Eurowings flight change - refund rights?
Apr 8, 2020, 11:03 am
#1
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Eurowings flight change - refund rights?
Apologies if this isn't the right place to post...
I had booking on Eurwings flight EW0465 - LHR to Cologne-Bonn on May 10th. I have just received an email describing a "change to my scheduled flight" that actually has me now booked on a different flight number (EW9467) approx 2.5 hours earlier.
My question is this; am I now able to ask for this booking to be cancelled and refunded? In other words, do I have the right to request a refund? I understand that what has essentially happened here is actually NOT a change to my original scheduled flight, but it is essentially a cancellation of my original flight number, resulting in me being moved to an alternative scheduled flight with a different flight number.
I had understood that the rules here were that Airlines could ask me to accept a reasonable (non-significant) change to the scheduled departure time for the flight number I had booked (all covered in their CoC etc etc). However a change in flight number was essentially treated as a cancellation of my originally booked flight and that in these cases customers should be offered a choice between a re-booking or cancellation+refund. Is that not correct?
As you have probably guessed, I am looking for an opportunity to cancel these flights. It was non-flexible fare and so I was originally prepared to play a waiting game to see if the flight was cancelled anyway, nearer the departure date. But am now trying to determine (before I attempt to contact them) what my rights actually were in this case. Can anyone help (without flaming)?
I had booking on Eurwings flight EW0465 - LHR to Cologne-Bonn on May 10th. I have just received an email describing a "change to my scheduled flight" that actually has me now booked on a different flight number (EW9467) approx 2.5 hours earlier.
My question is this; am I now able to ask for this booking to be cancelled and refunded? In other words, do I have the right to request a refund? I understand that what has essentially happened here is actually NOT a change to my original scheduled flight, but it is essentially a cancellation of my original flight number, resulting in me being moved to an alternative scheduled flight with a different flight number.
I had understood that the rules here were that Airlines could ask me to accept a reasonable (non-significant) change to the scheduled departure time for the flight number I had booked (all covered in their CoC etc etc). However a change in flight number was essentially treated as a cancellation of my originally booked flight and that in these cases customers should be offered a choice between a re-booking or cancellation+refund. Is that not correct?
As you have probably guessed, I am looking for an opportunity to cancel these flights. It was non-flexible fare and so I was originally prepared to play a waiting game to see if the flight was cancelled anyway, nearer the departure date. But am now trying to determine (before I attempt to contact them) what my rights actually were in this case. Can anyone help (without flaming)?
Apr 8, 2020, 12:14 pm
#2
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Nobody is going to flame you - your Q is legitimate and relevant.
Your flight has been cancelled. There is no obligation on your part to accept the rebooked new flight and you have the right to cancel it. The key issue is if you will get a refund or you will have to accept a voucher. Currently, this is one of the most commonly discussed issues in many forums in here; albeit with no clear conclusion I believe.
Your flight has been cancelled. There is no obligation on your part to accept the rebooked new flight and you have the right to cancel it. The key issue is if you will get a refund or you will have to accept a voucher. Currently, this is one of the most commonly discussed issues in many forums in here; albeit with no clear conclusion I believe.
Apr 8, 2020, 12:20 pm
#3
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Nobody is going to flame you - your Q is legitimate and relevant.
Your flight has been cancelled. There is no obligation on your part to accept the rebooked new flight and you have the right to cancel it. The key issue is if you will get a refund or you will have to accept a voucher. Currently, this is one of the most commonly discussed issues in many forums in here; albeit with no clear conclusion I believe.
Your flight has been cancelled. There is no obligation on your part to accept the rebooked new flight and you have the right to cancel it. The key issue is if you will get a refund or you will have to accept a voucher. Currently, this is one of the most commonly discussed issues in many forums in here; albeit with no clear conclusion I believe.
Well, I have sent in a message making it abundantly (but politely) clear that I do not accept an alternative flight booking - that I'm requesting cancellation + refund - and that I do not accept vouchers in lieu of a monetary refund. Lets see what happens.
I usually hang out on the BA board, hence the preemptive "please don't hurt me"... lol
Apr 8, 2020, 12:35 pm
#4
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Unbelievably, I have realised that not only have they re-booked me on to a different flight - my new flight doesn't even go to Cologne-Bonn... its going to Dusseldorf.
