Since the middle of March, are affected in Europe, around 147 million passengers of airline failures. The least have not yet received a refund of your ticket cost.
according to estimates, Lufthansa owes to its customers, currently already more than 3.5 billion euros for ticket refunds for flights which were cancelled due to the Coronavirus*. In spite of state subsidies in the amount of nine billion euros, which are currently being discussed, are currently still a lot of customers to their costs. Who takes care of the passenger rights ?
flight cancellations: passengers to accept vouchers
Worldwide is defaulted in April and may, approximately 66 percent of all flights in Europe with around 90 percent is even higher, forced. Alone among the ten largest Airlines in Europe at least 147 million passengers of these flight cancellations since the middle of March, affected . This is the Portal flug-verspaetet.de reported.
“inquired Alone last month, more than 120,000 passengers to their Right, and were looking for help, because Airlines are ignoring the rights of the passengers easy. We try with our new Service to help consumers with their rights and the desired refund of the ticket cost from the airlines to get . Without the help of a third party, this seems to be for passengers currently almost impossible. Legally, airlines are not required to pay the refund of the ticket cost within seven days. You should do this really, our Service is free of charge and the passenger gets full refund. After this period, we will take court action against the airline, the rights of the consumer,” explains Tom van Bokhoven, CEO of Flug-verspaetet.de. In his view, it almost seems as the EU-member States interested, to save their national airlines to support its citizens and their rights.
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Airlines fight back against the schemes of the EU
The European Commission confirmed the right of consumers to have a choice between a voucher and a refund of the ticket cost several times already since March of this year. Most recently this happened at a press conference on 13. In may 2020, has taken place.
Airlines have responded promptly to this announcement . Several airlines such as KLM and Air France announced their customers will now not only vouchers, but also want to refund offer. In this case, both airlines are concealed, according to van Bokhoven, that this should only apply to flights on or after 15. May be cancelled. For already precipitated flights will continue to be offered exclusively to coupons.
Lufthansa is the Information on the application for a refund of ticket costs on the Website is not easy to find. On the pages, the information on the Situation in the Corona-type crisis, it is only the speech of vouchers. Lufthansa offers quite a refunds, however, these must be telephonically requested from the Airline.
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passengers have the choice between a voucher and a refund
urge the airline vouchers instead of refunds to spend , despite all, is quite understandable, as the Portal Flug-verspaetet.de. By doing this, the money the travellers to stay for the time being in the company and so could not be ensured that the concerned Airline payment to stay competitive. A groundless concern in the current crisis. Many Airlines would try, therefore, to vouchers to make it more attractive for consumers by increasing costs, the value of the vouchers to the refund of the ticket.
passengers should, however, continue to have the choice between a voucher and a refund. In addition, airlines would have to accept this choice and according to the EU air passenger rights regulation act. “Until this is the case, we want to assist passengers with our new Service to the refund of the ticket cost and consumer rights ,” says van Bokhoven protect.
interesting : These new rules will apply during the Corona-crisis at German airports.
