How to Get Full Refund on Flight Cancellation?

The booking, cancelling and refund processes for flight tickets have become much more easy and accessible due to online booking platforms. Most airlines offer 100% refund on flight tickets that are cancelled from their end. On the other hand, travellers can also request for full refund if they decide to cancel a ticket due to a change of plans.

Read on to know how to get a full refund on a flight cancellation.

Most service providers allow users to book and cancel their flight tickets online. The steps to apply for a refund on a cancelled ticket from a desktop computer are:

Step 1: Visit the service provider's official website and click on My Account.

Step 2: Among Options, choose the Cancel Ticket option.

Step 3: Enter the PNR details of your flight ticket.

Step 4: Select the names of the passengers whose tickets you wish to cancel.

Step 5: Before confirming the cancellation, click on the “get refund” tab to raise a refund request. The service provider will refund the booking amount after charging a convenience fee.

The steps to apply for a full refund on flight cancellation from a smartphone application or browser are:

Step 1: Download and install the service provider’s smartphone application.

Step 2: Log in to your account by entering your details. The application will reveal all current booking statuses.

Step 3: Under Your Trips section, choose the trip you want to cancel and claim refunds for.

Step 4: Enter your PNR and wait for the provider to accept your cancellation request. Upon successful cancellation, the service provider will refund your amount via your chosen mode of payment.

Please note that different airlines have different refund policies. You can visit the website of a particular airline's website to learn more about their policies.

Eligibility criteria for obtaining a full refund on cancelled flights vary between airlines and are subject to terms and conditions.

Usually, you are eligible to receive refunds if you cancel a ticket at least 24 hours before the departure time. However, you are liable to pay cancellation charges and convenience fees as a percentage of the ticket price.

Additionally, you are eligible for a full refund on flight cancellation if the airline cancels the flight.

A customer can obtain a full refund for a cancelled flight in two situations:

When you cancel a flight: For online flight cancellations, visit the official airline website. Enter your PNR, booking number, registered email ID, and phone number. The carrier will show you the details of your booked flight. Then, cancel your flight with or without cancellation charges. The airlines will refund your money via your preferred payment mode.

When the airline cancels the flight: Due to changes in air traffic, weather or problems in aircraft, airlines can cancel or reschedule your flight. You can either book another flight or get a full refund for the cancelled tickets.

Before booking a flight ticket, you must always check if it is eligible for refunds. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India lays down the customer’s rights to apply and obtain refunds on cancelled flights. In addition, the Airport Authority of India allows customers to report errors, malpractices, and corruption in repayments.

The rights that customers have are:

• Apply for full or partial refunds subject to airlines’ conditions.
• Compare ticket amounts and choose the one that offers maximum benefits.
• Insist on full and partial payments through their chosen payment mode.

Different airlines have different terms and conditions that customers agree to while booking a ticket. Airlines generally have refund options depending on the booking type – Lite, Regular, and Flexi Plus.

The Regular, Lite and Flexi options generally charge a fixed amount or airfare charges (whichever is lower) before sanctioning the refund amount. They may also charge a convenience fee if applicable.

International flights also work on the same cancellation and refund policy, but they charge a higher cancellation amount. However, if you cancel tickets for domestic or international flights within 24 hours of departure, you won’t be eligible for refunds.

An increase in customer woes regarding ticket refunds has led the service providers to take appropriate steps. Recently, some airlines and service providers have issued policies on how to get a full refund on flight cancellations due to medical emergencies. However, the final amount that an airline will refund on cancelled flight tickets solely depends on their terms and conditions.