Non-refundable flight might be cancelled, can i claim refund?

rickthepunk

My first post, but i'm at my wits end...
Last year my Japanese wife booked me and her tickets with Budgetair to fly to Japan, we are suppose to fly out on the 10th of April. I can see on the ticket terms that they are non-refundable.
Last week JAL (the airline) suspended the AM flights we were on but put us on their PM (I imagine there are not too many passengers).
Now Japan is denying entry to foreign nationals and JAL are starting to suspend flights.
I foolishly do not have travel insurance.
If the flight is cancelled would we be entitled to a refund? I'm usually good at googling this but "Cancel" and "non-refundable" in the same search is not helping!
Budgetair are a nightmare to contact, their phones are switched off and they are not replying to their e-mails. I don't know who to talk to 

Aylesbury_Duck

In theory, yes you'd be entitled to a refund, but airlines and agencies are starting to offer vouchers instead. 

Next time, book with the airline directly.  "Budgetair" sound, er...budget, so it's not surprising you can't get hold of them.  Your wife is the contract holder, so make sure she's about to speak to them because technically they could simply refuse to talk to you.

Loanranger21

Have you looked at ABTA website? Sorry, I can't be more help to you than that. 

rickthepunk

I appreciate all the comments, and i will check ABTA. I'm just worried that we won't be able get a refund...
Budgetair say we can rebook, but they charge £55 admin fee per person and £100 changing fee per person!
Lets just say when i've booked our flights in the past i always booked with the airlines direct 

Westin

Loanranger21 said:

Have you looked at ABTA website? Sorry, I can't be more help to you than that. 

BudgetAir is a Dutch business and not a member of ABTA.

If your original AM flight was cancelled and you were offered a move to the PM Flight was there not an option to refuse and cancel for a refund at that point? If a significant schedule time change there is often this option. 

rickthepunk

I was not given the option, i was sent a mail informing me of a flight number change.
I can confirm budgetair are not ABTA members.

Berta73

I have Virgin Atlantic flight Manchester - LA cancelled due to C-19. Virgin have advised as the flights were non refundable ones when originally bought I can't have a refund and if my new flight was cheaper they wouldn't credit the difference to a new flight. Is anyone else in a similar situation?  If so have you managed to resolve it with a full refund? Thanks