Do return the plane ticket. How to return a ticket purchased via the Internet? When and how can I return the ticket

Everyone has experienced a situation where force majeure destroys carefully designed plans. Unforeseen events lie in wait for a person at every turn. What to do with purchased travel cards for long trips or flights? How to cancel a plane ticket? For several months you have been preparing for your vacation, making plans, booking seats in the cabin. We have already started packing our bags. And suddenly, for some reason, the trip is cancelled.

What to do in this case with the purchased ticket? Can it be handed over? Will you get your money back? A thrifty person is concerned about questions about the return of money, since the amounts for flights are quite large. Consider the basic rules for the repurchase of travel coupons in force in airlines.

The conditions that affected the cancellation of an airplane trip can be completely different. In this case, regardless of force majeure, one of the two parties is to blame: either the air carrier or its client. Airlines encounter such problems quite often, so all solutions to situations leading to flight cancellations are spelled out in the ticket refund rules. Moreover, different enterprises have their own policy of relations with clients. Therefore, when traveling by plane for the first time, check the conditions for the exchange and return of tickets from this carrier.

It is very important on whose initiative the contract between the passenger and the carrier is terminated. As a rule, the client has the full right to cancel the plane ticket if the company has not fulfilled its obligations. Then the return is forced. Here is the main list of reasons due to which the passenger will be refunded the amount of the full cost of the flight:

• flight cancellation;
• significant delay resulting in the client being late for a connecting flight;
• flight with transfers instead of a direct route;
• departure and landing are carried out at other airports;
• lack of space in the air show, refusal of the carrier to take the passenger on board;
• aircraft model replacement;
• the impossibility of providing services corresponding to the ticket class.

If at least one of the above reasons occurs, the money for the ticket must be returned in full. But airlines are reluctant to issue refunds, often offering an alternative option. You must make a choice: accept the carrier's offer or insist on a refund of the amount spent. In the latter case, be prepared to be persistent and spend some time. Do not forget to contact a company employee with a request to stamp and make a note on the ticket about the reasons for refusal.

Sometimes there are situations when the passenger has the right to return the ticket and return the money spent. This is possible in the event of the death of a passenger or a close relative flying with him. These are people of direct kinship, that is, a wife, husband or child. You must present the death certificate and a document confirming your relationship with the deceased to the airport service worker.

The illness of a tourist or an accompanying relative, confirmed by a medical report with the seal of the institution and the signature of a doctor, can also interfere. The document must carefully spell out the diagnosis, the time of the disease (the period of the beginning and end of treatment). If a spouse or child falls ill, it is necessary to provide a document of kinship.

A good reason is the delay in the screening at the airport. The money for the ticket will be returned if the customs officers did not find any prohibited items in the luggage, but the verification process was carried out too long. A thorough inspection of things is carried out under certain circumstances, when an enhanced security regime is introduced. All passengers sort out suitcases, examining for the presence of:

• various types of weapons;
• narcotic substances;
• illegal values.

As a result of such actions of the airport security service, the passenger does not get on board on time. When deciding on the issue of returning a ticket, you will definitely need an act from security personnel.

Some tourists receive a refusal to issue visa documents when the plane ticket is already in hand. Most likely, the travel card will turn out to pass without problems if a flight of international importance was planned. Foreign companies, unlike Russian carriers, consider this reason to be serious, and the money is usually returned. To do this, you need to get the appropriate certificate from the embassy.

Returning a plane ticket with a refund of the full amount of its cost is quite difficult. This is due to the reluctant actions of the airline representatives. After all, no one wants to lose profit. Therefore, you should insist on your position if there is confidence in the rightness of the client. Since the passenger is not at fault in all of the above cases, no penalty is charged for the ticket return procedure.

The conditions for issuing an air ticket in case of voluntary cancellation of a flight involves the payment of a penalty in the amount of 900-1500 thousand rubles on domestic flights and from 40 to 300 euros on foreign routes. The cheaper the fare, the tougher the return conditions. Budget Economy Class is non-refundable. True, some companies may offer an exchange. Try to find out the necessary information in advance. It is advisable to return the ticket no later than 36 hours before the departure of the aircraft.

Passengers who must fly in premium or business class are in the most advantageous position. Penalties for ticket refunds are either absent or reduced to a minimum. These data are specified in the conditions of ticket purchase. For reputable customers, a long-term exchange service is offered. Then the coupon with an open date is valid all year round. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the rules in advance in order to prevent certain unpleasant situations.

