In what cases can you return or change a purchased plane ticket? Is it possible to return air tickets purchased via the Internet? Do they refund money for air tickets?

No. There are two types of ticket rates: refundable and non-refundable. The names speak for themselves, but let us explain.

● If your ticket has a refundable fare, everything is simple: the ticket can be returned (and possibly exchanged - you need to check the fare rules) if for some reason you decide not to fly. There could be any reason. The money will be returned, even if you simply change your mind about flying, but they may withhold a penalty for the return.

● Non-refundable fare is a different story. Everything, again, depends on the rules for applying the fare, and you can still get some of the money back, but in any case you will not get the full cost of the ticket back if you cancel the flight.

Is it possible to return a non-refundable ticket?

It is possible, such a return is called forced, and it is possible if:

● The passenger or one of his close family members is ill and cannot fly on doctor’s recommendations (however, not all airlines consider this reason sufficient).

● The passenger or one of his close family members has died.

● The passenger did not receive a visa for travel (also, not all companies recognize this as sufficient grounds).

If you find yourself in one of these situations, report it to the support service of the service where you purchased your tickets and send supporting documents. After this, service specialists will send a request for a refund for the ticket to the airline.

How do I know what ticket I have?

Before purchasing a ticket, please read the fare rules. These can usually be found on the booking and payment screen.

The rules for applying the fare include a lot of nuances, including information about ticket returns and exchanges. Look for the item called CANCELLATIONS and pay attention to the following phrases:

● TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE - the ticket is not refundable;

● TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE FOR CANCEL/REFUND - the ticket is not refundable;

● REFUND IS NOT PERMITTED - the ticket is not refundable;

● ANY TIME TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE - the ticket is not refundable at any time;

● TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE IN CASE OF NO-SHOW - the ticket is not refundable in case of no-show for the flight;

● CHANGE IS NOT PERMITTED - exchange is prohibited;

● CHANGE NOT PERMITTED IN CASE OF NO SHOW - exchange is prohibited in case of no-show for the flight.

The rules can be not only in English, but also in Russian.

How long does it take to return?

The money is credited to the account from 3 to 60 days from the date of the return. As a rule, the return takes less than two months - often the money is returned within a couple of weeks. Funds for unused flight segments will be credited to the card you used to pay for the purchase.

If the funds have not been credited to your account within 30 days, please contact support, attaching an account statement from the date of return to the present day.

What to do, if

1. Tickets purchased for the wrong date/wrong country

If you noticed an error immediately after purchase (or within 30 minutes), nothing bad happened. Most ticketing services allow you to cancel your order with minimal losses or without them at all. If you paid by card, your money will hang in the bank for a while while it is being returned or unblocked, but in the end you will lose nothing or almost nothing.

But in some cases, the purchase of air tickets cannot be canceled within 30 minutes. For example, Pobeda Airlines does not allow you to cancel your reservation. In some cases, it will not be possible to cancel a ticket with a departure in the near future.

If you buy a ticket on the airline's website, please note that there is very limited time to cancel the ticket. So we recommend that you check all the details very carefully before paying: dates, directions, passenger details.

If you notice the error late - that is, more than 30 minutes have passed since payment - contact the service support team. The ticket will have to be exchanged or returned and purchased again.

2. I'm late for the airport

Contact the service you purchased your ticket from as soon as possible to find out what your options are. The sooner you do this, the smaller the financial losses will be: in case of a refund, you will receive more money, and if the departure is postponed to a later flight, the surcharge will be less. If you bought a ticket directly from the airline, then you need to contact its support service.

3. I or my relatives got sick

First of all, consult your doctor. Firstly, you should not self-medicate, and secondly, if you want to get your money back for tickets, you will need certificates to provide to the airline. Contact the support service of the service where you purchased your tickets to receive a sample certificate.

If it is not you who is sick, but one of your close relatives - a child, parent, husband or wife - also take a doctor’s certificate and contact the support service of the service where you purchased the tickets.

The service agent will resolve all issues with the airline, and if everything is in order with your documents, you will receive your money in full within up to 2 months. The same algorithm works when communicating with the airline directly.

