FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Covid19: LH Group general waiver to rebook flights
Old Mar 19, 2020, 2:28 am
  #154  
ChrisBub
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: BRU
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Originally Posted by headingwest
Read section 9 and 11

https://en.about.aegeanair.com/media...r-flexibility/

I think we will be seeing a lot more of this type of thing in the next few days.
Well, if they can get away with these types of misdirection in their COVID guidance, they'll continue to do it and they are within their rights to offer vouchers, but you are not obliged to accept that.

In your case, the guidelines and the Reg make clear that passengers must be offered full refund of ticket price. Just request full reimbursement from A3 if and when the flight is cancelled. They cannot legally refuse. If they try, just quote the below articles from the regulation at them (and point towards Commission's statement on it).

The Commissioner's statement says explicitly that airlines must rebook or reimburse passengers. That reimbursement can be in the form of a travel voucher, but only if the passenger agrees. If not, they must be offered a refund for the full ticket price. See https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pres...l/en/ip_20_485

So Aegean and many other airlines will need to update their policy or risk court cases which they are certain to lose given these guidelines read in conjunction with the Regulation. See below the relevant excerpts - bolding mine. The key thing is that passengers, if they want a full reimbursement of the price, must not accept the travel voucher option (which the airline is free to offer)

From excerpts of EU261:Article 5:

1. In case of cancellation of a flight, the passengers concerned shall:

(a) be offered assistance by the operating air carrier in accordance with Article 8; and
Article 8:

1. Where reference is made to this Article, passengers shall be offered the choice between:(a) - reimbursement within seven days, by the means provided for in Article 7(3), of the full cost of the ticket at the price at which it was bought, for the part or parts of the journey not made, and for the part or parts already made if the flight is no longer serving any purpose in relation to the passenger's original travel plan, together with, when relevant,

- a return flight to the first point of departure, at the earliest opportunity;

(b) re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to their final destination at the earliest opportunity; or

(c) re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to their final destination at a later date at the passenger's convenience, subject to availability of seats.

3. The compensation referred to in paragraph 1 shall be paid in cash, by electronic bank transfer, bank orders or bank cheques or, with the signed agreement of the passenger, in travel vouchers and/or other services.
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