How to change the departure date

Tickets purchased at a special rate cannot be returned. The possibility of an exchange for another flight depends on the behavior of the carrier. In some cases, it is more profitable to postpone the departure date than to return the ticket. The money loss will be less if you do it a few days before the departure date. The amount of penalties is from 20% to 30% of the ticket price. Already on the day of the flight, it will not be possible to avoid a serious fine.

Customers who constantly buy cheap plane tickets are aware of the problem of returning and exchanging such a pass. After all, during a promotion or sale, the company warns that these offers do not include the possibility of any changes in the route by the customer. These flights include:

• discount travel cards;
• tickets from budget companies;
• airline tickets with short-term discounts.

Therefore, monitor information about profitable flights very carefully. They exist with every carrier. The rules for the return or exchange of tickets issued via the Internet, users can find out on the website of any airline. You may have to personally come to the office to provide the necessary documents and write an application.

The refund process takes time. Money is transferred to an account or a bank card from 2-3 days and a maximum of 3 months. Plan your trips in advance and check the return policy before purchasing your ticket. This will help you avoid unnecessary problems.

How to return a ticket?

Did you miss your flight due to heavy traffic jams and now you have lost your chance to fly on vacation, and with it the money for the purchased ticket?

Do not despair, you can partially compensate for your bad mood by returning the ticket.

How to return a ticket purchased via the Internet in 2019 and in what cases can it be accepted?

In accordance with Russian law, passengers always have the option to cancel a flight.

The laws of the Russian Federation provide for 2 types of ticket refund:

1. Voluntary return- when a person's plans have changed, there is no need or opportunity to fly.
2. Forced return- when a passenger wants to fly, but for some reason he cannot do this, for example, a person falls ill or one of his relatives who was supposed to fly with him falls ill, or a flight was canceled (delayed).

Depending on what type of ticket refund is provided, the amount of ticket refund depends.

According to paragraph 2 of Art. 108 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation, the paid ticket fee is returned to the passenger in full, in such cases:

• in case of illness of both the passenger himself and a member of his family, a relative with whom the passenger was supposed to fly on the scheduled flight;
• in the event of the death of a family member or close relative. Refunds for the ticket will be made if the passenger notifies the airline in advance that he will not be able to fly;
• if the passenger cancels the flight due to a delay in the departure of the aircraft.

Are there non-refundable tickets?

In general, such tickets exist. These are the fares at which the passenger cannot voluntarily refuse to fly.

At non-refundable rates, you can get your money only if a person has a forced reason for refusal.

Are there non-refundable tariffs in Russia?

No, there are no non-refundable tariffs in the Russian Federation. There are tariffs that depend on the class of service, on the type of transportation, as well as special seasonal tariffs.

With a non-refundable fare, if the passenger voluntarily canceled the flight, he will be able to return the fee that the carrier withheld in favor of foreign countries for crossing their airspace.

If a non-refundable ticket was purchased by a passenger, but the person had some kind of force majeure, then the money is returned to him.

You can return money at a non-refundable fare, for example, if the flight was canceled or the carrier's representative issued the ticket incorrectly.

Also, a passenger’s illness or death of a member of his family (spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, grandfathers, grandmothers, adoptive parents and adopted children) who was supposed to fly with him can be considered an involuntary cancellation of a flight. In this case, we are talking about a forced return.

The person must independently notify the airline of such a case..

The fact of illness or death must be confirmed by special medical documents, which must state that on a specific date, medical indications prohibit the passenger from flying on an airplane.

In this case, the money for the ticket will be returned.

If we talk about the purchase of air tickets in Russia by Russian airlines, then the return of tickets is allowed.

As for buying an online ticket for some foreign company, the client can say goodbye to money for an online ticket.

The fact is that foreign companies that sell tickets via the Internet practice the sale of so-called non-refundable fares.

All air tickets used by passengers to fly across the territory of Russia are returnable.

What are the rules for returning a ticket if the ticket was purchased via the Internet?

The rules are the same as for regular ticket sales, because everyone sells tickets (carriers or their agents) according to the same rules that are established by the current legislation.

Therefore, everyone should be guided by the rules of the airline.

Before thinking about how to do this, you need to check whether a person can return an electronic ticket. If the ticket is marked "Non Ref", it means that the ticket is non-refundable.

In order to return a ticket via the Internet, you should prepare the booking number, ticket, flight, time and date of departure. This data must be taken from the letter that the person received earlier after paying for the online ticket.

