Sometimes even the best laid plans change. It seemed that everything had been thought out to the smallest detail, had been planned long ago, and the purchased tickets were further confirmation of this, but circumstances were such that it was necessary to reschedule or cancel the trip, and not go to the long-awaited concert.
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In the current situation, in addition to the lost impressions of the failed events, how can you not lose money for the ticket? Is it possible to return the full cost of a ticket or get at least partial compensation when I missed my plane and couldn’t go to the concert? Where to go, what to say and what documents to prepare? It is better to study the answers to these questions before the need arises to return an unused ticket.
What does "non-refundable plane ticket" mean?
There is a generally accepted well-known rule with air tickets: the more profitable the purchase, the higher the risk. Non-refundable tickets in case of trip cancellation cannot be returned with a refund of their cost, unless otherwise provided by law. Yes, the law on non-refundable air tickets allows you to return them, but this requires very specific reasons, which we will discuss below.
Non-refundable tickets are usually much cheaper than refundable ones, but you risk losing the entire amount if the trip is cancelled.
If this happens and you cannot show up for the flight, you must notify the airline staff in advance. Perhaps there is some clause in the fare rules that will allow you to exchange your ticket without much loss.
What types of air ticket exchanges can be made?
Today, there are two main types of air ticket exchanges. So, there is a free and paid exchange. In the first case, a flexible rate is used, which allows you to make changes to your reservation without additional charge. Thus, only the difference in tariff is paid. Paid exchange involves not only paying the difference between tariffs, but also paying an additional commission (fine).
The exchange of air tickets is also classified according to the possibility of changing not only the date and time of departure, but also other data. There are types such as Routing (with the ability to change the route), NameChange (with the ability to change the passenger's name) and ReroutingisnotPermitted (non-refundable ticket).
The benefits of such tickets
People are quite reluctant to buy a non-refundable ticket, because no one wants to appear as a financial loser as a result. Companies have found a way out of this situation. Non-refundable air tickets are an order of magnitude cheaper than return ones: it is the low cost that captivates passengers, and it is also the only benefit. However, such tickets are also different:
- Returns and exchanges are prohibited.
- Returns and exchanges are allowed, but with a certain surcharge.
- Returns and exchanges are allowed with a surcharge, but only on certain flights.
- Returns and exchanges are allowed within a certain time after ticket purchase.
Some airlines use a 24-hour rule, meaning you can do the above steps as long as less than 24 hours have passed since your purchase - never forget this.
If you need to exchange or return an air ticket, please contact the company employees with this request as early as possible. There may be a special offer for you. Typically, the sooner you communicate a change of plans, the more options the airline can offer you.
However, there are conditions that allow the passenger to receive a full refund legally. It is worth talking about them in more detail.
How do I find out whether my rate is refundable or non-refundable?
Please check the booking conditions before purchasing your flight ticket.
- Find cheap flights on Skyscanner.
- Go to the airline or travel agency website.
- Study the “Rate Conditions” or “Booking Rules”.
Aeroflot ticket return and exchange rules. Economy class "Budget" and "Promo" fares are completely non-refundable. A ticket at the Optimum fare can be returned with a fine.
If the ticket is non-refundable, you will see this in the fare rules in Russian or English. Look for something like:
- NO REFUND OF CARRIAGE FEE IS PROHIBITED.
- RETURNS ARE ALLOWED WITH DETAILS OF A FEE.
- WHEN CANCELLATION THE TICKET PRICE IS NON-REFUNDABLE.
- CHANGES NOT PERMITTED - any changes are prohibited.
- TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE / NO-SHOW - the ticket is not refundable.
- REFUNDABLE CHARGE 50 EURO - penalty for returning 50 euros.
- CHANGES AT ANY TIME CHARGE EUR 25 - any changes are made for a fee of 25 euros.
- YR/YQ TAX IS NON REFUNDABLE ONLY IN CASE OF A NON-REFUNDABLE FARE - YR/YQ fees and taxes are not refundable only if the fare is non-refundable.
The price of an air ticket consists of the tariff - the cost of the flight, as well as airport, service, insurance, fuel surcharges and taxes. If you cancel a non-refundable ticket, you will not be refunded the fare price. Sometimes fees and taxes (YQ/YR Surcharges) are also non-refundable.
In what cases are you required to refund the ticket price?
There is no need to rack your brains over the question of how to return non-refundable plane tickets if the flight cannot be carried out due to the following circumstances:
- Serious illness of a person or his relative who is a fellow traveler on this flight.
- Death of a relative or family member.
- Trip cancellation due to the fault of the airline.
In these cases, you have every legal right to receive compensation in the amount of the full ticket price. But along with the application, you must provide a document that is proof of illness or death.
If the reason for canceling the trip was a change of plans or the passenger was late, he cannot claim a refund.
Air ticket reissue
Returning and reissuing tickets are two completely different procedures. That is, any ticket can be reissued if permitted by the fare rules. The possibility of re-issuance, as well as the possibility of a refund, must be indicated on the ticket. Check it for the presence of inscriptions, as in the picture.
