Travel vouchers offered by the airline? Don't accept them without knowing the following

Airlines are clever when it comes to (not) paying compensation. Lately, they have been avoiding refunding cancelled flights due to the coronavirus crisis. They have a box of tricks full of excuses for not paying compensation and refunds and this greatly affects an airline's reliability. This is why Flight-Delayed.com shares these tips to help you stand your ground and exercise your rights.

Here at Flight-Delayed.com we defend passengers who have been disappointed by airlines and we are happy to help guide them through the labyrinth called European Regulation 261/2004. Under European legislation on passengers' rights, passengers are entitled to compensation when a flight is delayed by three hours or more and no extraordinary circumstances have occurred. One trick that airlines often use to avoid this is to offer travel vouchers at the airport. Therefore, we advise you never to accept them as well as well. We would like to explain why.

Was your flight cancelled because of the coronavirus? Then you are entitled to the refund of your ticket or booking!

The aviation sector has been severely affected by the coronavirus outbreak. This obviously has consequences for air traffic and airlines, but it is precisely now that the rights of air passengers are of importance. The European Commission has confirmed that in the event of a flight being cancelled, airlines must give passengers a choice between receiving travel vouchers or the reimbursement of the ticket costs.

Coronavirus: What are my rights when a flight is cancelled?

If your flight is cancelled because of the coronavirus, you are entitled to a complete refund of your ticket. European Regulation EC 261/2004 obliges the airline to refund the full price of the ticket within 7 days in case of a cancelled flight. Currently, many airlines and travel agencies only offer vouchers that can be used to book a new flight in the future. However, this voucher policy is not in compliance with European legislation. In addition, vouchers often do not provide any guarantee. If an airline goes into administration, passengers holding a travel voucher will lose their money.

What am I entitled to if my flight is cancelled due the ongoing COVID-19 crisis?

If your flight is cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak, you are not entitled to compensation. However, you are in fact entitled to the full refund of your ticket. The coronavirus crisis is considered an extraordinary circumstance, which exempts the airline from the obligation to compensate passengers for the cancellation of their flight.

Important: supplementary compensation is not the same as the right to the reimbursement of the ticket! Even when affected by the coronavirus outbreak, airlines are legally obliged to refund the full amount within 7 days after the flight cancellation.

I have already received a voucher, can I still opt for the refund of my flight?

Even if the airline has already offered you a voucher, you can make a claim for the full refund of your booking's price. If you have purchased your booking with other amenities (package travel) you are still entitled to the refund of the whole package.

Flight-Delayed.com will be happy to help you claim the refund of your cancelled flight or booking

Unfortunately, we see too often that airlines still fail to comply with the legal obligations. Passengers are forced to accept vouchers when they are actually entitled to a refund of their fare.

Flight-Delayed.com will be happy to help you claim the full refund. From submitting the claim to taking the airline to the courts in the event of non-payment. Since 2010, we have been committed to upholding the rights of affected air passengers throughout Europe. Fill in your flight details and find out immediately whether you are entitled to the refund of your ticket. In just 3 minutes you can submit your claim on a 'no win, no fee' basis. Should the airline obstruct the process, we will take them to court if necessary. All legal costs are covered by our 25% fee.

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Travel vouchers are more cost-effective for airlines than paying compensation for a delayed flight

The vouchers offered are intended to be used to book a new flight and are usually valid for one year. When a company offers you vouchers, the money stays within the company, so they only benefit from this situation. In many cases, the vouchers are not even exchanged for a new flight, so double profit for the airline! And be honest, wouldn’t you rather spend your compensation on whatever you choose?

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Travel voucher’s value is generally lower than the amount of the compensation you are entitled to

In addition to the advantage that the money remains within the company, airlines offer vouchers of a lower value than the amount that the passenger is entitled to receive. Many passengers do not know the amounts they can get as compensation and therefore accept lower offers.

Most importantly, once you accept the vouchers, you will lose your right to compensation. So our advice is: never accept a travel voucher. Of course, you can accept vouchers for some food and drinks, because you are entitled to them separately from compensation.

Claim your compensation for a delayed or cancelled flight instead of a travel voucher

If you have not accepted a travel voucher from the airline, you can submit your claim via Flight -Delayed.co.uk. Do you already have a voucher but it is for less than the amount you are entitled to? Then we can help you claim the remaining amount. Check your flight quickly, free of charge, and without any commitment by using our claim calculator and find out immediately how much you are entitled to.

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