airlines cancelling flights, refunds are up in the air

[seajae]

we booked flights for our two daughters well in advance(2 different airlines, 5 flights) to ensure we got the ones we wanted , friday we got emails telling us the flights have been cancelled so we queried the new times/dates(before the news said all flights cancelled) to make sure they were suitable/able to be used or a refund would be required, as yet no answer. Wonder if the airlines will reimburse everyone that have booked and paid for flights or simply tell them no refunds, the wait is on

[Saltire]

2 days ago I cancelled a flight I booked last year with British Airways BKK - LHR - GLA to take advantage of the online offer of not a refund, but a voucher to the same value, no cancellation fee and the voucher valid for a year from the original departure date (21 May 2020) to any destination.

 

On submisssion was told I should get the voucher in an email within 7 days.

 

Waiting to see what happens.

 

Not sure if BA will be aound till May 2021.

 

 

[ChipButty]

Thai where offering refunds last week,

[cmarshall]

Most airlines don't have the cash.

[ChipButty]

44 minutes ago, Saltire said:

Not sure if BA will be aound till May 2021.

 

 

Think so

[Rancid]

Scoot wouldn't change our flight, we lost the whole airfare. Another friend booked Air Asia for next month, when he checked the flight online it showed no flights that day, but the airline never contacted him. He eventually found a chat that after the process says he will be refunded, we shall see.

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

AirAsia gave me a credit for future use in my online account next day. That was last hope still same for others.

[sammieuk1]

Finair is wait a month for your money back BA is a stinking voucher but as BA put their prices up 10 days ago from £520-£1097 for the same set of flights I want my money back as the voucher is going to be worthless i suspect not only am I stranded in the UK without funds I'm bailing out two airlines to boot????

[tonray]

Air Asia offers the option of account credit (good for 365 days) or refund. Online automated system quite easy to navigate.

[tifino]

this sort of Thread becomes a valuable tool;

 - to refer to after this all blows over! 

 - see which airlines you can trust, in their actions...

 (Refund/Exchange/ReSchedule/Defer 

 versus the 'others' who had Dumped their customers)

 

create a shortlist that one may then decide to blacklist from the shortlist,

 - of your future preferred Carrier(s)

 

... or the ones you tell to Scoot off out of your face

Edited March 23, 2020 by tifino

[BritManToo]

34 minutes ago, tonray said:

Air Asia offers the option of account credit (good for 365 days) or refund. Online automated system quite easy to navigate.

I've applied for credit on 4 Air Asia flights yesterday.

Says they'll take up to 30 days to make a decision/issue a credit.

[mrmicbkktxl]

Kuwait Air cancelled our flight to Frankfurt,they told us by email and sms. Unfortunately we booked our flight with Maje..... Travel in bkk,no email,no sms,no call from them.Last Monday I called them.They said for a refund we need to fill out a form and they will mail it,until Saturday nothing happened,so my wife called and they told her we no need a form,just an email is fine,but they will charge 1000bt for the refund,and if we didn't receive the refund after 60 days we should call again.Not sure if this is normal procedure.

Our return flight with Finnair (booked with Finnair)was cancelled too,no email,no sms,no call,no nothing.On Finnair website they say"Sorry we are very  busy bla,bla,bla".We filled out a refund form and got an automated email response telling us to wait 60days+.Finnair last flight to Europe will leave April 1st for around 12000bt what is a good price if someone needs a flight back,Qatar Air Tripled their fares

[Iamemjay]

Scoot (unlike what the post above says) offer online self serve vouchers available for 12 months. I applied last night and received my voucher this morning. Very Impressed. 

 

AirAsia are a bit more tricky. I'm an Aussie and technically I can still return to Oz, but frankly, I would be crazy to do it. So they won't refund (at this stage, but I think that will change in time as more restrictions are imposed).

[fantom]

Air Asia did a refund at their ticketing office in CNX on the spot. We used bank account.

Excellent courteous and efficient staff.

[Peter Denis]

Got a message this morning from Emirates that the flights to/from Brussels on May 1 go and June 2 return have been cancelled.  No mentioning of refund, only 'sorry for possible inconvenience'.

As a result of that cancellation obviously my BKK - Dubai flights are not useful anymore, but these have not been cancelled.  I can cancel them and replace with other flights at no cost, or apply for a refund.

If all Dubai connecting flights to Europe have been cancelled, there will be many people in a similar situation (useless flight to Dubai and cancelled flight to next destination). 