Next, you need to go to the site where the client ordered the ticket and fill out a refund request. If such an application is not provided on the site, then you need to write an e-mail and send it to the company's e-mail address (the address can be found in the "Contacts" section).

After filling out the application, you should attach a scanned copy of your passport, as well as a bank statement or a check confirming the purchase of a ticket.

Only the person who issued the ticket can apply for a ticket refund. If, due to some circumstances, he cannot do this, then his authorized representative can do it for him.

Then, a scanned power of attorney should be attached along with the return request.

After sending the application and attachments to it, the passenger only has to wait, then the airline will consider his application.

After its consideration, the company returns the money to the passenger in the same way that he carried out the operation when buying a ticket.

Each airline really develops its own rules, and it must necessarily bring them to the attention of passengers and agents.

However, according to the Air Code of the Russian Federation, the rules of the airline must not violate the requirements of the Federal Passenger Rules.

They can only improve some articles of the rules, but they cannot tighten them.

Refund Policy for Tickets Purchased at a Refundable Fare

The passenger must be refunded the fees of foreign countries, the fuel surcharge and the airport fee for ensuring aviation security.

But the carrier has the right to withhold the fee for issuing a ticket and a receipt for paying for baggage in excess of the standard.

Passengers who show up for check-in in a state of intoxication will be left without monetary compensation.

When returning the ticket to the airport ticket office, the client is not refunded the entire amount spent on the ticket.

This is stipulated in the Federal Aviation Rules "General Rules for Air Transportation".

This document clearly states that the full cost of the ticket is refunded to the passenger if the carrier is forced to cancel the flight.

In order to receive the maximum possible amount of compensation for an unused ticket, you need to decide on a refund in advance, that is, one day before departure.

How many days can I return the ticket?

If the passenger, through his own fault or initiative, decided not to fly, that is, he voluntarily canceled the flight, then if he returns the ticket no later than 24 hours before departure, he must receive a 100% refund for the purchased ticket, with the exception of airline fees for the return service.

If he returns the ticket less than a day, but more than 3 hours before departure, then the penalty for the return will be 10% of the cost of the ticket, and if he returns the ticket less than 3 hours before departure, then the penalty is paid in the amount of 25%.

Does how much a person will be refunded for an unused ticket depend on various fares?

There are several fares from airlines: business class, economy class, premium class, and so on, and some people think that the percentage of money back on an unused ticket depends on the flight class.

However, it is not. Conditions for a refund for a ticket are standard for fares regardless of the class of service.

According to the rules of the airlines, the return of air tickets is made at the place of their purchase. That is, if a person purchased a ticket in a particular agency, then in the same agency he must return the ticket.

If he bought an air ticket on the Internet of some agent, then he must also apply for a refund of the air ticket there.

If, for example, a person needs to return a ticket, but he himself is in another city, then he must contact the representative office of the airline.

The deadline for the return of the ticket is before the end of passenger check-in, that is, 40 minutes before departure. If a person decides to return the ticket after this time, then in this case the return will be impossible.

If there is a good reason, that is, a forced return, then the person needs to notify the airline in advance that he is not flying. He must give up his seat and this deadline is before the end of the registration of passengers.

Such a situation may arise, for example, when a person bought a ticket, for example, from Khabarovsk to New York via Moscow. Will the money be returned to the passenger if he used part of the ticket and did not use the rest?

If a person buys a ticket for long distances, then he most likely chooses a special fare that operates from the starting point to the final destination. In this case, a partial refund of the ticket is not provided.

But if a person buys two separate tickets: Khabarovsk - Moscow and Moscow - New York, then, of course, the passenger has the opportunity to refuse one of the two tickets on which he did not fly.

Latecomer is the passenger who did not have time to check in for the flight. In this case, you can still try to return the money.

To do this, go to the site through which the ticket was booked, enter your passport details and booking number. After that, you should cancel the order.

If a person canceled such an order at least 1 hour before departure, then the carrier returns money to him in the amount of 75% of the total ticket price. The money for the refund is transferred to the failed passenger within 3 days.

If you ran to the airport, but the plane has already left, then you can count on a refund for the ticket, but only if the person bought a return ticket, while the passenger must provide good reasons why he was late.

For example, he was late due to a long screening of an airline employee or due to a delay in a connecting flight. In this case, the money is returned to the passenger almost in full.

