. If you return your e-ticket less than 24 hours before departure, do not expect a refund of more than 75% of the cost. If you are returning your ticket on the day of departure, do your best to submit your request 4 hours before check-in to receive at least 75% of the cost.

If the application is submitted less than 4 hours before the start of registration, the penalties will increase, and the refund at best will be 50% of the ticket price.

If you missed your flight, you can return it after departure. Postpone the departure date to another day and pay a fine; in some cases, this is more profitable than returning the ticket and purchasing a new one. This case also includes a delay caused by the security service.

How long does it take for the airline to return money for a returned ticket?

There is no clear answer to this question. The refund period will largely depend on the deadline for submitting the electronic ticket and submitting the application. The speed of the procedure depends on the payment method.

Money spent on purchasing an electronic air ticket can be received in the following ways:

• Transfer to an electronic wallet;
• Transfer to a bank account;
• Transfer to a bank card.

To return the money to the card as quickly as possible, please indicate the client’s last name, first name, patronymic, as well as bank and bank account details.

To return payment for an e-ticket, which was made through an e-wallet, please indicate:

• Last name, first name, patronymic of the client;
• Electronic wallet number;
• Name of the electronic system (Yandex money, WebMoney, etc.)

When you apply for a refund of an electronic ticket, you lose the right to the seat indicated on the ticket. This location will be purchased indefinitely by another client. You have submitted an application for a refund of an electronic air ticket; from this moment you lose the right to change your mind and return your ticket. The entire procedure for returning an electronic ticket lasts from 10 to 90 days.

Refund of air tickets: People often find themselves in situations where the air ticket is lost
to return. The reason for this may be a variety of problems and nuances,
but getting the money back may not be so easy, because
the possibility of returning an airline ticket depends on the huge
number of factors.

Firstly, the tariff at which such a ticket
was purchased. Some tariffs do not provide the possibility at all
refund, therefore, even at the time of purchasing a ticket for transportation
when traveling by plane, the passenger should pay attention to all the conditions of its
use. As a rule, the cheapest air tickets are more difficult to return
Total. More precisely, the return itself is possible, but due to certain penalties
The passenger will receive much less money from sanctions than he spent.

Secondly, time and place remain an equally important factor.
return. It’s one thing when a passenger, for his own personal reasons, decides
return the ticket, and it’s completely different if he gets into a situation with cancellation or
flight delay.

Voluntary and forced refund of air tickets

The type of return directly determines the amount of monetary compensation for

unused airline ticket. If
the passenger himself refuses the flight and wants to return the money, such
the return is called voluntary.

In such cases, the person agrees with all return rules
the relevant airline and its penalties, as well as
the amount of compensation he will receive. Return the money in this case
an unsuccessful passenger can only go to the agency where he was
the ticket purchase has been completed. Each company sets certain
the period during which a passenger can voluntarily refuse
flight and receive almost full compensation.

However, if a person wants to voluntarily surrender a ticket for less than
the day before departure, he will definitely have to pay a fine. And in some
companies, a belated attempt to cancel a flight may result in
loss of the opportunity to return at least some money back.

Count on a voluntary return of the ticket with full receipt of it
only those passengers who have purchased business tickets can
or first class. The higher the cost of the purchased
ticket, the smaller the financial losses will be when returning it.

A forced return is made in situations where the flight
did not take place due to reasons beyond the control of the passenger: lack of seats,
flight cancellation, flight delay, etc. In such cases, the cost of the ticket
reimbursed at a rate of 100% without any penalties. Such a return
is carried out directly at the airport ticket office.

However, first, passengers will definitely need to obtain
confirmation that this return is indeed forced.
That's why:

• if the flight cancellation or delay occurred before you
  have been registered, registration service or official representative
  your air carrier is required to issue your ticket on the form
  a special mark certified by a seal or stamp;
• if you find out about the delay or cancellation of your flight after
  registration, you will need to contact the service staff
  registration to receive your ticket's flight coupons, without which
  it is considered used.

Only then do you have the right to demand from the airline
compensation for the cost of air transportation in full.

Forced is carried out in the following cases:

• long flight delay, flight rescheduling or cancellation;
• no flight connections in cases requiring a transfer
  passengers;
• death of the passenger himself or his family members;
• the carrier's refusal to land at the destination,
  which is indicated on the ticket.

If a person has paid for travel abroad before receiving
visa, but failed to get it, he has no choice but to submit
ticket. In this case, he is obliged to provide a written refusal
embassy of the respective country.

Air carrier officials must arrange
mark the corresponding mark on the ticket and seal it.

Almost all companies in the Russian Federation and Europe consider non-delivery
visas are sufficient grounds for an involuntary refund of the air ticket
to the buyer. The exception is such Russian airlines as
“S7” and “TransAero”.

Among international air carriers that do not consider denial of
obtaining a visa sufficient reason for full reimbursement of the cost
transportation, are “Brussels Airlines”,
"SAS" and "Iberia".

It is also understandable that foreign
carriers that do not operate flights to Russia also do not recognize
the need for a forced return in such a situation with a visa.

What does the law say about air ticket refunds?

The Air Code of the Russian Federation is very detailed
The conditions and possibilities for refunding air tickets are described.
In almost every airline you can find very profitable
proposals for economical air transportation, one of the features of which is
is the lack of possibility of their return.

Airlines offer people fairly cheap tickets, so o
No one thinks about possible problems with returns until they encounter
this face to face. No one is immune from unforeseen situations,
which can radically change all plans. As a rule, with the main
Only aviation workers are familiar with the provisions of the Air Code.
spheres, and ordinary citizens trust the information that is provided to them
airlines. That is why few people know that the sale of aviation
tickets that cannot be returned are considered illegal.

To figure this out, we turned to Article 108 of the Air Force
Code of the Russian Federation, which states that

the passenger may cancel the flight at any time before
completion of the flight, if he notified the carrier about it.

In this case, the passenger has the right to monetary compensation in any case.
Only its size can change depending on the period of time when
a refusal was made. If the passenger managed to cancel the flight within 24
hours before, he is entitled to a full refund
ticket If the refusal was made later than 24 hours, then
the carrier has the right to charge a person a fine, the amount of which cannot
be more than 25% of the total ticket price.
Those. so-called “non-refundable” tickets were invented
airlines and have no legal basis.

if the passenger has entered into an agreement for the carriage of passengers by air,
providing for the condition of non-refund of freight charges upon termination
contract for air transportation of a passenger, paid for air
transportation of a passenger, the carriage fee is not refundable, except
unused amounts collected by the carrier in favor of others
organizations in accordance with the legislation of foreign states,
from territories, on or through the territories of which
air transportation of passengers is carried out.

The only problem may be when
the flight takes place from the territory of another state. Then in effect
foreign Air Code comes into force, which can significantly
differ from the Code of the Russian Federation. Even if a passenger on such a flight files a claim for
receiving full compensation in a Russian court, no, practically,
there is no chance that the case will be successful.