[Pedrogaz]

THAI were very good to us...changed flights, no fees, no issues at all.

[orientalist]

Qantas cancelled flights and the default offer was a "flight credit" that was good for partner airlines. When I checked the prices of a September flight with those partners, BA and Cathay, they were way more expensive and I believe BA has cancelled its Bangkok-London flight already. The terms of my ticket are that if I cancel it costs me 5,000 baht. But will I ever get the refund if the airline has no money? If the virus problem subsides in 6 months - which I seriously doubt - will I get my refund in time to book another flight?

[007 RED]

Refund v Voucher

 

Because of the Covid-19 situation many airlines are now having to cut back their flight schedules.  In most cases passengers are being offered the choice of either a refund or a voucher.

 

Before opting for either, you need to consider the following issues:

 

Read the T&C of your ticket very carefully.  Many low fare ticket have penalty fees if you cancel your flight.  Oh, I hear you say, the airline has cancelled the flight.  Careful, have they?  Many airlines are using the word SUSPENDING.  Hence if you ask for a refund/voucher it is you that are cancelling the ticket. 

 

If the airline confirms that there will be no penalty fee applied, I would opt for the refund.  If you opt for the voucher, which may well be valid for 12 months, in 12 months time the price of the fare may well have gone up considerably and you will have to pay extra for a flight.

 

If the airline will not give you a refund without any penalty fee, and you have paid for the fare by credit card, you should contact your CC provider and ask for a 'charge back' on the basis that the airline did not fulfil the contract with you to provide you with the flight agreed when you booked.

 

As a last resort, it may be possible to take the matter up with the small claims court or the appropriate Ombudsman. 

 

Best of luck those who need to travel by air in the near future.  Flights are become a rare commodity now.

 

PS.... I know that for all intent and purposes suspend is basically the same as cancel, but the airlines T&C specifically state cancel not suspend.

Edited March 23, 2020 by 007 RED

[kwonitoy]

I've spent upwards of 8 hours on hold with expedia listening to their crappy song.

Booked flight through them for me and my son to travel to Edmonton Canada with EVA/Air Canada.

March 25. I'm not going, I won't endanger my son trying to fly right now, I can wait, If it's next year so be it.

I thing getting any refund is a lost cause now.

 

I can't do anything online because, multiple airlines/bookings

I can't do anything on the carriers websites because, multiple airlines/bookings.

Expedia is so far useless, they say long cue lines/wait times on the phone. I don't think they are even trying to answer the phones. Am on hold right now with the phone beside me as I browse the computer.

[Peter Denis]

8 minutes ago, 007 RED said:

Refund v Voucher

...

If the airline will not give you a refund without any penalty fee, and you have paid for the fare by credit card, you should contact your CC provider and ask for a 'charge back' on the basis that the airline did not fulfil the contract with you to provide you with the flight agreed when you booked.

Instead of taking the unsure road of applying for a refund, would it not be better to ask my credit-card company for a 'charge back', as you suggest.

Emirates send me an e-mail that my flights Dubai - Brussels were CANCELLED (not suspended).

But my flights Bangkok - Dubai are not cancelled yet by them (but obviously they did become worthless for me without onward flights to my final destination).

 

[jojothai]

7 minutes ago, 007 RED said:

Refund v Voucher

 

Read the T&C of your ticket very carefully.  Many low fare ticket have penalty fees if you cancel your flight.  Oh, I hear you say, the airline has cancelled the flight.  Careful, have they?  Many airlines are using the word SUSPENDING.  Hence if you ask for a refund/voucher it is you that are cancelling the ticket. 

 

If the airline confirms that there will be no penalty fee applied, I would opt for the refund.  If you opt for the voucher, which may well be valid for 12 months, in 12 months time the price of the fare may well have gone up considerably and you will have to pay extra for a flight.

 

If the airline will not give you a refund without any penalty fee, and you have paid for the fare by credit card, you should contact your CC provider and ask for a 'charge back' on the basis that the airline did not fulfil the contract with you to provide you with the flight agreed when you booked.

 

As a last resort, it may be possible to take the matter up with the small claims court or the appropriate Ombudsman. 

Good advice from RED

I have been looking at a number of airlines and most seem to be offering free rebooking, but fare difference will apply.

some are offering refunds, but most will provide a voucher, as stated above valid 12 months.