If a person is late for a flight due to traffic jams, that is, this is a voluntary return, then the airline must return the money to him for the cost of the ticket minus additional fees, or the airline employee may offer a ticket for the next flight.

There are situations when, not through the fault of the passenger, but through the fault of the air carrier, the flight is canceled. At the same time, when a person applies to the company for a refund for an air ticket, he is told that he will not receive any money.

They say that the airline has its own rules for air transportation, the formation of tariffs, therefore, according to their rules, money is not returned. However, this is false information.

The carrier is obliged to return the money, and if he refuses to return them, the consumer of the service has the right:

• file a complaint against the airline with the Federal Air Transport Agency;
• file a complaint through the website of the Federal Air Transport Agency;
• apply to Rospotrebnadzor or the court.

You can return money for an unused ticket in 2019 if a person has a force majeure event or if the airline has not fulfilled its obligations to the passenger.

In order for the money for the ticket to be returned, it is necessary to inform the carrier about the return of the ticket no later than 40 minutes before the end of check-in for the flight.

Video: Ticket return rules

Air travel is not the cheapest pleasure. And to save money, many decide to buy tickets in advance. But what if the circumstances of the trip have changed, and the ticket booked for several months at a better price is no longer needed?

Usually people turn to the booking system, ticket offices or the airline office itself to get their money back. However, not every company is ready to part with the money that was paid for air tickets.

How to return the money spent on the ticket? What amount can be returned?

Fortunately, according to the "Air Code of the Russian Federation", a document regulating the activities of aviation in our country, there are no non-refundable air tickets. Even tickets purchased during the promotion period can be returned to the carrier. There are cases when passengers managed to win a lawsuit against airlines.

If you return the ticket no later than 24 hours before departure, the air carrier is obliged to refund you its full cost. But there is one caveat: if the rules established by the airline do not define a grace period. What is at stake is not clear. Perhaps this applies to those same "non-refundable" tickets purchased at a discounted promotion, but no.

There is a vivid example from life. A resident of Volgograd tried to return the purchased air ticket almost a month before departure. The air carrier returned her money only for the fuel surcharge, as it was originally stipulated that the ticket was non-refundable. She was forced to apply to Rospotrebnadzor. The court decided to return to her the entire amount spent on the air ticket, in accordance with article 108 of the Air Code.

In addition, there is also an order from the Federal Antimonopoly Service of April 5, 2010 - "to exclude the sale of tickets at rates that do not imply a refund of their cost, in case the client refuses to travel." But in this instruction, the department also refers to Article 108 of the Air Code.

Rules for returning a ticket to an air carrier:

The airline's client may cancel the flight by notifying the carrier no later than 24 hours before its departure, if the latter has not determined a grace period, and receive the full amount for air transportation.

In case of cancellation of the flight later than the established date, the passenger can receive the amount with the fee withheld. The amount of such a fee should not exceed 25% of the total cost of the ticket.

2. Clause 100 of the Rules for the formation and application of tariffs for scheduled air transportation of passengers and baggage, collection of fees in the field of civil aviation.

The fee for canceling a flight is set by the carrier in the amount of not more than 25% of the amount that was paid by the passenger for air transportation, if it was not performed on any segment, and in the event of its partial performance - in the amount of not more than 25% of the amount paid for unfulfilled stages of transportation.

3. Clause 2 of Article 102 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation.

If an airline has its own air transportation rules, including the rules for the sale of air transportation, it must provide customers with access to them at sales offices, airline offices and by posting information on the official website.

a) Provide carriers with access to information:

About all existing tariffs used by the airline on the route, and the conditions for their use. Such information should be provided in the native language, in the case of the presence of special codes and terms, contain the necessary explanation;

About all additional fees used by the carrier, the legality and procedure for their establishment;

About the procedure for returning money in the event of a change in the conditions of transportation or refusal of it.

b) Exclude the sale of air tickets at tariffs that exclude a refund in case of a voluntary refusal of a passenger from air transportation.

In your appeal to the carrier company or to the court, you need to be guided by federal regulations, the Air Code of the Russian Federation, the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the Law "On the Protection of Consumer Rights" and others, only then refer to the "internal rules of transportation" of a particular company.

Where to go

The places where tickets are returned are specified in the internal rules of the air carrier. It is most convenient to find them on the official website of the company. You can also call the air carrier's help desk, they will tell you the necessary phone numbers and addresses.