A forced refund of a ticket can also be requested if a passenger’s close relative has died. And of course, money for a ticket can be returned in the event of the death of the passenger himself.

Important! It is necessary to report the illness or death of a passenger or close relative as soon as possible. You must do this before check-in for your flight closes, otherwise the airline will refuse a refund. Money per ticket. And some airlines ask to notify them 24 hours before departure. So the sooner you contact the support service of the service where you purchased your tickets, the better.

4. I was not given a visa

A visa refusal is another reason for issuing an involuntary refund of an air ticket, but not all airlines recognize it. In any case, if you are not given a visa, immediately contact the service where you purchased the ticket or the airline itself.

If the airline considers your visa refusal to be a valid reason, you will need to send copies of documents confirming the reason for the refusal. Usually you need an official refusal on embassy or consulate letterhead with a notarized translation.

5. My plans have changed

If you decide to cancel your trip, this is considered a voluntary cancellation of your flight and refund conditions depend on the fare of your ticket. The general rule is this: the cheaper the ticket, the greater the loss of its return. Usually the most cheap tickets- with non-refundable fares, that is, if you cancel the flight, you will lose the full cost.

If you voluntarily return your ticket, you will be charged the following:

● The entire tariff if it is non-refundable. If the fare is refundable, it is possible that if you voluntarily cancel the flight, part of it will be withheld - you need to check the rules for applying the fare.

● Refusal and/or cancellation fees. They are established by the airline and specified in the fare rules.

● Agent fee for returning tickets.

Often, if you subtract all this from the ticket price, you get a negative value.

6. The airline made changes to the flight and I don’t like them.

To issue a refund or exchange, contact the support service of the service where you purchased the tickets. Based on your application, specialists will send a request to the airline to authorize a full refund and, after receiving a response, will issue a refund.

Usually in this case there is no need to pay extra for an exchange or return.

7. The flight was delayed and I don’t want to fly anywhere anymore.

If your flight was delayed or canceled due to weather conditions, due to a natural disaster or technical breakdown of the aircraft (in general, any reasons that were beyond your control), try to get a note from the airline representatives about the delay or cancellation of the flight and send it to the support service. The ticket sales agent will tell you whether it will be possible to make a refund or exchange, and will contact the airline.

Important point

The decision to return funds in any case is always made by the company. The ticket sales service can only send a request for a forced refund to the airline, but service specialists cannot influence the decision or speed up the process of its consideration. So be patient.

conclusions

1. Look at what fare you are buying: refundable or non-refundable. Information about this appears when booking.
2. If the ticket is non-refundable, this means one thing: it cannot be returned, and if you cancel the trip, the refund amount will be minimal or zero.
3. When purchasing tickets through a travel service, you can cancel the purchase of tickets within 30 minutes after payment (time may vary in different services), and you will be refunded the full amount.
4. If the flight is canceled for a valid reason (illness or death of the passenger or his relatives, refusal of a visa), you can return part of the money even for a ticket with a non-refundable fare.
5. If the airline made changes to the flight that you are not happy with, or the flight was canceled/delayed for reasons beyond your control, this is also an opportunity to get your money back for the ticket.
6. If you simply decide not to fly, you will have to pay fines for refusing to fly. The less time before departure, the higher the fine. If you fly out in 24 hours and you change your mind, the fine will be maximum.
7. You must apply for a refund before departure. If you contact us later, there is a high chance that nothing will be returned.
8. In any case, always contact support for a refund calculation. This is a chance to get at least part of the amount back.

For those who want to save money on their flights, airlines offer so-called non-refundable tickets. They are much cheaper than regular ones. However, if a passenger wants to return such a ticket, change the departure time, or reissue the ticket to another person, as a rule, he either will not be able to do this, or the seller will force him to pay double. But there are exceptions to every rule...

When purchasing a non-refundable ticket, a passenger must be sure that he will be able to use it. Otherwise, the trip will not take place, and the money will remain with the seller. But there are situations when the airline is obliged to return your money.

In what cases can a non-refundable ticket be returned?

For reference:

Until April 2014, any airline ticket could be returned 24 hours before departure and received a refund. Even if the passenger returned the ticket on the day of departure, the airline retained only 25% of the ticket price.

