Refund of non-refundable Aeroflot tickets - personal experience

• Which flights has Aeroflot canceled due to coronavirus?
• Is it possible to reschedule the flight date?
• Is it possible to return a non-refundable ticket due to coronavirus?
• Forced refusal and what does it mean?
• FAP-82
• Tariff formation rules
• Which tickets are subject to involuntary cancellation?
• Conditions for refunding Aeroflot tickets due to coronavirus
• When flying abroad
• When flying within Russia
• How to return a plane ticket and get your money back?
• Method 1. Contact the ticket seller
• Method 2. Call the Aeroflot hotline
• Method 3. Through the official Aeroflot website
• Step 1. Login and authorization
• Step 2. Reservation details
• Step 3. Select a ticket
• Step 4: Cancellation
• Step 5. Refund
• What to do if Aeroflot does not return the money?

Do you urgently need legal help? Call the number for free 8(800)350-23-68

The epidemiological situation with coronavirus is bringing big problems to people. There is a risk of infection and loss of income. Against this background, new “opportunities” appear to lose money, incl. due to flight cancellations. A striking example is non-refundable Aeroflot air tickets.

The borders are closed, flights are prohibited, but the tickets are “non-refundable” - which means new losses? No. You can get your money back, and this article will tell you how to do it.

UPD 07.07.20. The information specified in this article applies only to flights canceled outside the periods 02/01/20 - 05/01/20 for the People's Republic of China and 03/18/20 - 05/01/20 for all others. These periods from July 7 are regulated by new rules determined by the relevant government decree, according to which funds will not be returned for three years. However, they can be used to purchase other services. Details here. You must understand that all answers to questions given by our experts in comments made before July 7, 2020 may not correspond to the innovations and may not be relevant.

Aeroflot ticket return: rules and payment of fines

Aviation occupies a leading position in passenger air transportation in our country.
And this is not only due to the high level of service, but also to the variety of destinations and reasonable fares for air tickets. As a rule, people tend to buy tickets in advance because their cost 2-3 months before the trip is much lower. But no one is immune from unforeseen circumstances, and the trip may be postponed to another date/time or canceled altogether.

The rules for returning an air ticket are quite transparent, which is what determined its popularity and trust among tourists.

Aeroflot's new rules for ticket return/exchange due to coronavirus

• For all tickets purchased before May 1st, you can change the date and direction twice. In this case, no fine will be imposed.
• To re-register, it is not necessary to come to the office, just contact the company’s contact center.
• There is no need to pay the difference in price if the ticket is on a flight before December 31st. 2020 is changing for the first time. Also, the validity period is increased to April 30. 2012
• If your flight is cancelled, you can get a 15% discount on your next ticket (25% if the ticket was purchased at the Maximum fare).
• If the new ticket turns out to be cheaper than the total amount of compensation, Aeroflot offers a certificate that you can use for 3 years. Certificates are issued if you purchased tickets: after February 18 – to or from China
• after March 5 – to other countries;
• after March 18 – within the country.

Aeroflot ticket refund rules

According to air transportation regulations, a passenger has the right to return an electronic ticket in case of flight cancellation. Officially, airlines have suspended and limited flights to a number of countries. It is too early to talk about the announced resumption of flights from 1.06 to 1.07 for 2 reasons:

1. Russia ranks 2nd in the world in terms of the number of people infected with COVID-19.
2. This directly means a ban on flights from/to the Russian Federation by many countries.

Full restoration of air traffic is expected only by 2023.
Since April 29, 2020, the position of Aeroflot management has been unchanged - issue vouchers instead of money that are valid for 3 years or rebook for a future date!

These are the main conditions for the return of Aeroflot air tickets. And from May 20, a passenger can change the date and direction twice without penalty. You can rebook at the contact center or through the agency until the end of 2020, where the ticket was purchased.

No word on how to get the money back. But there is a way out!

Airlines now have the right to keep the money for 3 years in case of flight cancellation

A law was passed allowing airlines to keep the money if a flight is cancelled.

Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 991 of 07/06/2020.

Airlines now have the right, in the event of a flight cancellation, to keep the money for 3 years for all tickets purchased before May 1, 2020, with departures from February 1 to China and from March 18 to all other destinations.

In the future, it will be turned on in the event of an emergency, emergency situation and high alert mode or when air traffic is limited.

The deposit can be used to purchase another ticket with this airline. If it is not enough for a new ticket, you will have to pay extra. If after 3 years there is a balance left on the deposit, or it is not used at all, then the money will be returned + interest will be charged for the use of funds at the key rate of the Central Bank on the day of return.

