HalconBCN

I have done this twice with KLM in the past six months: once for a family member (no status) and once for myself (3 weeks ago, a flight to Algeria).
You are allowed 24 hours cooling off period. I think it is an EU ecommerce regulation.

brunos

Are the experiences KLM specific? Any of the above apply to AF?

Andy82

My case was an AF ticket purchased on the AF website, and some other people are reporting cases where the ticket was purchased on KL website, so - no - they seem to not be specific.

brunos

If that means that it is a new policy that applies from all origins and both AF and KL, that is GREAT news.

HalconBCN

A friend of mine works for a very well known online travel agent. He told me 24 hour cancellation policy also applies in that agency, but this is a fact that is not advertised.

Andy82

Update: After 5 days, AF still has to release the money from my card (charge is still in reserved state). I guess I have to call back the Platinum Service Line ;-)

Fabo.sk

Our corporate TA has the same policy, although I don't know how it works in the background (they talk about reservations, not tickets, so they might be making non-binding reservations and then, if not retracted, ticket them EOD for all I know)

Quite often, instead of actively voiding the transaction, companies just don't collect on the reservation. Less of a problem on a credit card, can be a massive problem on a debit card. Depends largely on the bank how it deals with dangling reservations.
In my experience, I was always able to have them cleared if I have written document I can forward to the bank saying the reservation won't be charged (somehow). Last time, it was a confirmation of a hotel being paid from another card - hotel made the reservation based on CC on file, but didn't void it after I paid with the other CC.

Andy82

My bank told me that the 'pending' transactions get automatically canceled on CCs after 7 working days, and effectively my charged got released around that time.

Fabo.sk

That's decent. My bank (the one that had given me the card the hotel had on file) had a policy of holding for 30 calendar days.

dc9northwest

Tried this; not intentionally -- the first booking appeared to not work due to a technical issue, but then some time later I was charged the correct amount. In the meanwhile I completed a second booking on the same dates... Of course, once that went through, immediately after, the first one did as well. So I cancelled one of them immediately. The card was actually charged, despite the booking disappearing from the KLM website within 24 hours. The money was returned a few days later (less than a week), and I even made 1.17 USD from the conversion rate improving

f4free

I was told by Plat line to cancel for free by midnight same day only for most countries incl Switzerland but that the sale country may impact the rule.

Not sure if he was right but it worked for me.

toastedcafe

To be on the safe side: always asume that cancelation is not possible; unless it is clearly written when (and where) you purchase the ticket.