Changes in law (Air Code Russian Federation) allowed the conclusion of an air transportation agreement between the passenger and the carrier, which provides for the condition of non-refund of the carriage charge upon termination of this agreement at the initiative of the carrier (Article 107 of the RF CC) or the passenger (Article 108 of the RF CC).

A passenger can return a non-refundable ticket and receive money for it in the following cases:

• illness of the passenger or illness of a member of his family, a close relative who is flying with the passenger;
• death of a passenger's family member or close relative;
• failure to fulfill or improper fulfillment by the airline of its obligations under the passenger air carriage agreement.

However, in order to return a “non-refundable” ticket on the above grounds, it is necessary to confirm these grounds with documents: medical document (certificate), telegram, etc.

Everything is according to the law

According to paragraph 2 of Art. 108 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation, the passenger is always refunded the carriage fee paid for air transportation, if we are talking about cases of “forced refusal of a passenger from air transportation due to the illness of the passenger or a member of his family or a close relative traveling with him on the flight.” aircraft, which is confirmed medical documents, or in connection with the death of a member of his family or a close relative, which is documented.

According to paragraph 3 of Art. 108 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation - family members are spouses, parents and children (adoptive parents and adopted children), and close relatives - grandparents and grandchildren, full and half brothers and sisters.

Important! When purchasing a ticket on a foreign airline, sometimes it is impossible to refuse a non-refundable ticket and receive money due to illness. In Europe, it is customary to insure your life and health. The money for a canceled flight will be returned to a European passenger in case of illness by his insurance company.

How to proceed to get your money back?

For reference:

The requirement for a refund of the carriage charge is made in the manner established by the rules of the carrier, and the contract for the air carriage of passengers, the contract for the air carriage of cargo, in accordance with Art. 234 Order of the Ministry of Transport of Russia dated June 28, 2007 N 82 “On approval of Federal Aviation Rules” General rules air transport passengers, baggage, cargo and requirements for servicing passengers, shippers, consignees."

• Before your flight departs, please notify the carrier that your flight cannot be completed. Send a notification letter by email. Or call " hotline" and report.
• Collect evidence.
• Record the fact of illness in a medical institution - see a doctor and get a certificate. Preferably with the signature of the head physician of the medical institution. If illness (death) overtook a relative who was supposed to fly with you, similar documents must be made for him.
• Write a message to the airline. Explain the situation, demand a refund based on certain circumstances. Attach a certificate and photocopies of air tickets.
• The airline's policies usually indicate how long they take to process refund requests (for example, up to 30 days). If there is no deadline in the rules, write that you expect a response within 10-14 days.
• Send your appeal by mail, by registered mail with a list of attachments and acknowledgment of delivery. This is necessary so that you don’t have to file a claim in the future.
• If you submit your application in person, submit two copies. Request your copy to be stamped for incoming correspondence.
• If your appeal remains unanswered and your money is not returned, file a lawsuit.

Important! If you purchased non-refundable tickets as part of a tour, ask the travel agency to return both the money for the air tickets and the cost of the tour package that includes them.

Deadlines for filing notifications and appeals

How do you understand that the tariff is non-refundable?

For reference:

Air ticket price = fare + fees and taxes.

1) Tariff— this is the cost of the flight set by the airline. The cost of the flight depends on the length of the route, booking class and season.

2) Fees and taxes. Taxes are airport fees for aircraft ground handling - fuel, insurance and service. Has the price of fuel changed? Consequently, the price of the air ticket has also changed.

A description of the tariffs is in the rules posted on the seller’s website. Tariff information is usually indicated on English language.

Collocation "Ticket is non-refundable" says the rate is non-refundable. That is, a passenger’s cancellation of a trip or failure to show up for boarding without a valid reason are not grounds for returning a ticket.

When purchasing, pay attention to the possibility of canceling or rescheduling a flight - sellers of non-refundable tickets often establish rules according to which for changing the time, date of departure or name on the ticket, you need to pay an additional fee comparable in cost to the price of air travel.