Exceptions not covered by the regulation:

• Disabled people of groups 1 and 2
• WWII veteran
• Accompanying a disabled person of group 1 or a disabled child of group 2
• Large families
• Passengers on the exclusion list can receive a refund for their ticket within 10 days of submitting their application.

Conditions for returning and exchanging tickets for Russian airlines

If you want to exchange or return a ticket, change the date or direction of the flight, you need to contact the seller - the air carrier, tour operator, agency. Conditions for returning and exchanging tickets depend on the rules established by the airline.

Conditions of the main Russian airlines:

1. Aeroflot. Passengers can apply for an involuntary refund, this will help them receive the full cost of the ticket. To do this, you need to contact the seller. Passengers can also change their departure date once, maintaining their original destination and class of service, at no additional cost. You can change the route and date of departure for any Aeroflot flight without additional fees and additional payment of the difference. An application for a refund, departure date and route change must be submitted by December 31, 2020.
2. Victory. Passengers can request a refund for their ticket. Citizens of the Russian Federation who are trying to enter the country are offered an alternative export flight. If the proposed option is not suitable, the airline issues a refund.
3. Russia. The air carrier will fully reimburse the cost of the ticket in case of flight cancellation.
4. In case of flight cancellation or rescheduling, the airline provides passengers with vouchers in an amount equal to the cost of the ticket. They can be used for 3 years to pay for tickets and additional services. If the flight is canceled due to the fault of the company, passengers receive an additional 10% of the ticket price.
5. UTair. Passengers can exchange their air ticket for a ticket on the same route when air service opens (until the end of 2020). You can also get a full refund of the ticket price. You can submit a return request from the seller.
6. Ural Airlines. The air carrier refunds the full cost of the ticket, without fees or fines. An involuntary return must be processed from the seller - the airline, booking site or agency.
7. Royal Flight. The airline refunds the full cost of the ticket if the flight is canceled due to the fault of the carrier. Funds are credited within 1 month. If a passenger voluntarily refuses the service, the money is not refunded.
8. RusLine. Passengers can receive the full cost of their air ticket if their flight is cancelled. In case of voluntary refusal, the company will compensate the cost of the ticket without service fees and payment system commissions. Refunds will be charged separately.
9. Azimuth. The airline issues special certificates to passengers of canceled flights with a denomination equal to the cost of the ticket. Each client receives an additional 10% of the air ticket price.
10. In case of flight cancellation between 03/18/2020 and 04/30/2020, the airline will compensate the cost of the ticket with a voucher, regardless of the fare. During other periods, refunds are made depending on the reason for canceling the flight and the ticket fare.
11. The airline provided all passengers with vouchers, which were used to credit the funds spent on the purchase of a ticket. From August 31, all passengers who were provided with vouchers can return the money early (this applies not only to citizens of preferential categories). Refunds are made depending on the tariff conditions.
12. AZUR air. Passengers can return the money according to the terms of the fare. If the ticket is non-refundable, the cost will not be refunded. Fare information is available on every airline ticket.
13. Red Wings. Passengers can exchange their ticket for an electronic voucher for the purchase of an air ticket and the purchase of additional services. For tickets purchased from 05/01/2020, a standard refund procedure is possible. The amount depends on the chosen tariff.

Types of air ticket refunds

There are two types of air ticket refunds: forced and voluntary.

The return is considered forced in the following situations:

• Flight cancellation or delay;
• Changing the route by the airline;
• Failed transportation due to the fault of the airline (lack of free seats on the flight specified in the ticket);
• Failure to provide connections between flights during a single carriage;
• Refusal by the carrier to provide service in accordance with the ticket fare;
• Illness or death of the passenger or his family members.

A refund is called voluntary in cases where the passenger, for one reason or another, has decided to return the ticket or make changes to the current reservation.

It is in case of voluntary return that penalties are applied.

The penalty system is different for all air carriers, however, they all have two similarities:

1. Fines do not apply to air tickets purchased at full fare , that is, valid for a year;
2. The cheaper the air ticket , the more stringent the conditions for its return/exchange.

Refund restrictions also apply to tickets purchased shortly before the flight, as well as on certain routes.

At the end of June 2014, changes were made to the Air Code, according to which airlines may now not refund money for tickets purchased at the so-called non-refundable fare.

In this regard, this category of air tickets also appeared at Aeroflot.

The features of non-refundable tickets are as follows:

1. Tickets cannot be returned or exchanged;
2. No refunds are provided;
3. They are characterized by relatively low cost.

This system is new for Russian carriers, although it has long been in operation in developed Western countries, where non-refundable tickets can be purchased for any class of service.