We are talking about the established procedure for the return of air tickets by the carrier company. They, be that as it may, should never contradict the rules of air transportation. At the same time, it should be provided that the money in case of cancellation of the trip can be returned "at the agencies that have the right to sell tickets, at the airline's ticket office, as well as at the points that are provided for by the airline's rules."

Another equally important point is that there are various directives that somewhat contradict the Air Code. According to lawyers, in disputed cases, the court is primarily guided by the Air Code and only then takes into account intra-industry rules.

The sequence of actions during the return of the ticket:

1. Find the coordinates of the company where you booked the ticket. For example, if you bought it from a travel company or a booking site, then contact them, not the airline.

2. Specify the rules for the exchange of air tickets that apply to a particular organization. Such information will be attached to the e-ticket file. In addition, it is often posted on the organization's website. Such data will help you, if necessary, to defend your rights.

3. Contact the company where you booked the ticket by calling or going to the office. At the same time, be prepared that you will need passport data confirming your identity. Do not lose the ticket itself, as it contains a unique number that you must tell the company employee.

If you bought it at an agency, then you need to write a statement to this company (by e-mail), informing it of the cancellation of air travel, with a request to return the money to the bank card, based on Article 108 of the RF CC (it’s good if you quote the provision regarding your case).

If the agency is Russian, then it would be a good idea to duplicate this article by sending it by mail with acknowledgment of receipt to the agency or personally taking it to the office and putting a note of receipt on the copy. You will need this document if the case goes to court. In the case of a foreign agency, everything is somewhat more complicated. “Getting” him out of the Russian Federation by judicial showdowns will cost more. Here it is important to record the moment of his notification of your cancellation of the ticket.

4. If you bought inexpensive tickets, then in most cases you will not be able to return the entire amount. The companies will charge you a certain percentage for the cancellation. If you decide to cancel your flight less than 3 days in advance, be prepared for the penalty to increase to half the cost of the ticket. After you agree on the amount, ask how you can get the money back in cash or to a bank account.

5. If the agency refuses, contact the air carrier directly. It is better if the refusal is in the form of a document, although an email is also suitable.

6. It is necessary to write exactly the same application to the air carrier by e-mail and send a similar one by mail to one of the Russian representative offices (where or from where you were going to fly).

Attach a copy of the agency's refusal to transfer the arrow to the air carrier and refer to this in the application. It is also important here that the letter gets to the company at least a day before departure. In addition, paper may be needed in case of a complaint or trial to the Federal Air Transport Agency. Although it will be enough for her to simply print the correspondence.

7. What to do in this case, if the answer comes to the mail - “Sorry, the fare is non-refundable” (in subsequent correspondence, they may offer you some kind of voucher for a flight that has a limited validity period).

Do not be afraid to be persistent, write a second letter: "please observe the legislation of the Russian Federation, do not violate my rights." The number of letters depends on your perseverance and presentation of arguments. At the same time, for the second time, you can write the following: “If you, Mrs X, are not going to return the debt for the air ticket to me, contact the management for a decision”; the third time - “Solve my question faster with competent managers, since according to the legislation of our country, penalties are charged for the delay in fulfilling a reasonable requirement (we are talking about the Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights”)”; for the fourth time - “You ignore me, by which you violate the Air Code of the Russian Federation, I will be forced to complain about the company to the Federal Air Transport Agency”; for the fifth time - "The manager of the company is forcing me to resolve this issue through the court, where I will sue for the collection of fines and debt for late performance."

At some stage, they will most likely back off and refund the money for the ticket. Just take your time and do not be nervous, write to them only after you get a response. Sometimes this process can take up to several weeks. If the carrier company will return the money through an agent, then there is a high probability that you will be able to return all the commissions. If directly, then it will be necessary to strain that agent, referring to the example of an air carrier.

If there is no result, the easiest way is to send a complaint against the air carrier to the Federal Air Transport Agency by mail, attaching correspondence to it. Of course, you will have to wait until the bureaucratic machine works, but it will actually work 95%, and you will not have to pay for it.

If the case goes to court, then in your case any lawyer gives a 100% result. Moreover, a claim can be filed both with the airline and its representative who sold you the ticket. You will be able to return double the cost of the air ticket if the claim is based on the Consumer Rights Protection Law. According to it, the court may charge a penalty to the debtor (at the request of the plaintiff), which is 0.5% of the amount of the debt for each day of delay from the date of receipt of the first request for a refund.

