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The flight is booked and the ticket paid for in seconds. If you want your money back, you need a lot more.
Christine A. took months to get her money back from the canceled flight to Egypt. Until then, he had spent hours at the computer and on the phone with customer service. He had booked his flights with the Ebookers online booking platform, and he would have flown with Edelweiss airline.
Christine A .: “It’s hard to find someone in the Ebookers customer service department.”
SRF
Shortly after her flight was canceled in April, Christine A. contacted Ebookers. She demands reimbursement of the ticket costs. Ebookers will recommend Edelweiss. The airline, in turn, sends Christine A. back to Ebookers on the grounds that Edelweiss transferred the money to Ebookers in May. The booking platform must reimburse Christine A.
Back at Ebookers, Christine A. takes a bite out of granite. Despite repeated requests, the platform moves sideways and blames the airline. A stalling tactic not only used by Ebookers, but also by other booking platforms.
Same game in Opodo
The SWISS flight of “Kassensturz” spectator Karin S. was also canceled due to the crown. I had booked through Opodo, an online booking platform from the eDreams Group. For the reimbursement of ticket costs, it is also exchanged between the airline and the booking platform. Until the end, she was not sure of getting the money back.
If the airline cancels the flight, consumers are entitled to a refund of the full price of the flight. It doesn’t matter where it was booked.
The passenger attorney explains
Simon Sommer, a passenger law attorney, is familiar with these cases. He explains: “If the airline cancels the flight, consumers are entitled to a refund of the full price of the flight. Regardless of whether the flight was booked through a booking platform or directly with the airline. ”However, certain booking platforms maintain a processing fee.
It is important that you submit a refund request to the booking platform.
It is important that you submit a written request for a refund to the booking platform, Sommer emphasizes. Only then can the intermediary initiate the refund process. Specifically, this means that the airline will reimburse the booking platform for the costs of the canceled flight. And this, in turn, pays the money to the consumer.
Unfortunately, this process is currently not running properly. Both the booking platform and the airlines hesitate to make such refunds. That’s why Sommer advises: “Be persistent and be patient.” The reservation platform is the main responsible, even if something different is indicated in the terms and conditions.
If radio silence prevails on booking platforms, the consumer has no choice but to request outside help. That means you would have to take legal action against the booking platform. Legal protection insurance or a paid legal services company can offer support. However, this is a costly and time-consuming process as most booking platforms are based abroad.
Sommer recommends future travelers to book flights directly with the airline. And if you use a third-party platform, you need to know their reputation in advance. The corresponding information can be found on the Internet.