The following phrases may also appear in the rules:

1. Changes not permitted - the ticket cannot be exchanged
2. Changes any time charge eur 100.00— the ticket can be exchanged for an additional fee, for example for 100 euros (the amount depends on the airline).
3. Name change not permitted— you cannot change the name indicated on the ticket.
4. Were fare is non-refundable any time in this case YQ/YR surcharges are also non-refundable.— Taxes (YQ/YR) cannot be returned if the ticket fare is non-refundable.

• For Russian airlines, these tariffs are usually indicated by words like “Economy”, “Standard”, “Basic”, “Promo”.
• Sometimes non-refundable tickets are sold during promotions airlines.

If you are not sure that you will be able to use a non-refundable ticket, it is better to buy a regular ticket that can be returned.

Attention! You can return some of the money even without a good reason.

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 norms 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 demands to return your money is a change in destination by the air carrier, cancellation during a transfer connecting flight, as well as changing the 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 transporting people by air transport on the territory of Russia are 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 refuses 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.

Return tickets for international flights provides for the withholding of 10% of fees when the client requests a cancellation of a flight more than 24 hours before departure, and 25% of fees if the cancellation took place less than 24 hours before departure. 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 for such requests. Many airlines also provide penalties for failure to show up for a flight - their size 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 return of an air ticket, Aeroflot on its website provides details only about those purchased in the mode. online documents. 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 on help will come Internet. 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 to return this ticket impossible. If there is no such mark, then on the website of the agency through which it was purchased travel document, you need to fill out the 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.

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Conditions for returning air tickets purchased online

Before purchasing a plane ticket, carefully study the refund rules, as different situations happen in life. Conditions for handing over tickets are different for all companies. Airlines often impose commissions and fines for refusing to fly.

Air carriers, depending on the comfort of the flight, sell air tickets of various classes. Business class tickets are the most profitable; in most cases, passengers receive compensation of 100% of the cost. But with seats on the plane purchased at a promotion, everything is much sadder. It is not profitable to return such air tickets.

Please note!

If you find out that it is impossible to fly several weeks in advance, you should immediately inform the air carrier about this, since the sooner you return your ticket, the more profitable such a refund will cost you.

• Passengers do not always refuse a flight on their own initiative. Often a ticket refund can be caused by factors beyond the control of the passenger:
• delay or complete cancellation of a flight;
• changing the route of an aircraft by an air carrier;
• failure in flight schedules;
• inability to connect flights in the manner previously announced;
• failure to provide the passenger with the exact seat or class that was chosen when purchasing the ticket;
• if a passenger is late to board the plane due to being delayed during baggage inspection;
• a company employee made a mistake when issuing a ticket;
• the passenger or a relative flying with him or her is ill (submission of a certificate in this case is mandatory);

death of the passenger for whom the ticket was issued or his close relative (will also need to be confirmed with appropriate certificates).

For some air carriers, the fact of refusal to issue a visa serves as the basis for a forced refund of a ticket. All other cases will be automatically classified as voluntary surrender of the air ticket, in which the funds spent on the purchase will be returned only partially.

READ ALSO:

Where and how can you return an electronic plane ticket? Let's talk about the two main methods of delivery electronic air ticket

: at the airport ticket office or on the website where it was purchased. However, a regular paper ticket can be returned in the same way.

• To return you need to know:
• Digital number of the purchased ticket;
• The flight number you were planning to take;
• Departure date and time;

Reservation number.

All this data is in the air carrier's email that you received after booking your ticket. When making a refund at the airport, it will be more convenient to print out this letter, take it with you and present it to the cashier. He will help you fill out the return application and show you what to enter where.

• When returning an air ticket via the Internet, the algorithm of actions will be as follows:
• Go to the airline's website;
• Fill out the application electronically with the information we discussed above. Please attach a scan or photo of the passport of the person for whom the ticket was issued to your application.

Please note!

When returning a ticket at the airport ticket office, the procedure will be similar, as well as canceling a flight through an intermediary (travel agency).

Fill out the application

Another option for returning a ticket is to send an application along with a scan (or photo) of your passport to the air carrier’s email.

• In the application we must indicate:
• The flight number you were planning to take;
• Last name, first name and patronymic of the person who was supposed to fly;
• Flight number;
• Method of purchasing and paying for a ticket; Details for a refund for the ticket price. This could be account details, bank card

or electronic wallet.

