If an airline cancels a return flight, does it have to refund the outbound flight as well?

brownca

Posting here since this is a general question on the regulations and isn't specifically coronavirus-related.

I can't find the answer to this question anywhere, presumably because it's not often that the return flight is cancelled before the outbound flight even takes off. To be clear, I'm asking about the situation where the flight coming home is cancelled, but the flight going out is not.

The MSE page on flight delays/cancellations says that I am just entitled to "a refund for the flight that was cancelled". The citizens advice website says that "You have the legal right to a full refund - including other flights from the airline that you won’t use in the same booking such as onward or return flights". (I assume "onward" here means e.g. if the first leg of a two-leg journey is cancelled, the second leg is also refundable). Another site called weclaim goes further, saying "You are entitled to a refund of both your outward and return flights if the return flight is cancelled". The legislation seems less clear though - Article 8 of EU Regulation 261/2004 says I am entitled to "the full cost of the ticket at the price at which it was bought, for the part or parts of the journey not made".

Both flights were booked in the same booking, they have the same booking reference number, and on the airline (Norwegian)'s booking reference page, it refers to the flights as a "roundtrip", and as "outbound" and "return" flights.

Are there any definitive sources or precedents which can clarify what the airline is legally obliged to do in this situation?

NoodleDoodleMan

Did you use one leg of the booked flights ?

Arkers

Virgin, have also done this with us.  Was due to travel on Wednesday 25th to NYC and return on 30th March (which they have cancelled), am I right in thinking that if booked under one booking then as we can't use the outward leg then we are entitled to a refund for the whole trip?  It is almost impossible to make contact with Virgin despite falling into the 72 hour window as identified by them.
When I do mange to get a response, I just wanted to know my facts.

Westin

Yes, that should be the case if booked as one round trip but Virgin Atlantic are, at least for now, trying to keep the LHR JFK LHR route open. Some flights cancelled some operating as Virgin Atlantic and some as Delta.  They may just attempt to move you on to another flight.

I would like to think that given the general circumstances and NY in almost lock down, Virgin would accept that your outbound flight, whether operating or not, is not required and a full refund for the round trip given.   

Arkers

Many thanks Westin, dealt with via their text service they have allowed a refund, wait 45 days - which I thought was very fair taking into consideration of all the circumstances.