Find out in this article when is the best time to buy plane tickets.

Submitting a return application

The return application is submitted in free form, however, the document must contain:

• information about the airline : Aeroflot PJSC, 119002 Moscow, st. Arbat, 10;
• information about the applicant : full name, address, telephone;
• details of the document for which the ticket was issued;
• ticket number and route;
• request to the airline : to terminate the air carriage contract due to forced refusal with reference to a document confirming illness;
• bank details for transferring funds;
• date and signature.

A sample application for a refund for an Aeroflot ticket due to health conditions can be found here.

Basic rules for refund/exchange of air tickets to

In order to avoid problems when issuing and returning an air ticket, first of all, you need to familiarize yourself with the airline’s rules.

Air fares are divided into 8 categories:

• Premium business (booking classes J, C, D);
• Optimum business (I, Z);
• Premium Comfort (W, S, A);
• Premium Economy (Y, B);
• Optimum-economy (M, U, K, H, L);
• Budget-economy (Q,T,E,N);
• Promo-economy (R);
• Youth tariffs (N, E, T, Q, L).

Full fares include tickets purchased under premium fare categories.

They are valid for a year, so the passenger can change the departure date without penalty.

Penalties for returns or exchanges apply to tickets purchased at optimal fares.

Tickets in the budget-economy, promotional-economy booking classes, as well as those purchased at the youth fare (applies to passengers aged 12 to 24 years) are non-refundable.

In case of refusal of this carriage, only taxes and box office fees are refunded.

If a passenger has purchased a ticket for a single carriage over several flight segments, but with different booking classes in each segment, then he should know that:

• When returning or exchanging, penalties are applied in accordance with the rules of the fare group with the most stringent restrictions;
• If the ticket is partially used , the difference between the paid and actual transportation will not be refunded.

Air tickets for the same flight are sold at several fares at once, but you should not try to remember them, since all the necessary information can always be found freely available on the official website or contact the support service or sales office.

When purchasing tickets for the Optimum-Economy and Optimal-Business fares, you need to know the penalties for returning them:

1. A fine of 200 euros is applied for international long-haul air travel when returning a ticket at the Optimum Business fare both before and after the check-in time. If the flight is made on a medium-haul or short-haul route, no fine will be charged.
2. When booking an air ticket at the Optimum Economy fare Refund of the carriage fee is permitted only if the ticket is returned before the end of check-in for the flight:
   If travel time on an international route is less than 6 hours – 50 euros .
3. More than 6 hours on an international route – 100 euros.
4. For domestic air transportation between points in the European part of Russia - 1,500 rubles .
5. For domestic air transportation on other routes – 2500 rubles .

Rules and procedure for returning air tickets for health reasons

When planning a refund of air tickets, you should consider the following factors:

• agency fees are often non-refundable;
• The airline should be notified of the refusal in advance (before check-in). This can be done by phone: 8-800-444-55-55, or on the company portal;
• Aeroflot, in accordance with the agreement, refunds only government taxes and airport taxes , while the fuel surcharge and booking fee remain with the company.

Comparison of the cost of fines with other airlines

The amount of fines applied when returning air tickets from the largest air carriers in Russia:

1. S7 only charges a fee for returning an economy class ticket due to voluntary cancellation in the amount of 1000 rubles (20 euros) for each flight segment before the end of check-in. Tariffs "Business" and "Standard" are fully refundable, "Promo" - non-refundable.
2. UTair allows the return of air tickets without penalties 24 hours before departure.

In this article you can learn more about how to return an air ticket?

Non-refundable air tickets: what you need to know

Non-refundable air tickets are tickets that you can buy at the lowest price, but which are not refundable if you cancel the flight.

How to find out if the tariff is refundable or non-refundable

Before buying air tickets, check the conditions for this:

1. Find the flight you need using Skyscanner.
2. Having selected air tickets, go to the website of the airline or agency.
3. Read the “Rate Conditions” or “Booking Rules”.

In the event that air tickets are non-refundable, the fare rules will indicate in Russian or English:

• NO REFUND OF CARRIAGE FEE IS PROHIBITED.
• RETURNS ARE ALLOWED WITH DETAILS OF A FEE.
• WHEN CANCELLATION THE TICKET PRICE IS NON-REFUNDABLE.
• CHANGES NOT PERMITTED - any changes are prohibited.
• TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE / NO-SHOW - the ticket is not refundable.
• REFUNDABLE CHARGE 50 EURO - penalty for returning 50 euros.
• CHANGES AT ANY TIME CHARGE EUR 25 - any changes are made for a fee of 25 euros.
• YR/YQ TAX IS NON REFUNDABLE ONLY IN CASE OF A NON-REFUNDABLE FARE - YR/YQ fees and taxes are not refundable only if the fare is non-refundable.