Important! Please note that when purchasing tickets through a travel agency, all flight cancellation transactions are processed there, with the intermediary.

Refunds should be made only by the citizen whose passport details the air ticket was issued for. Otherwise, representatives of the air carrier have the right to demand from a third party a power of attorney for the right to return the purchased ticket.

After accepting the application, the passenger can only wait. Unfortunately, the refund procedure sometimes takes several weeks. To speed up the process, you can sometimes call the airport and check the status of the application.

ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample application for a refund for an air ticket: Attention!

Our qualified lawyers will assist you free of charge and around the clock on any issues.

Which air tickets cannot be returned?

Almost all issued plane tickets purchased online can be returned.

• But there are exceptions to the rules, which include:
• Air tickets marked “Non Ref”, which translated into Russian means “cannot be returned”. Be careful when purchasing. Such tickets sell out in an instant, as they have a very attractive flight price for the passenger;

For some air carriers, the fact of refusal to issue a visa serves as the basis for a forced refund of a ticket. All other cases will be automatically classified as voluntary surrender of the air ticket, in which the funds spent on the purchase will be returned only partially.

Air tickets purchased through a system of promotions and discounts. Airlines often allow exchanges for a flight on a different day and time, but prohibit refunds.

• Although there are exceptions to this system. Non-refundable air tickets can be returned when:
• The passenger or his relative suddenly fell ill;
• The passenger or his relative has died;

Attention! If it is not possible to provide the company representative with documents immediately, you can present them within 6 months from the date of delivery of the air ticket.

What needs to be done to return a non-refundable ticket:

• Notify the air carrier about the impossibility of flying for valid reasons (listed above). The sooner you do this, the better;
• Obtain a certificate or other document confirming that you have valid reasons for refusing to fly (sick leave, death certificate, etc.);
• Write an application for a refund for the ticket and submit it, along with copies of documents, to the airline for consideration. If it is not possible to come to the carrier’s office, then the application can be sent by email or by Russian Post. In the second case, always pay for return receipt so that you can know for sure that the letter was received by the addressee.

Watch the video. Air ticket refund rules:

When is the best time to return your travel document?

The sooner you can return your ticket back to the carrier, the better.

If you return a ticket more than 24 hours in advance, you can count on compensation of 100% of the cost minus a commission. But some companies impose fines and fees on the ticket cancellation procedure.

If you return your ticket less than 24 hours before departure, you will receive 75% of its cost back. If you cancel your flight more than 4 hours in advance, but less than 24 hours in advance, you have a chance to get a refund of 75% of the cost. But if deadlines are running out, then there is a high probability of running into fines.

Note! If you are late for the plane due to your own fault or the fault of the security service, you can also return your ticket. The fine will be large, but you can still get some of the money back. Sometimes it is more profitable to reschedule a flight to another day than to pay a penalty to the airline.

When will the money for the air ticket be refunded?

The timing of refunds directly depends on many factors:

• Place of ticket purchase (at the box office, online or through a tour operator);
• Payment method (cash, card, e-wallet);
• Application deadlines.

The following refund options are available:

• to a current account;
• to a card of a certain bank;
• to an online wallet;
• in cash.

If you want to return money to your current account, then you need:

• Full name of the person in whose name the current account is registered;
• Your Taxpayer Identification Number;
• The account number itself;
• Full name of the bank;
• Bank BIC;
• Correspondent account.

To transfer money to an electronic wallet:

• Full name of the money sender (or company name);
• Name of the payment system (LiqPay, Yandex money, Webmoney and others);
• The number of the online wallet itself.

To return to a bank card, you will need the card details and the owner's full name. Details can be obtained from the banking organization itself or printed at a service terminal (ATM).

Remember!

Immediately after acceptance of the application by the air carrier, all seats indicated on the returned ticket are cancelled. They become available for sale again. The procedure does not have retroactive effect; it will be impossible to cancel the refusal.