As a rule, the amount of interest collected is limited to the amount of the principal debt. At the same time, do not forget to indicate the requirements for the payment by the debtor of the plaintiff's expenses and court fees, such claims are satisfied by the courts almost "automatically".

Where is the best place to complain?

Various excuses and tricks of carriers, which are often heard by the passenger, come from the fact that each airline has its own rules for air transportation, rules for setting tariffs, and using additional fees. Company representatives always refer to them when they are trying to withhold more money from airline customers for a returned ticket.

If written claims and negotiations did not help, the next thing you need to do is file a complaint with the Federal Air Transport Agency (which today can be done even via the Internet by visiting the official website of the Federal Air Transport Agency).

You can also get help in the Union of Consumers of Russia and in Rospotrebnadzor, where the resident from Volgograd applied, whose story was described above.

In the event that the airline went bankrupt, the situation is somewhat more complicated. Of course, you can sue the company and win it, but no one gives you guarantees of payments. In such a case, there is no insurance. Many passengers to this day cannot recover the money spent on canceled flights.

Sometimes there are situations when it is necessary to return the ticket. This may be a voluntary decision of the passenger (family circumstances, change of plans, etc.) or forced (flight cancellation). The refund is carried out according to the rules of the airline and the conditions should be discussed when buying a ticket. Please note that some tickets are non-refundable.

What kind of flights can I rent?

Each company has its own details of exchange, return and payment of a fine when returning tickets. But we can say with accuracy that the most favorable return conditions are in the premium class. The return and exchange of such tickets is quite convenient and the penalty is minimal and possible even after departure.

There are so-called "fully leased" tickets. Their amount is fully refundable, except for the money for the reservation. Tickets returned with a penalty can be returned with a deduction of about 25% of the fare amount. Fare of non-returned tickets is non-refundable.

Ticket refund fees

In case of forced return due to the fault of the airline, or in case of sudden death of a passenger, no fine is paid. For an economy class ticket, you will need to pay a refund penalty, the amount of which depends on the company you have chosen and varies from 900 rubles to 1500 rubles, foreign flights - from 40 euros to 300 euros. And some airlines do not apply penalties.

Penalties are paid if the passenger refuses the ticket less than three hours before the departure of the aircraft, as well as in case of non-appearance of the passenger for the flight.

Refund of tickets purchased online

Even if you ordered a ticket via the Internet, it is possible to return or exchange it - however, with the same monetary losses that are stipulated by the airline. The funds will be returned to you on the card with which you paid for the ticket. The refund process can take up to 3 months.

Some online ticket offices make it easy to exchange or return a ticket. You can also book and order tickets at low prices without leaving your home. Simple design and user-friendly interface will make it easy to find a flight to anywhere in the world.

The editors of the site notes that it is advisable to plan your trips in advance and familiarize yourself with the return conditions when buying tickets - this will help to avoid unpleasant situations.
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To save money, many travelers and tourists buy tickets in advance. How to get a refund for an air ticket if the circumstances of the trip have changed and the air ticket purchased at a low price during the promotion period or in advance, several months in advance, is no longer needed?

All travelers and tourists have an absolute right to receive money for an unused air ticket.

Often, flights are searched through metasearch engines, for example, Skyscanner, Aviasales, which in turn redirect the visitor to the website of the agency that offered the cheapest flights to the desired destination. Many people buy a plane ticket and sometimes do not know that the search engines themselves do not sell tickets. Then the long search begins for the agency that actually sold them the tickets.

The most important thing that a passenger needs to know is that any air ticket can be returned within the current day without any fines from the airlines. It is called ticket voiding.

If you suddenly find that you made a mistake with the date of departure or your data is incorrectly indicated on the ticket (last name, passport number, etc.), immediately contact the agency or airline that sold you the ticket and return it.

By voiding there is following restrictions: 1) if there are less than 24 hours left before departure, then you can return the ticket without fines within half an hour after purchase .When voiding a ticket during the day, speech It's about the current day. 2) if you purchased a ticket at night at five minutes to twelve, then at midnight expires the time during which you can return it.

As a rule, most agencies selling airline tickets do not particularly advertise this possibility of a refund, but the passenger should be aware of it. To be fair, it should be noted that the possibility of entering not all airlines have it during the day, some limit it in any case to only half an hour, but there are very few such airlines.

