“Will Air Canada continue to ignore the regulation, or will Air Canada actually adhere to it?”. Air Canada said the policy takes into account the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. Any amount remaining after redemption is refunded. Earlier this month, WestJet Airlines Ltd. spelled out a broader refund offer in a document sent to travel agents that applies to flights with a U.S. or U.K. city as the destination or origin. There are three main layers of laws and rules surrounding chargebacks, says Omar Ha-Redeye, executive director of the Durham Community Legal Clinic in Oshawa, Ont. But the mere presence of such a provision in a contract doesn’t necessarily preclude the possibility of getting your money back, he adds. On March 24, the company’s CEO … Travellers with flights “departing” from the European Union, Switzerland or Iceland but called off due to the pandemic are “entitled to receive a refund,” states a document recently posted to Air Canada’s website. Air passenger rights advocate warns against flexible bookings. 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Children under five years of age, crew members, medical or emergency service personnel and passengers in transit through Canada are exempted from this obligation. It can be used to purchase a ticket or extra options from the Air France and KLM websites or ticket offices, for a flight with Air France, KLM, Delta Air … READ MORE: Please note that even if you have been vaccinated for COVID-19, this does not constitute an exemption from pre-flight screening prior to a flight to Canada or from quarantine on arrival. Ha-Redeye also advises consumers to take a look at any relevant federal or provincial statutes and regulations when making their case to the credit card company. The terms of service may contain a cancellation clause that sets out when and how you are entitled to your money back. I checked Air Canada's and this is what they state. While there are no guarantees, it’s “very possible” that a small claims court would side with a consumer arguing they’re entitled to a refund for a flight cancelled due to COVID-19 with, Ha-Redeye says. Transat Alters COVID-19 Travel Credit/Voucher Policy. If you have questions or concerns, The first step is to take a look at what exactly you agreed to with your vendor, Ha-Redeye suggests. This is likely to include any relevant email exchanges between you and the merchant or some kind of documentation of phone conversations. SKYPASS Korean Air members can now enjoy increased convenience, such as mileage validity extension, among others. Don’t despair if you’re just left on hold and can’t get through to a human being, Ha-Redeye says. Air Canada is still battling absolutely horrendous press for refusing to refund people their money and they just modified their cancellation policy that offers a unique opportunity from an unusal angle: Converting the cash value of the ticket into miles.. “This decision follows extensive discussions among EU members of appropriate remedies given this unprecedented, global crisis and our own review of the applicable regulations in an evolving regulatory environment,” the airline said. Struggling B.C. If the total price of the ticket exceeds the value of your voucher(s), you may use a credit card for any remaining balance. © Ben Nelms/CBC Air Canada has been forced to cancel flights because of the COVID … In an announcement last week, Air Canada revealed that changes had been made to their refund policy for flights that had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. wedding industry urges couples to postpone, not cancel, Travel will never be the same, thanks to COVID-19. closed in 2021. In general, consumers can also reference their province’s frustrated contracts, he adds. AirAsia Gives Refunds On A Case-By-Case Basis If Passengers Decline Credit Voucher During COVID-19 Travel Cancellations Will Horton Senior Contributor Opinions expressed by … Under the new regulations, which the airline is calling their “goodwill policy,” customers will now have the option to receive travel vouchers with no expiration date. “There is a misconception about ‘non-refundable’ tickets,” Lukacs told Global News via email. It’s important to act quickly once you’ve determined you can’t obtain a refund directly from the merchant, Castaldo adds. However, if you’re claiming a refund for a product or service you have yet to receive, it’s acceptable to ask for a chargeback within 30 days of the original delivery date. Once you’ve submitted your evidence to your credit card provider, you can expect to hear back on your claim within 30 to 120 days, according to Castaldo. I also got an email from Aeroplan that the Air Canada Travel Vouchers are fully transferable and has no expiry date, which seems far better than 3 days ago when I rang. The policy shifts follow months of backlash as consumer advocates and thousands of passengers continue to seek refund for services paid for but never rendered. Enter the Travel Voucher number and PIN. It’s not clear yet how “force majeure” clauses will play out in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ha-Redeye says. Air Canada: "Customers can request their Future Travel Credit (FTC – which expires after 2 years and is not transferrable) be converted to an Air Canada Travel Voucher … Part of HuffPost News. But even if you miss it, keep in mind that credit card providers have “a vested interest in trying to find practical solutions and resolutions, especially in light of the pandemic,” Ha-Redeye says. TORONTO -- Air Canada has revised its goodwill policy and will now offer customers two new options for flights that were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MONTREAL — Air Canada has quietly changed its refund policy to allow some customers whose flights were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic to recoup their cash — but not passengers whose trips originated in Canada. Your credit card company will often tell you exactly what kind of evidence it needs, Castaldo adds. “You paid for a ticket, not a gift card,” he says. Air India domestic fares and penalties at a glance. Travel will never be the same, thanks to COVID-19. OTTAWA -- If you’re holding on to an Air Canada voucher because of a flight cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be one step closer to … If your ticket has been reissued and afterwards the relevant flight is cancelled, fill in the latest flight number. READ MORE: For consumers making their case to credit card companies, Lukacs recommends focusing on the concept of “services not received.” Consumers may also want to look at airlines’ tariffs for evidence of a contractual obligation to provide refunds. The airline is not reimbursing passengers flying one-way or round-trip from Canada to Europe, however. Air Canada Travel Voucher. Lukacs refutes the notion that travel credit or vouchers, instead of a refund, constitute adequate compensation for passengers. “Maybe they can reverse this particular charge, and then they’ll make money in years when you continue to use their service,” he notes. Click here for Air Transat’s coronavirus-related customer service page. “Try and apply within 30 days from the date of the charge,” he says. All rights reserved. While the statutes are slightly different from province to province, the concept is that if a contract was frustrated by events or circumstances entirely outside of the parties’ control, it should be reversed, Ha-Redeye says. please check our. The EU regulation in question states that passengers must be offered reimbursement “of the full cost of the ticket...for the part or parts of the journey not made.” Cancelling a flight from Montreal to Paris and back again should trigger a refund offer covering at least half of the trip, said Christian Nielsen, chief legal officer of AirHelp, a Berlin-based passenger-rights company. Air Canada took a major step to alter the conversation today (May 22) when it announced that vouchers for cancelled travel will now be fully transferable and that the vouchers will no longer have a time limit. Air Canada gives customers more options for cancelled flights amid coronavirus pandemic. For amounts under $100, your credit card company may decide to refund you quickly — usually within two to five business days — even if it hasn’t concluded its investigation with the vendor, he says. Please read our Commenting Policy first. The voucher will be valid for the payment of ticket(s) and/or TAP service(s); The voucher can be used for an online purchase at flytap.com; The amount of the voucher does not need to be used all at once, it can be deducted until the total amount of the voucher is used.