However there are usually conditions on the refund where as RED says you may still have to pay the penalty.

RED is also correct that airlines are using the words "suspending" or "reschedule" instead of cancelled.

I find this totally unacceptable and have told two airlines to confirm to me that my original flight has been cancelled.

Then it is possible that I may be able to claim losses on travel insurance, or try the credit card as RED has suggested.

[Berkshire]

Korean Air supposedly offering a refund within 60-90 days.  That's a long freakin time.

[stouricks]

30 minutes ago, 007 RED said:

If the airline confirms that there will be no penalty fee applied, I would opt for the refund.  If you opt for the voucher, which may well be valid for 12 months, in 12 months time the price of the fare may well have gone up considerably and you will have to pay extra for a flight.

Or it could be possible that the VOUCHER is for a flight on the same route, regardless of price. Then that would be better than the refund.

[stouricks]

12 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Korean Air supposedly offering a refund within 60-90 days.  That's a long freakin time.

Especially when it takes milliseconds for it to be debited from your card when you initially book!

[soi3eddie]

17 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Instead of taking the unsure road of applying for a refund, would it not be better to ask my credit-card company for a 'charge back', as you suggest.

Emirates send me an e-mail that my flights Dubai - Brussels were CANCELLED (not suspended).

But my flights Bangkok - Dubai are not cancelled yet by them (but obviously they did become worthless for me without onward flights to my final destination).

 

If your flights are on the same booking reference and through journey then it would be wrong of any airline to penalise you for not taking the operating flight when they could not provide the first flight to make the connection. Under these circumstance a full refund would be due. If not forthcoming then credit card company should charge back. For many years I never ever book with an agent anymore. It's almost impossible to make changes, get early seat assignments or mileage qualifying tickets. If anything goes wrong you will be caught in the middle of a game of ping-pong with agent and carrier regarding refund etc. 

[Timbob]

Beware of Qatar Airways. I was due to return from Phuket to London via Doha with Qatar Airways in late April. On Friday I checked on Qatar's website and they had rescheduled the Phuket to Doha flight. It landed 11 hours AFTER the Doha to London flight. Then I got an email from the travel agent saying my flight had been cancelled and I would get a voucher! I have not contacted them as they are super busy. I have booked a return with Thai Airways for this week and will deal with any refund at a later date.

[KhunAussie52]

Malaysian Air cancelled twice in 3 days. No mention of refund.

Re-booked with Thai air,no problems, so far. Leaving 1205 am 27th March

Leaving Thailand for Australia for urgent medical treatment

Thank you Thai air!!!

[stouricks]

1 hour ago, soi3eddie said:

If your flights are on the same booking reference and through journey then it would be wrong of any airline to penalise you for not taking the operating flight when they could not provide the first flight to make the connection. Under these circumstance a full refund would be due. If not forthcoming then credit card company should charge back. For many years I never ever book with an agent anymore. It's almost impossible to make changes, get early seat assignments or mileage qualifying tickets. If anything goes wrong you will be caught in the middle of a game of ping-pong with agent and carrier regarding refund etc. 

Booked 'non-refundable' tickets with Emirates on a Debit Card. BKK to DXB to MAD and back. The DXB - MAD - DXB have been cancelled but the Emirates website says that only the Fare will be refunded and not the taxes/fees. Anyone any ideas please.

Also booked NOK Air to get me from Phitsanulok to DMK to connect to the Emirates flights, also with Debit Card (Bkk Bank). 

Took out insurance with Frank in Bkk which only covers cancellation due to sickness for me, wife or close family. 

[GreasyFingers]

17 minutes ago, stouricks said:

Also booked NOK Air to get me from Phitsanulok to DMK to connect to the Emirates flights, also with Debit Card (Bkk Bank).

I am in the same situation with Nok from PHS-DMK to connect to Air Asia. Spoke to their call center who said to send an email to  [email protected] with the flight schedules etc. Sent the email on Friday but yet to hear back from them.

Give the call center a call.

Edited March 23, 2020 by GreasyFingers
addition

[stouricks]

5 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

I am in the same situation with Nok from PHS-DMK to connect to Air Asia. Spoke to their call center who said to send an email to  [email protected] with the flight schedules etc. Sent the email on Friday but yet to hear back from them.

Give the call center a call.

Thanks, will do. 

I shall even TRY to get back the Bht 3900 I spent for a Schengen Visa for the Mrs.