How to get money back on airline tickets

Lisa Vogel studied departmental journalism with a focus on medicine and biosciences at Ansbach University and deepened her journalistic knowledge in the master's degree in multimedia information and communication. This was followed by a traineeship in the editorial team. Since September 2020 she has been writing as a freelance journalist for

More posts by Lisa Vogel All content is checked by medical journalists.

In the corona pandemic, flights were - and are - canceled. Many consumers therefore want the money for their tickets back. But that's not that easy at the moment.

The flight was canceled months ago, but the airline still hasn't refunded your money? Despite difficult times for the airlines, consumers don't have to put up with that. "Most of them understand the current situation, but travelers don't have to wait months. Even in the pandemic, they are entitled to their money," says Eva Klaar from the Berlin consumer center.

In the case of canceled flights, thanks to the European Air Passenger Rights Regulation, travelers are entitled to receive the ticket price back within seven days. Even without active action, the consumer advocate emphasizes.

If the airlines do not pay, she recommends contacting the airlines and setting a period of two weeks for the repayment. Preferably by registered mail so that consumers have proof.

Call arbitration boards

If airlines still do not react, those affected can also pursue their claims in court. "But many shy away from this path, especially if they do not have legal protection insurance," the consumer advocate observed. Travelers can also contact the consumer advice center in their federal state or the arbitration board for public transport (SÖP). Both are first trying to reach an out-of-court agreement with the airlines.

According to its own information, the SÖP recorded a sharp increase in the number of arbitration requests from consumers during the Corona period. The service is free of charge for consumers. There are disputes mainly because the airlines initially only offered their customers vouchers for canceled flights or delayed the reimbursement of ticket prices for a long time. "As a rule, consumers already have a great deal of understanding that things will not go in a flash in view of Corona," emphasizes Managing Director Heinz Klewe. "However, you get very annoyed when the announced period of reimbursement is pushed back again and again."

Switch on the bank

According to the consumer advice center, it is also possible for customers who have paid by credit card to get their money back through their financial institution or at least threaten to do so in a reminder. The banks have different deadlines in which this is possible. "It is more than disappointing that many airlines do not respond to the complaints and legitimate demands of travelers," says consumer advocate Klaar. "The behavior of the airlines is clearly illegal."

Klaar would like the airlines to make clear predictions when repayments will be made - and then adhere to them. Because not only the airlines suffered from the Corona crisis. "Even the travelers have to endure the side effects."

Vouchers involve risk

The airlines are still offering vouchers for canceled flights. "But there is a risk hanging over the vouchers," says the consumer advocate. Because: If the airline goes bankrupt, travelers have little chance of getting their money back.

But why are the repayments currently taking so long? According to the SÖP, there are several reasons for this. On the one hand, companies would have problems with their solvency as a result of the pandemic - while at the same time a sheer number of tickets have to be reimbursed. In addition, many airline employees work from home or on short-time work. According to Klewe, this makes it difficult to process customer complaints quickly.

The delays were also due to the fact that for a long time it was unclear whether a voucher solution instead of a cash payment was legally possible. The federal government supported this plan in order to avoid impending bankruptcies of the airlines. The EU Commission overturned the project. (lv / dpa)

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