REFUND DECISION MAY TAKE LONG TIME FOR AN AIRLINE

In accordance with the Air Code of the Russian Federation, the main document regulating the activities of civil aviation, there are no non-refundable air tickets. Even those air tickets that a passenger bought at a good discount can be returned to the carrier (there are precedents in which passengers have won cases against airlines).

GROUNDS FOR AIR TICKET REFUND

1. Article 108 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as the Air Code of the Russian Federation) establishes the right of an aircraft passenger to refuse to fly withby notifying the carrier thereof no later than twenty-four hours prior to the departure of the aircraft, if the rules of air transportation established by the carrier do not define a grace period, and receive back the amount paid for air transportation.

In case of cancellation of the flight later than the established date, the passagesp has the right to receive back the amount paid for air carriage with a fee, the amount of which cannot exceed twenty-five percent of the amount paid for air transportation.

2. Article 100 of the "Rules for the Formation and Application of Tariffs for Regular Air Transportation of Passengers and Baggage, Collection of Charges in the Field of Civil Aviation" regulates the collection of a fee for a passenger's refusal to fly, is established by the carrier in the amount of not more than 25 percent of the amount paid by the passenger for transportation, if the carriage has not been performed in any section, and if the carriage has been performed partially - in the amount of not more than 25 percent of the amount paid for the unfulfilled part of the carriage.

3. Airlines in the presence of their own rules for air transportation (in accordance with paragraph 2 of article 102 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation), including the rules for the sale of transportation,provide access to such rules at airline offices, sales offices, as well as by posting them on airline websites. a) Carriers (sales agents - if such information is provided) to provide access to information:

— about all tariffs applied by the airline on a certain route, and the conditions for their application. Information must be provided in Russian and, if special terms and codes are used, contain the necessary explanations;

- about all types of additional charges, taxes applied by the carrier, as well as the procedure and legality of their establishment;

— on the procedure for the return of funds in case of refusal of transportation or changes in the conditions of transportation.

b) Eliminate the practice of selling tickets at fares that exclude refunds in the event of a passenger's voluntary refusal to travel.

IMPORTANT: in your appeal to the airline or to the court, you must be guided primarily by federal regulations, that is, the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the Air Code of the Russian Federation, the Law "On Protection of Consumer Rights", etc. (for residents of Ukraine - the relevant legislative documents), and then refer to the “Internal Rules of Carriage” of the airline.

WHERE TO APPLY FOR THE REFUND OF AIRLINE TICKETS

The internal rules of the carrier airline contain a list of places where air tickets are returned. You can find them on the website of this airline on the Internet. You can also call the air carrier's help desk, where you will be prompted for the necessary addresses and telephone numbers.

It should also be remembered that the procedure for the return of tickets established by the company should in any case not contradict the general rules of air transportation. And these rules provide that a refund in case of canceling a trip can be made “at the box office of the airline itself, at the agents authorized by the company to sell tickets, as well as at the points provided for by the rules of the airline. «

Another important point: there are various directives from the Department of Transportation that partially contradict the Air Code. Lawyers say that in controversial cases, the court will be guided by the Air Code, and not by intra-industry rules.

SEQUENCE OF ACTIONS FOR THE REFUND OF THE TICKET

1. You need to find the coordinates of the company where you bought the ticket. For example, if you purchased an air ticket from a booking site or travel agency, then you need to contact there, and not the airline you are going to fly.

2.Check what rules for the exchange of air tickets exist in the company where you bought them. This information can be attached to the file with your e-ticket, and it is often posted on the company's website.

3. You should also contact the company where you bought the tickets: you can visit the company’s office in person or make a phone call. Be prepared to give not only your name, but also passport data to confirm your identity, and also prepare the ticket itself. It has a unique number that will need to be reported to the company employee.

If the ticket was purchased from an agency,you need to write an application to this agency (an email letter), in which you inform it about the cancellation of the flight, with a request to return the money to a bank card on on the basis of Article 108 of the RF Civil Code (you can quote the provisions that apply to your case). This will be enough.

If the agency is Russian or Ukrainian, it is advisable to duplicate the same statement by sending it by mail with a return receipt to the addressee, or take it to the office and mark the receipt on the copy. Such a paper document may be needed if the case goes to court. But if the agent is foreign, then it will cost more to get him from Ukraine or Russia through lawsuits. The main thing here is to fix the moment the agency was notified about your cancellation of the flight.

