Airlines promise quicker refunds for cancelled flights

Passenger rights breached during pandemic

Thousands of flights were cancelled worldwide during the COVID 19 pandemic because of travel restrictions. Airlines then imposed vouchers on affected passengers. Passengers did not get their money back (in a timely fashion) after their flights were cancelled and were often given incorrect or incomplete information. 

Influx of complaints

Passagiers klaagden massaal, over de schendingen van hun passagiersrechten, bij het ECC-Netwerk en nationale consumentenorganisaties. Dit was voor de Europese Commissie de aanleiding om samen met Europese consumentenorganisaties en de luchtvaartmaatschappijen, waar de meeste klachten over zijn binnengekomen, om tafel te zitten en afspraken te maken.

Commitments given by airlines

Sixteen large European airlines (Aegean Airlines, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Easyjet, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Norwegian, Ryanair, TAP, Vueling and Wizz Air) have indicated to fully comply with the rules in the future. They made the following commitments: 

• the airline will refund the cost of tickets for cancelled flights within 7 days in accordance with EU legislation;
• the airline will better inform passengers of their rights when it cancels flights;
• the airline will inform consumers clearly about the different options available in the event of flight cancellations, such as rebooking or refunds;
• the airline will make a clear distinction between flights cancelled by the airline and flights cancelled by the passenger in its communications with passengers;
• the airline will not impose vouchers. Unused vouchers that were imposed upon passengers at the start of the pandemic will be exchanged for money if passengers wish;
• passengers who booked flights through an intermediary and experience difficulties getting refunds from the intermediary can ask the airline for a refund directly. The airline will inform passengers of this option on its website. 

Supervisory Authorities 

The network of national authorities for consumer rights continues to monitor compliance with these agreements and whether airlines are carrying out the undertakings correctly. 

More information

Read more about this on the European Commission website.