It's incredibly frustrating when your plans don't work out. On top of all the stress of rebooking hotels, transfers and everything else, it can feel like salt in the wound when you have to pay a fee just to cancel your flights. In this article, we'll go over the reason you have to pay these fees, ways you might be able to circumvent them and how you can protect your ticket during cancellation.
Airlines work on tight schedules, and when people cancel flights it can mess up their strict systems of flight control. Changing or cancelling your flights can disrupt these harsh schedules, leaving the airlines with empty seats and losing them profit. Airlines implement these cancellation costs to make up for the lost profits of these seats going empty.
They also function as a deterrent to people looking to cancel their flights. Airlines hate when passengers cancel their tickets. So, they make sure to put cancellation fees front and centre when you go to begin the process of cancelling your tickets. Many airlines will also put small warnings somewhere in the booking process to keep it at the forefront of their passenger's minds as they book.
Cancellation fees are a menace and avoiding them could save you some money, and frankly some frustration. So, what are some methods you can use to avoid these pesky charges?
Firstly, and perhaps most simply, you can change your flight, rather than cancelling it. Some airlines may also charge a fee for this, but it will likely be cheaper and easier to organise than going through the cancellation process. Secondly, if you are still within 24 hours of booking you can cancel your flight guaranteed. Most airlines are beholden to standards set by their national authorities. These rules usually include a 24-hour cancellation policy which allows passengers guaranteed cancellation at no cost within 24 hours of making their booking.
It may be worth considering protecting your ticket by buying a fully refundable ticket. These are typically more expensive than your standard ticket but will allow you to cancel your flight without incurring a cancellation fee. That may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes having protection is a good idea, and can save you from surprise or hidden expenses.
Protecting your ticket in the instance of needing to cancel is one of the best ways to avoid these hidden fees. Finding ways to protect your ticket which are both cost-effective, and fit your requirements can be a difficult task however. Consider the following when making your decision:
As I mentioned above, buying a fully refundable ticket would be the best way to ensure a full refund with little or no additional fees from the airline. However, these tickets can cost an arm and a leg more than traditional tickets. If you are looking for something more cost-effective, there are a couple other options.
Alternative Airlines offer Cancellation Protection, which is a policy that guarantees you a refund if you need to cancel your flights due to a personal emergency, such as court summons, injury or the failure of public/private transport.
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If the airline cancels or makes significant changes to your flight schedule (e.g. a significant departure time shift), you may be able to cancel for free, even outside the 24-hour window. The exact definition of "significant" varies by airline, so check their policy details in their Contract of Carriage. When this occurs, they may try to book you on the next available flight by default.
The 24-hour cancellation rule might not apply if you booked through a third-party website. Always check the cancellation policy of both the agency and the airline before booking.
The cost of a cancellation fee varies depending on the airline, the fare class you purchased, and how close to departure you cancel. It can range anywhere from a flat fee (like $50-$100) to a percentage of the ticket price. Some airlines might even charge the full ticket price for cancelling close to departure.
You can find all information surrounding cancellation including the rules and regulations, times when your ticket becomes void of cancellation and any fees resulting from cancellation in your Contract of Carriage, which will have been distributed to you with your ticket.