How to return a plane ticket and not lose money

• To summarize the issue of returning a plane ticket purchased online, we can say the following:
• The procedure for returning an electronic air ticket is no different from returning a regular one. On the contrary, passengers save their time. They do not need to go to the carrier; they can quickly complete everything online and wait for payment to the specified account;
• If you voluntarily refuse to fly, the main thing is to have time to return your ticket one day before departure. It is then that the passenger has a chance to return 100% of its cost;
• It is more profitable to rent business class tickets. But with promotions and discounts it’s the opposite. There is a risk of running into a penalty or not receiving a refund at all;
• In case of force majeure (death, illness), you can even return tickets marked “non-refundable”. But you will have to provide documents confirming the presence of valid reasons;

Flight cancellation or delay also applies to force majeure, due to which the passenger can return 100% of the ticket price without penalties or commissions.

Today, online shopping has become very popular. They buy everything - from apartments and dachas to a loaf of bread. This situation also affected air tickets, but what to do if you cannot fly for some reason?

About buying air tickets online

How to return air tickets purchased online?

In reality, all you have to do is go to the ticket office and return the ticket (by presenting some documents). But doesn’t this mean that you need to go to the airport and ask for a ticket back?

You can, but you will lose a lot of time, so it is better to return your tickets online.

Cheap flights online

The first thing to remember is that you should definitely read the terms of agreement on the website where you buy the ticket. Sometimes you come across unscrupulous scammers who supposedly “sell” tickets, but in reality they scam people.

So remember - be sure to buy tickets through trusted, official airline websites, popular search aggregators, like: www.skyscanner.ru or www.aviasales.ru.

But let's get back to business.

Instructions for returning an air ticket

• If the website where you purchased your ticket has an online consultant who answers customer questions in the chat - ask him all the questions you are interested in - he (s) is obliged to answer them.
• Don't be afraid to include your email or phone number, if he asks.

Booking site phone number:

• Call the number listed on the website where you booked your ticket and they will definitely tell you how to return the ticket and what the fine is due at your fare.

Airline:

• Call the airline office from which the ticket was purchased. The phone number is always listed on its official website. In this case, you need to provide the details of the passengers whose tickets you intend to return.
• You just need to clarify the airline’s commission and the amount of the fine for returning air tickets. It varies from operator to operator, so be sure to pay attention to commission rates.

There is no need to carry or send a printed copy of your e-ticket anywhere, as it does not play any significant role.

Tourist agency:

• If you are flying on tourist package, then when handing over your air ticket, you will have to contact the relevant agency and the air carrier agency, but in this case the entire trip will be cancelled.
• It should also be noted that in such cases the commission will be higher, and sometimes the ticket cannot be returned at all.
• If the air ticket is non-refundable, this must be stated in the conditions of purchase of the agency or carrier.

The money is returned after a certain time.

Remember the main thing - when purchasing any air ticket (online or offline), you must carefully read all agreements and conditions, and also buy tickets only on trusted or official websites.

How much money passengers lose (commission) often depends on the reason for the return and the specific airline's policies.

Forced return

Sometimes it happens that you need to urgently return a ticket.

• In what situations does this occur:
• sudden change in passengers' plans;
• Flight delay is too long;

sudden serious illness. In order to return your air ticket urgently, you must present Required documents

, confirming a change in your plans, visa refusal, hospitalization certificate, and so on. For ticket return a certain commission is charged, if an urgent return is required, then it will be an order of magnitude higher.

As soon as the company recognizes the return of the tickets as involuntary, you will be refunded all the money spent minus the commission.

As stated above, for an involuntary refund of an air ticket, all you need is a passport and any document that must reflect the reason for the “urgent refund”.

Return deadlines

Return times vary:

1. Consideration of the application usually lasts from several hours for an urgent return, up to a week for a regular application.
2. Request an application to the airline (if necessary) can take from several days to 3 months. The airline should not ignore your request, so after this period you should receive some kind of response; if ignored, you can sue the company or try to contact them by other methods.
3. Refunds are made on average within 4 days, but with additional payment the process may go faster. Money is transferred to a card, in cash (via an ATM or company branch) or through electronic wallets (WebMoney, Yandex.Money, and so on).

Voluntary refund of air ticket

A voluntary return differs from a forced return only in that the passenger returns his ticket entirely at his own request, without having valid reasons or documents confirming them.