Deciphering the inscriptions on an airline ticket
Whether a ticket can be changed is also indicated in the fare rules. Airlines usually offer the following conditions:
- You can exchange a ticket with a fixed surcharge;
- exchange is allowed with an additional payment, the amount of which depends on the date, flight, lounge class;
- Only tickets of certain classes can be exchanged;
- exchange is allowed only a certain time before departure.
You can always find out more about the possibility of exchange in the tariff rules on the company’s website.
If you find out that your ticket can be exchanged, contact the box office where you purchased it. Most likely, the exchange procedure will not take you more than 10 minutes. Take with you your old ticket, passport, as well as money that you may need when making an exchange.
How to get a refund for an air ticket purchased online or at the box office?
It should be remembered that in order to compensate the cost of a ticket without charging a penalty or paying a fine, the airline must be notified of the cancellation of the flight no later than 24 hours before the end of the passenger check-in time for the flight. If the specified period is observed, it is recommended to adhere to the following algorithm:
- study the return rules . First of all, you should study the rules for returning a ticket to the organization where the ticket was purchased;
- contacting the organization with a request for a refund . The website of the company where the ticket was purchased most likely has a corresponding application form. If it is missing, you can call the support service and ask to send the form to your email address. The application may need to be accompanied by a copy of your passport and details for transferring funds. When personally contacting an organization with a request for a refund, it is recommended to duplicate it to the company’s email address;
- ticket return processing . The return of the air ticket is issued by the organization from which it was purchased; money, as a rule, is also transferred in the same way as the ticket was purchased. In other words, if a ticket was purchased by a passenger at the airline's ticket office for cash, then their return will most likely be made at the airline's ticket office in cash or to a bank account (if indicated in the application). When purchasing a ticket on the website of an intermediary company using electronic money, the intermediary company will make a refund to the passenger’s electronic account.
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How to return a non-refundable air ticket
If you are absolutely sure that you can confirm the reason, call the airline's hotline and ask how to get a refund for a non-refundable air ticket. They will tell you where to go, how to return your old ticket and apply for a refund. Usually the procedure is always the same. Let's look at what passengers need to do first.
Full return
Refunds for refundable air tickets are fully compensated if the reason for the refund was due to reasons beyond the control of the person listed above. To receive compensation, call or email the airline as soon as possible. You must provide your passport details, ticket and flight numbers, and describe the reason for the return. After making sure that your application has been recorded by company representatives, follow this algorithm:
- Prepare evidence of compelling cause. The document must contain the title, as well as all the necessary seals and signatures; the doctor’s personal seal must be affixed. If the trip did not take place due to illness or death of a close relative, proof of relationship must also be provided.
- All documents along with the application must either be sent to the airline by mail or taken personally to the branch - these delivery methods are equivalent. The application is written in free form, but it must indicate the reason for the refusal and the card to which the money spent should be returned.
- Wait for your refund. Usually the entire amount is returned to the owner no earlier than a month after sending the documents.
What to do if a passenger wants a refund for a non-refundable ticket
If you decide to return a ticket to Aeroflot or another airline, first check whether it is possible to receive compensation. For convenience, we have collected instructions for passengers in one table.
| Sequencing | Full refund due to illness or death | In case of a full refund due to the fault of the airline | For partial return |
| 1 | Write or call the airline staff and let them know that you want to return your ticket. Describe the reason for the refusal and make sure that your application is recorded by the carrier. | Contact airline staff by calling or emailing. Make sure your application has been accepted. | Contact the company's employees with a request to return part of the cost of the air ticket. Make sure your application has been accepted. |
| 2 | Collect documents confirming the illness or death of a loved one or the illness of a passenger participating in the flight. The documents must have all the necessary seals and signatures. | Ask the airline representative to stamp your travel document confirming the flight delay or cancellation. If you haven't received a stamp, ask for a certificate. | Collect a package of documents confirming the reason for refusing the flight. |
| 3 | Write a return request in free form. | Collect documents confirming the financial expenses you incurred on hotels, concert tickets, etc., which did not pay off due to the canceled flight. | Write a return request in free form. |
| 4 | Send the application along with the documents to the airline by mail or take it in person. | Write a return request in free form. | Send your application and collected documents to the airline. |
| 5 | The money will be returned within a few months. | Deliver the application with documents to the airline in any way convenient for you. | Wait until the money for the ticket arrives on your card. |
| 6 | Wait for the refund to arrive in your account. |
There is nothing complicated in the return procedure if you know what to do and do not perform unnecessary actions. The main thing is to notify the airline employees in advance and only then start collecting the necessary documents.
When planning a flight, weigh the pros and cons and then decide whether to buy non-refundable tickets. If you're confident about your trip, non-refundable fares can save you a lot of money. But if there is a possibility of the flight being cancelled, it is better to overpay and be sure that in force majeure circumstances the cost of the tickets will be reimbursed to you.
Refund deadlines for ticket returns
The refund period for a purchased ticket varies from several hours for canceling a movie show to 60 days in case of purchasing an air or train ticket through an intermediary company. The duration of the refund period, in addition to the presence of intermediaries, is also affected by the prestige of the company providing the service, buying a ticket with electronic money (increases the period), the human factor and others. On average, the period during which a refund is made for a ticket that was not used ranges from 7 to 14 days.
