If something went wrong and the vacation has to be canceled or postponed, the first question arises about the return of money for the air tickets. Some can be safely returned or exchanged, for others it is impossible, and if you refuse to fly, you will lose their entire value. Together with colleagues from the travel service OneTwoTrip, we understand the intricacies of refundable and non-refundable fares.
As it was before
Until June 2014, all air tickets of Russian airlines were returnable: the passenger could return the ticket even immediately before departure, and in this case received 75 percent of the cost back (if returned in less than a day, the airline retained 25 percent as a fine). If the refund was issued a few days before departure, then there was no financial loss at all.
There were, however, service charges for refunds, each airline had its own, but in general it was possible to get almost all the money spent on tickets. Risks of passengers' refusal to fly were included in the fare, and, accordingly, tickets were more expensive.
After the amendments to the Air Code came into force, so-called non-refundable tickets appeared. It was assumed that the amendments will create conditions for the development of low-cost airlines in Russia. But as a result, all airlines have made their cheapest tickets non-refundable. Also, flexible tariffs have spread on the market - not only non-refundable and non-exchangeable, but also without baggage. As a result, the price of domestic flights dropped by about a quarter.
How to find out what fare your ticket has
The amount you pay for a ticket is formed of two parts: fare plus fees and taxes. The fare is the cost of the flight. The fare is set by the company depending on the length of the route, season and booking class (economy or business). But there are also airport charges for aircraft ground handling, fuel, insurance and service charges.
Before buying, study the information on the website where you buy tickets and find the fare rules. Pay attention to the following phrases (in the rules they are always written in English):
TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE IN CASE OF CANCEL / NO-SHOW- the ticket is non-refundable if the passenger canceled the trip or did not show up for boarding. That is, it will not be possible to return such a ticket without a good reason. Only the first part of the wording can be specified - Ticket is non-refundable. The meaning is the same.
CHANGES NOT PERMITTED- the ticket is not exchangeable.
CHANGES ANY TIME CHARGE EUR 50.00- such a ticket can be exchanged, but for 50 euros. The amount may vary from airline to airline.
NAME CHANGE NOT PERMITTED- you cannot change the name on the ticket.
WHERE FARE IS NON-REFUNDABLE ANY TIME IN THIS CASE YQ / YR SURCHARGES ARE ALSO NON-REFUNDABLE- Here "YQ / YR" stands for taxes. It means that if the ticket fare is non-refundable, then the taxes are also non-refundable.
What are the non-refundable fares of Russian airlines called?
We have two non-refundable tariffs: "Economy promo" and "Economy budget".
Does not accept back tickets that are sold at the “Basic” tariff, including “Economy basic” and “Business basic”.
Non-refundable tariffs - "Light Economy".
At "" non-refundable tickets are sold at promotional rates.
Pobeda offers non-refundable tickets at Standard and Package Plus fares.
Nordwind Airlines has a Promo tariff.
And what about foreign air carriers?
Everything is different there. Foreign airlines do not have permanent non-refundable fares. Usually, tickets purchased through promotions and sales cannot be refunded. In other cases, you need to study the rules of the tariff.
The exception is low-cost companies. Most of their tickets are non-refundable by default. Sometimes, however, the carrier allows you to change the name of the passenger on the ticket for an additional fee.
How much more profitable are non-refundable tickets?
Most airlines have refundable and non-refundable fares for both Economy and Business Class. Refundable and non-refundable tickets in the same class differ only in the ability to return the ticket if you suddenly cancel the flight. Everything else is armchairs, the menu is the same.
Return tickets are always more expensive. For example, Aeroflot has a non-refundable Economy Budget ticket on the Moscow-Rome route with a departure on August 11 at 14,890 rubles. If you want to take a return ticket, there are two options: the Economy Optimum fare (18,155 rubles, 70 euros will be charged for the refund) or the Economy Premium (22,640 rubles, return and exchange are free).
How to return a ticket
If you can't fly away, immediately inform the support service of the service where you bought the ticket about the need to return. The fact is that in some cases you will still have to pay a fine for a refund: usually this is spelled out in the rules of the tariff. And the closer to departure, the greater the fine - sometimes up to half of the ticket price. The deadline for the return is the moment of the end of check-in for the flight (in some airlines - the time of departure).
When contacting the support service, formulate your request as clearly as possible: you want to return the ticket (and not fly at all) or exchange it for other dates. The support professional needs to know exactly what is required of him.
