Originally Posted by
KLouis
Pushing will have minimal chances of working. Transavia is one of many airlines that only issues vouchers instead of refunding. Moreover, the German Government said a few days ago that they'll pass a travel-wide law that will regulate the matter (only vouchers to be issued for all "Covid-cancelled" bookings such as hotels, cruises, airlines, etc.) and so far nobody in Brussels has uttered a single word in that matter. Good luck, though. I enjoy seeing optimists these days
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Transavia is a subsidiary of KLM and based in the Netherlands so German law simply won't apply in the OPs case.
The EU261 regulation is perfectly clear - that when the airline cancels the flight (as in this case) they have to refund if that is what the passenger wants. A company cannnot just change that.
They can offer to add extra value (AY = 10% for example and I think LH is also offering a bonus) but they cannot force the passenge to accept a voucher if they want a refund.
The situation is different when the passenger cancels becauae of Covid-19 but the flight still operates where a voucher is actually better than most normal cancellation poliies of only getting government taxes and airport fees back. I took a BA voucher / credit note for a flight I cancelled and so have £250 to spend later rather than the less than £50 I would have got back if I just cancelled. Another flight has been cancelled and a call got me a refund with no mention of a voucher whatsoever.