The price of an air ticket consists of the tariff - the cost of the flight, as well as airport, service, insurance, fuel surcharges and taxes.

The cost of the fare when canceling non-refundable air tickets is not refundable.

Fees and taxes (YQ/YR Surcharges) are also non-refundable if specified in the tariff conditions.

Conditions of non-refundable fares for Russian airlines:

Aeroflot and PROMO. Making changes before departure is allowed with an additional charge, 1 piece of luggage up to 23 kg and up to 158 cm in the sum of three dimensions in the luggage compartment + 1 piece up to 10 kg in the cabin, snacks and drinks or hot meals are included.

S7 Airlines : Economy Basic. Changes before departure are allowed with an additional charge, only 1 piece weighing up to 10 kg and measuring 55x40x20 cm in the cabin, snacks and drinks or hot meals included.

" Utair ": "Minimum." Making changes before departure is allowed with an additional charge, only 1 piece weighing up to 5 kg and measuring 40x30x20 cm in the cabin, meals on flights shorter than 4 hours are available for a fee only.

" Ural Airlines ": Promo. Making changes before departure is allowed with an additional charge, 1 piece of baggage up to 10 kg + 1 piece of hand luggage up to 5 kg, soft drinks and standard in-flight meals included.

" Victory ": "Standard". Changes before departure are prohibited, only hand luggage up to 36x30x27 cm with no weight restrictions, no meals or hot drinks.

NordWind : Promo. Changes before departure are permitted with an additional charge, only hand luggage up to 55x40x20 cm in size and weighing 5 kg, drinks and snacks or hot meals included.

" NordStar ": Promo. Making changes before departure is prohibited, 1 piece of baggage up to 20 kg (up to 15 kg on flights to/from Sanya) in the luggage compartment + 1 piece of hand luggage up to 5 kg, standard in-flight meals included.

You can get a refund for non-refundable air tickets:

Partially , you yourself canceled the flight; in accordance with the Air Code of the Russian Federation, only the airport tax is refunded.

In full - in the event of force majeure circumstances:

a) in case of flight cancellation;

b) denied boarding;

c) in case of flight delay;

d) in case of illness of you or your relative who is flying with you;

e) in the event of the death of a close relative;

To do this, you must inform the airline or agency about the forced return of the ticket before the end of check-in for the flight, providing supporting documents.

Important: People abroad use travel insurance more actively. Therefore, the costs of a passenger who does not fly on his flight for medical reasons are often covered by the insurance company. Foreign carriers have the right not to consider the illness or death of a relative as grounds for forced return.

The refund period depends on the airline carrier and ranges from 7 to 60 days.

How to return an electronic ticket (step by step)

The airline abandoned paper tickets and switched to an electronic ticket system back in 2007.

Now they can be returned not only at sales offices, but also on the company’s official website.

1. Go to the “Buy a ticket” section on the Aeroflot website
2. Select “Reservation search/Exchange/Return”
3. Enter the ticket booking code and your last name
4. Next, you will see information about the flight.
5. Select “Return” (if there is no return button at the bottom right, click at the top left “Purchase of an air ticket in rubles”, and then repeat all the steps starting with searching for a reservation so that the button appears).
6. After X days, the money is returned to the card used to make the purchase.

Want to know hidden ways to save on airfare? Download the checklist for free: “16 Ways to Make Air Tickets Cheaper?”

The best prices for flights from Moscow at Aviasales

Advantages of buying an air ticket online:

• Lack of box office receipts;
• Significant time savings during acquisition;
• Electronic tickets cannot be lost or damaged.

After the ticket is paid for, an itinerary receipt is sent to your e-mail, which contains information about the reservation, flight number, date and time of departure, fare, and free baggage allowance.

This data is duplicated in the internal reservation system.

The itinerary receipt can be printed, but this is not necessary, since only the passenger’s passport is required during check-in.

Printing out an electronic ticket

A printout may be needed if you have a connecting flight or if you have forgotten your flight number or departure date, so it is still advisable to have it with you.

In this article, find out how to spend Aeroflot miles.

You should also keep the following in mind:

• An electronic ticket is similar to a paper ticket ; refunds are subject to the same conditions. It is worth noting that it is possible to return an electronic ticket not only through the sales office; this function was not available on the website for some time. If the payment was made by bank card, the funds will be credited to it after being returned within the specified time.
• When purchasing an e-ticket, be sure to read all return and exchange conditions. All information you are interested in can be clarified by calling the hotline or on the company’s website.
• If you purchased your ticket through a sales office , you can only return it there.