Some airlines return or exchange tickets only at the sales office, while others allow you to issue everything remotely. Again, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with this in advance by reading the rules of the tariff. If you buy a ticket from a ticket service, a refund is usually made through the service.
When can a non-refundable ticket be returned
In some cases, it is still possible to get a refund for a non-refundable ticket. This is called a "forced return". There can be two reasons: death or serious illness of one of the passengers, or violation of the conditions of carriage by the airline.
If an accident happens and you are unable to fly due to illness or death of another passenger, you must inform the airline as soon as possible. You will be removed from the flight and asked to send documents confirming the impossibility of the flight. It is important to contact the carrier before the end of check-in for the flight.
A long delay or cancellation of the flight is considered a violation of the terms of the contract of carriage. The duration of the delay is different for different airlines, everything is described in the rules.
Note that the decision on the forced refund is made by the airline. For example, many foreign carriers do not consider canceling a flight for medical reasons as a reason for an involuntary return. The fact is that in Europe and the USA there is a well-developed culture of insurance, including travel. And in case of unforeseen circumstances, the insurance company will have to cover the costs of the canceled flight.
Can I get at least part of my non-refundable ticket back?
Yes. We remind you that the ticket price consists of two parts - fare and airport taxes. According to the Air Code, only the tariff part is non-refundable, so you can get fuel and airport taxes back, unless otherwise stated in the fare rules. For example, S7 Airlines does not refund the YR (booking service fee) and YQ (fuel surcharge) taxes for the Basic Economy fare, as well as the ticket issuance fee; only airport taxes and taxes for unused flight sections will be refunded.
But even if you reimburse all taxes, the amount will be small.
When to buy a non-refundable ticket
Are you sure you will fly and are not afraid to lose money if the trip still has to be canceled? Choose a non-refundable ticket. In all other cases, it makes sense to spend a little more money, but buy a ticket at a refundable rate.
When canceling a trip, many are interested in whether it is possible to return a non-refundable ticket. After all, there are different cases. The State Duma of the Russian Federation has developed rules for the return of such documents. Airlines and passengers must comply with them.
Definition of the term
Many air passengers are interested in the answer to the question: what is a non-refundable ticket? And how to recognize it if the airline does not provide detailed information about their tariff plans?
"Non-refundable" is a ticket that is purchased at a reduced cost. Airlines, in order to attract more customers, quite often hold similar promotions.
Important! There will be a special stamp on this type of ticket.
Therefore, when choosing it, it is necessary to pay attention to it. In most cases, non-returnable air documents are an order of magnitude lower than returnable ones. If the flight is canceled, the passenger does not receive money. The government also provides for exceptions to these rules. They are spelled out in legislative acts.
Innovations
On the territory of the Russian Federation, non-refundable plane tickets began to be sold in 2014. Although this practice has existed abroad for several years. The government decided to improve the law by making some changes to it.
As a result of improvements, it has changed. Quite often, passengers were faced with the fact that when boarding a connecting flight, they were asked to pay extra for their luggage. Now this problem will not be, since the government has made the regulations closer to foreign companies.
Reduced the rate of transportation of "free baggage". This made it possible to reduce their cost of tickets for the "non-refundable" tariff plan by 15%. The regulations for the return of these air documents have also undergone changes. The passenger will not be able to receive monetary compensation for the ticket if the flight is canceled after the check-in for the flight is completed.
Interesting! Previously, when returning an aircraft document a few days before departure, the passenger received its full cost. If the flight was canceled in less than 24 hours, the air carrier wrote off a commission in the amount of 25% of this amount. This rule is still valid.
The government has decided to protect carriers without violating the rights of passengers. Now everyone can choose the fare at which they will fly. When purchasing a non-refundable document, it is the passenger who is responsible for canceling the flight. That is, he cannot refuse it for personal reasons. There must be compelling circumstances to get your money back.
Important! It is necessary to notify the airline about the cancellation of the flight in advance. It is advisable to do this more than a day before departure.
If this is not possible, it will be possible to return part of the money. And this is provided that the passenger has significant circumstances. They are spelled out in the law. Information about them can be found on the official website of the air carrier.
Is it possible to return a "non-refundable" ticket
Yes. For this, the law provides for certain circumstances.
These include the following:
- the presence of a serious illness requiring compulsory hospitalization of a passenger or his close relative who is flying with him;
- death of a close relative;
- non-fulfillment or partial fulfillment of obligations by the airline (flight delay for several hours or its cancellation, route change or aircraft model).