4.It should be noted what if you bought cheap flights, most likely that you will not be able to return the full amount .Most airlines will charge you some percentage for canceling your flight. If you decide to cancel your flight in less than three days, be prepared for the fact that the amount of such a fine can be about half the cost of the ticket. After agreeing on the amount, find out how you can get the money back. The money can be given to you in cash or transferred to your bank account. In the latter case, do not forget to give your bank details to the company employee.

5. If you receive a refusal from an agent, contact the air carrier. It is best that the waiver be in the form of a written paper document, but an e-mail will also work.

6. It is also necessary to write a similar application to the air carrier by e-mail (for example, to the air ticket booking center). Such a letter should be sent by mail to one of the Ukrainian or Russian representative offices (if the carrier is a foreign airline (indicate where or where you were going to fly) .

It is necessary to attach a copy of the agent’s refusal/response about the “turnover” to the air carrier, and the text of the application should refer to this.Important: a letter to the airline (to any of its representatives) must be received at least one day before the first departure.A paper version of the letter may be needed in the event of a trial or complaint to the Federal Air Transport Agency.

7. What should you do if you receive an e-mail reply: the fare is non-refundable (as an option, during subsequent correspondence you may be offered some kind of voucher for a flight with a limited validity period)?

You can write to them several times the following: “Dear Sirs, do not violate my rights and please observe the law.” Or, for example, for the 2nd time, you can write “If you, Mr. (Madam) ... (surname) are not authorized to return the debt to me for the returned ticket, contact the management to make an appropriate decision ...” And so on and so forth ... I repeat, all this can repeat repeatedly.

At some point, they have to back off and give you the full amount back. Take your time and do not get excited - write to the airline office the next day after receiving a response. Of course, this whole procedure of exchanging letters can sometimes take several weeks.. If the air carrier returns money through an agent, then the chances of returning all commissions are high. And if - directly, then it will still be necessary to "hollow" that agent, referring to the carrier.

If there is no result, then the easiest way is to actually send a complaint to the Federal Air Transport Agency against the air carrier by mail, attaching all the claim correspondence to it. Of course, you will have to wait until the bureaucratic machine works. And it really will work 95%, and for free for you.

Finally, the most unpleasant thing in this situation is a lawsuit! Any lawyer guarantees you 100% result. The claim can be filed both with the airline itself and with the agent who sold you the ticket .You can get double the cost of your airfare back if you base your claim on the Consumer Protection Act. Briefly, it looks like this:with the Consumer Rights Protection Law, the court may charge the debtor a penalty (at the request of the plaintiff) in the amount of 0.5% of the amount of the debt for each day of delay in execution from the moment the claimant receives a request for a refund.

But as a rule, the court limits the amount of fines to be recovered by the amount of the principal debt. Also, one should not forget to indicate in the claim the requirement for the debtor to pay the court fee and the expenses of the plaintiff (passenger / consumer) for the services of a lawyer - such claims are satisfied by the courts practically “automatically”.

WHERE TO FILE A COMPLAINT

If all negotiations and written claims did not help, file a complaint with the Federal Air Transport Agency. You can even file a complaint electronically - through the official website of the Federal Air Transport Agency (e-mail: [email protected]).

In addition, you can be helped in the Union of Consumers of Russia, as well as in Rospotrebnadzor.

You can get advice on protecting your rights in Union of Consumers of Russia

For disputes, you can contact Rospotrebnadzor

If the air carrier went bankrupt, then everything is much more complicated. You can sue the airline and even win the case, but there are no guarantees that you will get your money back. There is no insurance for such a case.

You may be interested in articles of the Air Code Nos. 100,107, 108,137. Article 107 refers to the refusal of the carrier, and article 137 to the procedure for applying the Air Code.

FOR RESIDENTS OF UKRAINE What does Ukrainian legislation say about this?

Air Code of Ukraine Article 65. Termination of an agreement on air transportation on the initiative of a passenger The passenger has the right to refuse air transportation and receive back the amount of money in the manner prescribed by the legislation of Ukraine.

Article 62
When performing air transportation, the carrier and the airport are obliged to comply with the general rules for the air transportation of passengers, baggage, cargo and mail, as well as the quality standards for passenger and clientele services established by the relevant state executive authority.
The air carrier, on the basis of general rules, has the right to establish its own rules for air transportation, which are aimed at improving the efficiency and quality of transportation and do not contain conditions and standards for servicing passengers and clientele of the lowest level of requirements, established by the relevant state executive authority. The conditions and rules for the carriage of mail are agreed with the Ministry of Communications of Ukraine.