Traveling is an opportunity to learn, relax, explore the world and be a free person at the same time. This is the best that can happen in life, and it is unlikely that there will be a person willing to argue with this. The best way to travel is to buy a plane ticket and go to some distant or not quite country to spend time with benefit and leave good impressions and fond memories after the trip.
Many people choose airplanes for transport. It is practical, convenient, fast, safe and comfortable. But, alas, this is one of the most expensive modes of transport (although there are exceptions here). In any case, an airplane flight can make up almost half of the entire budget for a vacation somewhere in a southern country. But everything happens in life. It happens that the trip is canceled.
What to do in this case? Can I get a plane ticket? Is it possible to return at least a small part of the money spent on booking a flight? What do I need to do? Let's try to figure it out together.
How many days can I return a ticket
So, there are two news, according to tradition, one of them is good, the second is not very good. Let's start with the first one. Yes, it’s possible to return a plane ticket purchased via the Internet or in any other way. The bad news is that you can’t do this always, in some cases they will refuse you, in others they will only reimburse part of your costs, and with some airlines you will have to tinker with it and even go on ships.
But do not rush to be upset, with a competent approach, absolutely everything is possible. The main thing is to observe several very simple but important conditions. First time. Yes, the phrase “time is money” is not just a metaphor, but a rule. If you contact the airline on the day of departure or a few hours before departure, you can hardly count on anything. In fact, each company has its own rules. Of course, they are regulated by laws, but in some cases the time of ticket return is regulated by internal charters. And when you buy a ticket, you automatically agree to the terms of this airline.
Therefore, be careful and study this issue as thoroughly as possible. How much can I get a plane ticket - is not an easy question. The sooner the better. An even more successful refund operation will be carried out if you inform that you will not fly on this flight, at least two days before departure. You can, of course, try to do this before registration, but in this case the process will become more complicated, since it is unprofitable for the airline to lose money. After registration and especially after departure, tickets become non-refundable.
How much money can be returned
Can I get a plane ticket? Can. But is it possible to receive, or rather return, the money spent? In theory, yes, although it also depends on the airline. They have their own tariffs, promotions, conditions and so on. People, as a rule, do not pay attention to such things, and then complain about how bad the airline is that they do not want to return the money, although according to the law it seems to be supposed to do it. Few people know that there are initially non-refundable tickets, but we will talk about them a little later. They cannot be called absolutely irrevocable, so at least a small part of the money can still be returned.
Non-refundable service fees that are paid when buying a ticket. Also, many airlines impose a fine for returning a ticket, while its size is not fixed in any regulatory act, therefore, each company has its own “appetites”. If you want to know a way to return a plane ticket and get 100% of the amount back, then you should familiarize yourself with the reasons for returning a ticket, which in most cases guarantee a full refund.
Reasons for returning a ticket
There are two types of return flights: voluntary and forced. In the first case, the passenger passes the ticket for no particular reason. Maybe he does have one, but for the airline this reason is not valid. For example, if you had a fight with a satellite, decided not to fly to this country, or your boss changed your mind about giving you leave, then in this case you will most likely fail to return the full cost of the ticket. But at the same time, there are a number of reasons why the airline is obliged to consider your application and return all the money as soon as possible. This is the so-called forced return of airline tickets for a direct flight.
Good reasons for guaranteeing a refund include, for example, an official denial of a visa. At the same time, you must document this refusal by providing all the necessary evidence. If the passenger was urgently hospitalized and he has all the certificates in this regard, he can expect a refund. Moreover, his companions, who did not fly precisely because of the illness of their friend or relative, will not receive full compensation.
The death of a close relative (wife, parents, children) also allows you to get the money spent on tickets. It will only be necessary to prove the relationship and provide a death certificate so that the airline has reason to refund. There are also a number of reasons for which the carrier itself is to blame: the cancellation or delay of a flight serves as a reason for returning a ticket and receiving compensation for its cost.
All such cases are dealt with individually. The most important thing is to announce the return on time, at least a day before departure. This is stated in all the rules for returning airline tickets. Some companies may consider your application on the same day, but be prepared for the fact that the whole procedure will take a week or even a month. This happens extremely rarely, but no one is safe from this.
When will the money come?
As noted above, the most important thing is to provide all the necessary evidence of the reason for the return. You need to do this as soon as possible, then there is every chance that the airline will meet you and solve the problem as soon as possible. But it also happens that returning tickets for a direct flight is a difficult and time-consuming task. What to do in this case? Alas, it remains only to wait. But as soon as your refund is officially recognized as compelled, the process of transferring money to your bank card will immediately begin. It usually takes several business days, in some cases you have to wait about a week for money.
How to hand over an electronic ticket
Nowadays, the so-called aggregators are very popular - services that look for the cheapest flights and help to book them right at home. This requires only the Internet. But what if the purchased ticket on the Internet needs to be urgently returned? How to hand over an electronic plane ticket ?
In fact, the process of returning such a ticket is no different from what was described above. You need to inform the airline and the desire and reason for the return of the ticket, provide evidence that this is a forced return and expect money on a credit card. The main thing - do not forget to check whether your electronic ticket is marked with non ref, which means “irrevocable”. What to do if you find these words, and is it possible to hand over a plane ticket of this type, consider right now.
Non-refundable tickets
Non-refundable tickets are in great demand among air passengers. There is only one reason - such air tickets are much cheaper than regular ones, so buying them is more profitable. You are flying on a regular flight, but at a lower price. As a rule, people get non-refundable tickets knowing for sure that they will fly. But, as mentioned above, life is an unpredictable thing, so sometimes there is a need to return such tickets.
How to refund money for non-refundable tickets
Fortunately, the law provides for cases in which you can claim a refund and describes how to return a ticket for an airplane in case of its “non-returnability”. Of course, the airline suffers losses, but there is nothing it can do about it and is obliged to return the money, otherwise the state will deprive it of its license and the right to transport people. In fact, there is nothing fundamentally new, money for the return of such tickets is provided in the same cases as in the case of a regular ticket. A forced return is recognized in the event of your hospitalization, death of a loved one, or if the carrier itself violated its obligations and delayed or canceled the flight.
conclusions
Alas, no one is safe from force majeure. Even today, you can plan a trip, and a few days before departure, everything can change dramatically. That is why it is possible to return a ticket and money for it. Remember that it is best to contact your airline representative as soon as possible, provide all the evidence that you will not be able to get on the flight and expect a refund. Of course, it is best not to fall into such situations and always get only positive emotions from traveling, but just in case, you should know whether you can hand over a plane ticket and how to do it right.