You need to know that all these reasons need to be documented. In case of illness, a certificate from the medical institution is provided. In the event of death, a certificate.
It is impossible to return a ticket purchased at a “non-refundable” fare if the passenger simply decided to reschedule the trip. There can be many reasons for this behavior. For example, unwillingness to fly or poor health of a passenger, not documented.
Important! Air tickets are not refunded if the airlines' schedule for connecting flights has changed.
If you miss your flight, the document is also non-refundable.
How to return a "non-refundable" ticket: algorithm of actions
The rules for the return of such documents are regulated by Art. 243 of the Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 82. To be able to return the ticket, you must notify the carrier in advance. It is advisable to do this before sending the plane. The passenger sends a notification email or calls the company's hotline.
Advice! You need to make sure that the operator recorded your call.
After that, the passenger must collect the necessary evidence:
- Record the presence of the disease. It is necessary to contact a medical institution, take the appropriate certificate signed by the chief physician. Similar documents will be required if the passenger refuses to fly because of the illness of a close relative who was supposed to fly with him.
- Record the death of a close relative. A death certificate is required to confirm.
- If the ticket is returned due to the fault of the airline, its employees must issue a confirmation of the change in the departure schedule or cancellation of the flight.
After that, the passenger writes an appeal to the airline. It indicates the situation, attaches evidence. You also need to provide photocopies of your passport and air ticket.
The operating rules of the air carrier indicate the time period for considering such an appeal. It can be up to 30 days from the date of its submission. If this information is not on the website, the time period that is acceptable to the passenger is indicated in the appeal. For example, 5-10 days.
The appeal can be sent by e-mail. All documents are pre-scanned and attached as a separate file to the letter. This is useful if you have to file a claim.
You can send the appeal at the airline office or at the counter at the airport. To do this, it must be written in duplicate. One is signed by an employee of the company, indicating the date of receipt, his full name, position. The second remains with the company along with the evidence attached to it.
Important! If, after the transfer of the appeal, the answer from the carrier was not received, he did not return the money, you can file a claim in court.
When buying air tickets at a "non-refundable" tariff through intermediaries, airlines also apply to them. If the documents were purchased together with the tour, the travel agency should submit an application for a refund and cancellation of the trip.
How to find out which tariff
The air ticket price is formed from two parts: the price for the flight and taxes or taxes. This information is indicated in the rules for the formation of tariffs for aircraft documents. You need to familiarize yourself with it on the airline's website.
When buying a ticket, you must pay attention to such inscriptions on them.
| Ticket is non-refundable | this means that the document cannot be returned if the passenger refuses the flight on his own. There must be a good reason for this. |
| Ticket is non-refundable in case of cancel / no-show | similar decryption |
| Where fare is non-refundable any time in this case YQ / YR surcharges are also non-refundable | this means that the passenger will not be able to refund both the ticket price and the tax. |
| Changes not permitted | ticket cannot be exchanged |
| Name change not permitted | it is not possible to change the passenger's full name in the document. If they are incorrectly specified, only airline employees can make adjustments. Sometimes this service is paid |
| Changes any time charge EUR 50.00 | the ticket is subject to return and exchange for a fee. In this case, it will be 50 euros. This service may be cheaper or more expensive with other air carriers. |
These fares are set by the companies depending on the length of the route, the class of the passenger compartment and the season.
What are the "non-refundable" fares of Russian airlines called?
For the convenience of passengers, each Russian air carrier has assigned certain names to non-refundable tickets. So, for example, Aeroflot has tariffs "Economy Budget" and "Economy Promo".
Other airlines designations:
- UTair - Light Economy;
- S7 Airlines - Basic, Economy Basic and Business Basic fares;
- Nordwind Airlines - Promo tickets;
- Ural Airlines - air tickets are sold at a reduced cost during promotions. For example, on certain days of the week and hours, they are several percent lower.
- "Victory" - tariffs "Package Plus" and "Standard".
Depending on the policy of the air carrier, he has the right to carry out additional promotions. As a result, the cost of tickets, as well as their tariff and its names, change. Therefore, before purchasing, you must first familiarize yourself with the symbols on the documents. They can be found on the company's website.
What are the "non-refundable" fares of foreign airlines called?
Foreign carriers do not have permanently established designations for non-refundable tickets. They regularly hold promotions and sales, during which you can purchase a document at a reduced cost. These programs already imply that it will not be possible to get it back. And this information is indicated on the website of the carrier company.