Now, I realise DUS isn't exactly all that far away, but the bare faced cheek of sending that kind of change to me in an email entitled "Flight Schedule Change" with no offer of cancellation/refund included in the email - despite that very obviously being one of my rights - is pretty bad.
Now, I realise DUS isn't exactly all that far away, but the bare faced cheek of sending that kind of change to me in an email entitled "Flight Schedule Change" with no offer of cancellation/refund included in the email - despite that very obviously being one of my rights - is pretty bad.
Apr 8, 2020, 1:42 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 7
I’d be interested in what they say
Lufthansa did the same to me. Two of my flight segments were cancelled and they just did a rebook. In fact, I’m somehow going Munich to Frankfurt to Seattle without the 1st flight needed from Bari to Munich.
Apr 8, 2020, 2:11 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,974
They for sure try, but no... at the moment they are still on the hook to give you back your money. There is a move to change that, but it hasn’t made it way through the process yet - actually not sure it would even be approved.
Apr 8, 2020, 2:14 pm
#7
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.
Apr 8, 2020, 3:45 pm
#8
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Simply make a request for a refund because your flight. Wait 7 days and on the 8th day (unless you are advised that a refund has been processed), initiate a chargeback with your credit card issuer (bank).
Do everything in writing and keep copies or screen shots. If you submit a chargeback, have a copy of your e-ticket receipt, the cancellation/rescheduling notice, your request for a refund, and the refund denial or a note than there has been no response.
EC 261/2004 has not changed and even if the EU were to do so, to the extent that you and your bank are located in the UK and your ticket originates there, the Regulation has been enacted into UK law and thus stands unless Parliament, as opposed to the EC amends it.
Do everything in writing and keep copies or screen shots. If you submit a chargeback, have a copy of your e-ticket receipt, the cancellation/rescheduling notice, your request for a refund, and the refund denial or a note than there has been no response.
EC 261/2004 has not changed and even if the EU were to do so, to the extent that you and your bank are located in the UK and your ticket originates there, the Regulation has been enacted into UK law and thus stands unless Parliament, as opposed to the EC amends it.
Apr 8, 2020, 3:53 pm
#9
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Thanks for the replies. To be honest, I'll give them a single chance to respond favourably. And if their response tries to tell me they won't refund me my money, then I'll just ask my credit card company to start a chargeback. From my perspective a flight cancellation and and an offer only to book me on a different flight to a different airport would constitute a contractual failure to deliver the service I paid for so I'm fairly certain I can get my money back via that route.
But still, I'd consider it outrageous behaviour if they were to actively try to prevent me getting my money back. To be honest its already pretty atrocious to communicate a flight cancellation and a re-booking to a different airport as a "Flight Schedule Change" and provide absolutely no offer of refund or cancellation, in line with my rights.
But still, I'd consider it outrageous behaviour if they were to actively try to prevent me getting my money back. To be honest its already pretty atrocious to communicate a flight cancellation and a re-booking to a different airport as a "Flight Schedule Change" and provide absolutely no offer of refund or cancellation, in line with my rights.
Apr 8, 2020, 3:55 pm
#10
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Simply make a request for a refund because your flight. Wait 7 days and on the 8th day (unless you are advised that a refund has been processed), initiate a chargeback with your credit card issuer (bank).
Do everything in writing and keep copies or screen shots. If you submit a chargeback, have a copy of your e-ticket receipt, the cancellation/rescheduling notice, your request for a refund, and the refund denial or a note than there has been no response.
EC 261/2004 has not changed and even if the EU were to do so, to the extent that you and your bank are located in the UK and your ticket originates there, the Regulation has been enacted into UK law and thus stands unless Parliament, as opposed to the EC amends it.
Do everything in writing and keep copies or screen shots. If you submit a chargeback, have a copy of your e-ticket receipt, the cancellation/rescheduling notice, your request for a refund, and the refund denial or a note than there has been no response.
EC 261/2004 has not changed and even if the EU were to do so, to the extent that you and your bank are located in the UK and your ticket originates there, the Regulation has been enacted into UK law and thus stands unless Parliament, as opposed to the EC amends it.
Apr 8, 2020, 4:05 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 7
Apologies if this isn't the right place to post...