• If you purchase a promotional ticket, you will not be able to return or exchange it.
• The cost of a one-way ticket and fare may vary depending on seasonality.

Find out here how to register online for Aeroflot.

Basic questions when returning/exchanging tickets

Travelers, especially those for whom air travel is the first in their lives, are always very sensitive to the purchase and return/exchange of air tickets.

One of the frequently asked questions is the return procedure through the official website.

Such a refund is possible for any electronic tickets of the company, the booking of which has not been subject to any changes since the date of purchase and has not been previously used.

To do this, you need to follow the “Ticket return/exchange” link and enter the passenger’s last name and individual six-letter booking code in the appropriate field.

Once you proceed to the refund, the page will provide complete information about the refund amount and the amount of funds withheld.

The money for the ticket will be returned within 10 days from the date of registration of the return.

Ticket exchange is possible for an earlier or later date

To do this, you need to contact either the hotline or directly to the sales office, where you will be charged an additional fee for changing the conditions of air transportation.

Undoubtedly, everyone is interested in the issue of paying for the ticket. It is carried out in the office in cash or by credit card, and is also available through the website.

To do this, go to the booking payment page and select the option that is most convenient for you:

• Bank card;
• QIWI terminals;
• Yandex money;
• Communication salons "Euroset" / "Svyaznoy";
• WebMoney;
• CyberPlat;
• UnionPayOnlinePayment;
• Payment from a mobile phone account.

Quite a large number of passengers are familiar first-hand with the return of air tickets for one reason or another.

Regarding aviation, this issue is not intractable.

In order not to find yourself in an awkward situation, it is enough to carefully read all the information that is required to be provided when purchasing a ticket, including the need to clarify the terms of return.

Aeroflot is, first and foremost, a customer-oriented company that pays close attention to every passenger.

How to return a plane ticket and get your money back?

Conventionally, the ability to return tickets can be divided into three main ways. Moreover, technically these are the same methods that are used in the usual mode, with the possible exception of the refunded amount. Let's briefly look at how to return money for an Aeroflot ticket purchased through an intermediary or by calling the airline, and we will describe in more detail step-by-step instructions for receiving funds on the Aeroflot website.

Whatever method is chosen, it is important to prepare information about the reservation (reservation number, application, vouchers, etc.) and passport details. If several air tickets have been booked, but not all need to be cancelled, the request is first “unlinked” so that each ticket can be canceled separately.

Method 1. Contact the ticket seller

It is no secret that the sale of air tickets is carried out not only by the carriers themselves, but also by individual operators. These may be specialized services, other intermediary organizations or tour operators purchasing tickets for a full trip.

It is important to understand two points:

1. The very possibility of returning tickets is determined by Aeroflot and, if the carrier has declared such a possibility, the intermediary cannot refuse.
2. If the intermediary took additional payments from the passenger for the ticket, the funds must be returned in full, including such payments.

They have one thing in common - all requests for ticket refunds due to coronavirus can be addressed directly to intermediaries. But the methods of cancellation itself may be different - through the website, by phone, etc.

Method 2. Call the Aeroflot hotline

This is an extremely simple way to describe it. All you need to do is call the special numbers:

• For Moscow: 8-495-223-5555.
• Federal: 8-800-444-5555.

Next, you need to describe the situation, express your desire to return the money, provide the reservation number and fulfill the requirements voiced by the operator. Does it look simple and convenient? Don’t rush to conclusions, call Aeroflot first.

Method 3. Through the official Aeroflot website

We will consider this method to be the main one in the case under consideration - we will consider the step-by-step actions for its implementation in more detail.

Step 1. Login and authorization

Start by going to the Aeroflot website. Please note that neither registration nor authorization on the portal is required. Next, go to the “Manage Booking” tab.

Step 2. Reservation details

In the window that opens, enter the reservation parameters: number and last name for which it was made. The surname is indicated in Latin, but initials do not need to be entered. Click the Find button.

Step 3. Select a ticket

If the information in the previous step was entered correctly, a page with the selected ticket will open. If there are several tickets, carefully check the information provided. Click the “Return” button and... check everything again in the window that opens.

Step 4: Cancellation

If the data is correct, click the "Continue" button. After this, the reservation status will change to “Canceled”, but the procedure is not yet completed . Click “Continue” again, wait, the system may “think” for a few minutes.

The issue is considered resolved when the selected reservation receives the “Returned” status.

Step 5. Refund

According to Aeroflot, they return funds within 10 days . However, banks that make transfers also have their own deadlines. This may increase the waiting time by another 3 to 5 days.