Low-cost airlines do not have a “non-refundable” tariff at all. Default tickets are non-refundable. This is due to their low cost.
It is better to buy non-refundable tickets when the passenger plans to travel without luggage. He is sure that no circumstances will prevent him from flying. For example, the authorities will forbid or the children will get sick. Also, if economy is more important to him than flight comfort.
As a rule, airlines prefer to talk loudly about innovations. But in the situation with Nordwind Airlines, everything happened quietly and calmly - without notification, the carrier decided to open bagless fares. What should be understood by tourists who are going to fly with this airline?
The possibility of purchasing a bagless fare is provided for tickets dated October 29 of the current year. As expected, changes to the Federal Aviation Regulations have led to the fact that Nordwind Airlines has drastically reduced the baggage allowance, which is accepted for carriage free of charge. The rate of 5 kilograms was taken by the carrier literally, and therefore the changes have taken place. By the way, you can find similarities between the new fares of Nordwind Airlines and S7 (Smart Choice). Economy class and business class have 2 types of fares: Optimum and Promo. Regarding the norms, at Nordwind Airlines they differ significantly from those adopted by S7.
Under the terms of the Economy Promo no-baggage fare, the passenger has the right to take on board only 1 piece of hand luggage, the weight of which must not exceed 5 kilograms. There are also limitations in size - no more than 115 cm for the sum of 3 dimensions. Such tickets are non-refundable, only an exchange is allowed, which is carried out with an additional payment of 60 euros (before departure) -95 euros (after). If you need to add checked baggage, the surcharge is set at 2,000 rubles.
It can be assumed that such a small carry-on baggage allowance will be inconvenient for many passengers, so they will either have to pay extra or look for loopholes. One of these is the list of items that are taken on board free of charge according to the new FAP project. So, in this list there is a briefcase or handbag with all the contents. The weight of these items is not taken into account when taking into account, so you can pack additional things up to several kilograms there. It is not yet known whether this carrier will control the weight of hand luggage immediately before boarding. One thing is certain - there will be a check at registration.
The downside for Nordwind Airlines customers is that the carrier does not warn about changes in its rules. The only indication of the rules, which should always be taken into account, can be considered the link "tariff conditions". Pay attention to it when booking a place. The "fare conditions" are indicated in very small print under the cost of the selected air ticket. By clicking on the link, you can see a list of rules, which, by the way, are not read by everyone.
It remains unclear why the carrier did not publish news or press releases that such significant changes are coming. It can be assumed that there will be passengers who will simply be taken by surprise during the check-in process.
Formally, it is not even clear from what exact date Nordwind Airlines began selling tickets under the new rules. It can be assumed that the mysterious date is October 16, when the carrier sent out notifications of changes to its agents. In theory, those customers who purchased tickets before this date should have the right to use the old rules and regulations, according to which you can take 10 kg of hand luggage and 10 kg of luggage. There is also a briefcase with a handbag. If the ticket was purchased earlier, you need to take the itinerary receipt with you for check-in and boarding, just in case, in order to avoid potential misunderstandings.
According to the Economy Optimum fare, the passenger has the right to take on board 1 piece of hand luggage up to 5 kg, as well as check in 1 piece of baggage up to 20 kg. If plans change, the ticket can be returned before departure, paying a fine of 30 euros and 80 euros after departure. The exchange is free of charge before departure and with a penalty of EUR 80 after departure.
The Business Promo tariff already provides for 2 pieces of hand luggage, 5 kg each, and 1 piece of luggage up to 20 kg. Such a ticket is not refundable, there is only a paid exchange. Before departure - 80 euros, after - 110 euros. Similarly to the previous options, the possibility of baggage drop-off in the Business Optimum tariff increases - 2 pieces of baggage up to 20 kg and 2 pieces of hand luggage, 5 kg each. More information about the changes can be found on the carrier's website.
Those passengers who are used to buying inexpensive tickets will not like the new rules. According to the previous rules, it was possible to carry free baggage and carry-on baggage. In addition, it was possible to use the exchange option with a lower penalty (up to RUB 1,500 for the Promo and Standard tariffs). As for the reduction of the tariffs themselves, due to which it would be possible to compensate for the losses, it has not yet been discovered. The carrier's customers are now on the same level with the Pobeda low-cost airline customers. It was this carrier that was one of the first to make its passengers feel the appearance of a new version of the FAP.