I had booking on Eurwings flight EW0465 - LHR to Cologne-Bonn on May 10th. I have just received an email describing a "change to my scheduled flight" that actually has me now booked on a different flight number (EW9467) approx 2.5 hours earlier.
My question is this; am I now able to ask for this booking to be cancelled and refunded? In other words, do I have the right to request a refund? I understand that what has essentially happened here is actually NOT a change to my original scheduled flight, but it is essentially a cancellation of my original flight number, resulting in me being moved to an alternative scheduled flight with a different flight number.
I had understood that the rules here were that Airlines could ask me to accept a reasonable (non-significant) change to the scheduled departure time for the flight number I had booked (all covered in their CoC etc etc). However a change in flight number was essentially treated as a cancellation of my originally booked flight and that in these cases customers should be offered a choice between a re-booking or cancellation+refund. Is that not correct?
As you have probably guessed, I am looking for an opportunity to cancel these flights. It was non-flexible fare and so I was originally prepared to play a waiting game to see if the flight was cancelled anyway, nearer the departure date. But am now trying to determine (before I attempt to contact them) what my rights actually were in this case. Can anyone help (without flaming)?
I had booking on Eurwings flight EW0465 - LHR to Cologne-Bonn on May 10th. I have just received an email describing a "change to my scheduled flight" that actually has me now booked on a different flight number (EW9467) approx 2.5 hours earlier.
My question is this; am I now able to ask for this booking to be cancelled and refunded? In other words, do I have the right to request a refund? I understand that what has essentially happened here is actually NOT a change to my original scheduled flight, but it is essentially a cancellation of my original flight number, resulting in me being moved to an alternative scheduled flight with a different flight number.
I had understood that the rules here were that Airlines could ask me to accept a reasonable (non-significant) change to the scheduled departure time for the flight number I had booked (all covered in their CoC etc etc). However a change in flight number was essentially treated as a cancellation of my originally booked flight and that in these cases customers should be offered a choice between a re-booking or cancellation+refund. Is that not correct?
As you have probably guessed, I am looking for an opportunity to cancel these flights. It was non-flexible fare and so I was originally prepared to play a waiting game to see if the flight was cancelled anyway, nearer the departure date. But am now trying to determine (before I attempt to contact them) what my rights actually were in this case. Can anyone help (without flaming)?
Apr 8, 2020, 6:22 pm
#12
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No need to wait more than 7 days. EC 261/2004 requires a refund in that time period. You have LH's commitment to a refund. On the 8th day after your call, start a chargeback with your credit card issuer (bank).
Apr 9, 2020, 6:37 am
#13
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I disagree. Given the current unprecedented situation and the backlog of refunds with the airlines, I would be fair to give LH more than a week to process the refund rather than proceeding straight to a chargeback on the 8th day. Not reasonable to do it this quickly IMO. As stated above refunds are likely to take 3-6 months to process by now.
Apr 9, 2020, 7:23 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,974
I disagree. Given the current unprecedented situation and the backlog of refunds with the airlines, I would be fair to give LH more than a week to process the refund rather than proceeding straight to a chargeback on the 8th day. Not reasonable to do it this quickly IMO. As stated above refunds are likely to take 3-6 months to process by now.
But for some companies I’m definitely not willing to give them a bridging credit just because they are in a tough spot. Why? Because if it is the other way around, LH and other airlines are enforcing their rules whatever happens. if they insist on sticking to their rules if it is in their favor, so do I.
Apr 9, 2020, 10:34 am
#15
Join Date: May 2009
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I'm in exactly the same situation (I was also pretty surprised to find the flight was now going to Dusseldorf!). My flight has been booked via Egencia, for work reasons; they have told me that
"through the CAA, the EC 261 regulation was amended to classify the COVID-19 situation as "extraordinary circumstances," allowing airlines the ability to implement a voucher refund only policy. Sadly, many of the low cost airlines have chosen to go this route. "
which as far as I can see is nonsense.
Anyway, does having booked via Egencia make any difference in terms of doing a chargeback?
"through the CAA, the EC 261 regulation was amended to classify the COVID-19 situation as "extraordinary circumstances," allowing airlines the ability to implement a voucher refund only policy. Sadly, many of the low cost airlines have chosen to go this route. "
which as far as I can see is nonsense.
Anyway, does having booked via Egencia make any difference in terms of doing a chargeback?