Can I reclaim departure tax on cancelled flight? Travel insurance hasn't paid it.

Big_Yellow_Taxi

I had to cancel our family visit to Germany recently (due to illness), but the travel insurance claim payment I received this morning only included the actual flight costs - leaving me still still out of pocket to the tune of:

- £205.60 taxes
- £28 credit card charge
- £15.98 baggage charge

According to the letter I received this morning:
"In respect to departure fees/taxes, I have not included these within settlement of your claim. It is the legal obligation of an airline to refund taxes to you..."

Before I contact Flybe with this piece of info, does anyone have any helpful advice on useful phrases or methods I could use to maximise my chances of getting this money?

If only the letter from Flybe confirming the cancellation hadn't been quite so detailed in breaking it all down!! And there I was feeling pleased they'd replied within a couple of days too. Note that this was all done a few days before the actual flight, so I assume that Flybe didn't have to pay departure taxes for people who didn't travel.

Thanks.

richardw

Some airlines make an administration charge for refunding taxes, perhaps search https://www.flybe.com to see if they do.

Itsgottabedone

You should be able to claim the taxes (with the possible exception of a "YQ" tax which is actually a fuel surcharge) and hopefully the baggage charge. The credit card charge is unlikely to be refunded since that reflects the cost to the airline of processing a credit card payment.

Suggest you say something similar to you post - "My Insurance company advises me to claim taxes in respect of my cancelled flight from you. I would be grateful if you could arrange this refund as soon as possible, along with Baggage Charge." As richardw says above, they're likely to make an admin charge to do this, but you should get something back.

[Deleted User]

Maybe you should take your case to the Small Claims Court?

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/claims/index.htm

Good luck.

Big_Yellow_Taxi

Thanks to those who have replied.

This is what I've found on the Flybe website:
"Refunds
We do not sell refundable fares. Any tax redemption on unused tickets will incur adocument.write(ticket_refund_fee) GBP25.00 (EUR40.00, CHF55.00) administration fee per person per sector. "

Thus £200 charge for 4 cancelled returned flights.

Outrageous, I say. £25 total would be more like it. :mad:

Grrr. Think I'll give it a go anyway, especially as they broke the costs down in the letter they sent me - if they hadn't, I might have got the lot back. I bet someone wrote it with a nasty grin on their face...

BE WARNED!!!!

Voyager2002

I would write back to the insurance company asking them to pay ALL non-refundable expenditure to the airline. The threat of a complaint to the ombudsman often helps.

I am afraid that Flybe are likely to be within the law on this.

Big_Yellow_Taxi

I wish we had civilised airlines that flew from Birmingham & East Mids...

I went off Ryanair & Easyjet for a variety of reasons, it looks like Flybe are going to join my list.

WolfSong2000

Flybe are appalling...I absolutely loathe them, but they're the only airline that flies from Aberdeen to Gatwick (I'm at Uni in Aberdeen) as BA stopped their flights last year...Anyhow, good luck getting the money back...as a "cheap" airline, I suspect they'll do whatever they can to avoid giving you a refund.

nhampson

Just been stiffed the same way by Monarch. Last time I don't use a major airline.

"Cheap" for a reason. Pays your money and takes your chances!

apt

British Airways also charges something like £25 for refunding APD.