How can I cancel my flight and get my money back?
August 18, 2023 | 35,00 EUR | answered by Ralf Schlittmaier
Dear travel lawyer,
My name is Alice Bittner and I have a problem with my booked flight. Some time ago, I booked a flight with an airline, but due to unforeseen personal circumstances, I am no longer able to take the flight. I have tried to cancel the flight, but I have found that the airline is asking for high cancellation fees or, in the worst case, not offering any refund at all.
I am concerned that I could lose my hard-earned money, as I am unable to take the flight and the airline is not willing to refund my money. I have already tried speaking to the airline's customer service, but they were not very helpful and did not offer a clear solution to my problem.
I am now wondering if there are any legal steps I can take to cancel my flight and get my money back. Are there any legal provisions or consumer protection laws that can help me with this? How should I best proceed to clarify my issue and get my money back?
I hope you can assist me with this matter and provide me with possible solutions or legal steps I can take to get my money back. Thank you in advance for your help.
Sincerely,
Alice Bittner
Dear Mrs. Bittner,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding your booked flight and the problems that have arisen due to unforeseen personal circumstances. I am sorry to hear that you are having difficulty getting your hard-earned money back after trying to cancel the flight.
In this situation, it is important to know that consumers are legally protected in such cases and there are laws and consumer protection regulations that can help you get your money back. In general, if you need to cancel a flight and this is not due to your own decision, but due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. illness, death in the family, etc.), you have the right to a refund or rebooking without any additional fees.
It is important that you clearly explain your situation to the airline again and insist that you should receive a refund or rebooking without additional costs according to the legal provisions. If the airline continues to refuse to refund your money, you may consider taking legal action.
In such a case, I recommend contacting a specialized attorney in travel law to assess your rights and options and to receive comprehensive legal support. An experienced lawyer will be able to review your claims, negotiate with the airline, and, if necessary, take legal action to get your money back.
It is important that you gather all relevant documents, such as the booking confirmation, the airline's cancellation policy, and any evidence of unforeseen personal circumstances, and provide them to the lawyer to fully document your situation.
I hope that my response was helpful to you and supports you in your matter. If you have any further questions or need legal assistance, I am happy to help.
Sincerely,
Ralf Schlittmaier.