To hand over a ticket voluntarily, you need to have a passport and an account where the money will be credited.

But in this case commissions and various sanctions towards the passenger are inevitable.

It is also worth considering that the higher the class of ticket (economy, business, first class), the lower the penalties will be if it is returned or changes are made to it at the discretion of the passenger.

As for the terms for consideration of the application, they are still the same and you can also rush the airline by paying additional money.

You will have to present a scan of your passport and indicate your account (card, bank account, electronic wallets).

• Basic Rules: You can see all the conditions for voluntary surrender of an air ticket in the relevant sections of the websites.
• , where the air ticket is booked or seek help from a consultant (if available). You should be asked to leave contact information
• (telephone, e-mail, residential address) and fill in some other data (passport series and number, and so on). You can fill out the form without any fear.
• , since on trusted or corporate sites, user privacy is always maintained at the proper level.(if you bought a ticket directly on the airline’s website). In this case, it is better not to linger or be late.
• The terms are still the same as with a forced return., but there are penalties. The lower your flight class, the higher the fines will be.
• Fines vary from 200 to 1000 rubles (depending on the air carrier and class).

Get travel health insurance

Refund rules for children's air tickets

In fact, there are no differences as such from the return of an adult air ticket.

You will have to provide documents for yourself and the child (passport, birth certificate, SNILS, insurance policy, etc.).

It should also be noted that different penalties and commissions are an order of magnitude lower or absent altogether(it all depends on the airline).

Payment is transferred in the same ways as in the case of an adult ticket.

What should I do if my return ticket is not accepted?

Indeed, since 2015, so-called non-refundable or non-redeemable air tickets have appeared.

Since June 2015, Russian law allows Russian airlines do not refund money for air tickets if the passenger purchased air tickets at “Budget” and “Promo”, from Transaero - Promo, “Tourist” and “Discount” tariffs or so-called “non-refundable air tickets”. In general, they can be described as Economy class tickets.

But what if your case is different, perhaps they are ignoring you or trying to deceive you?

If you are ignored, try reapplying or contact the airline or the site administration.

Usually they always leave their contact information in a visible place; if the contact information is not available anywhere, then contact a consultant.

But if there is no way at all to contact the site where the air tickets were purchased, then you will have to go to their nearest office.

If you continue to ignore it, you have the right to take legal action against the airline or booking site.

When you are charged with inflated commissions and fines, I recommend that you read the contracts and various instructions directly when purchasing a ticket.

But if you are asked to pay higher than those specified in the contract or higher than the standard commissions in the country, then you will have to either fly or write complaints to the company management and file lawsuits.

Unexpected refund of air ticket

• You ended up in the hospital shortly before departure, so you won’t be able to fly somewhere, what should you do?

In this case, ask for a hospitalization certificate or any other document confirming your state of health. You will be able to return your air ticket with minimal penalties, since the return will be considered forced.

• You were denied a visa to another country shortly before departure.

In this case, you can also issue forced return with minimal losses. You just need to have your passport, a document confirming the visa refusal and your account.

Also, if your visa is delayed, ask for proof of the delay. Having the necessary documents, you can return your ticket or reschedule your flight.

• Has your close relative died or become seriously ill?

Then you are also allowed to return your air ticket urgently or change the departure date from minimal costs. To do this, you will need the necessary documents, including a death certificate.

If your plans suddenly change dramatically without the above reasons, then you can also return or make the necessary adjustments to the ticket, but the costs will be higher.

To do this, you will need a passport, international passport and visa (if you flew abroad) and your own account where the money will be transferred.

• Was your flight canceled or delayed for a long time?

In this case, your ticket will be returned automatically at no cost. To return a ticket, you only need a passport and the ticket itself (in the case of electronic ticket You will need to present a proof of purchase).

Finally

When buying air tickets both online and offline, always read all the contracts that are provided to you. Don't hesitate to ask consultants and sellers.

You can also ask directly: “What should I do if I need to return my air ticket? "

If the consultant avoids tricky questions, then I recommend looking for other more reliable and responsive sites that sell air tickets, or buying a ticket directly in reality.

Article contributed by Christina Endless.