Emirates have cancelled flight, booked through intermediary, flight voucher only being offered

nathanscott90

Emirates cancelled our flights due to COVID-19 and we are only being offered flight vouchers through the intermediary (Net Flights).
I do not feel this is acceptable; they should provide us with a full refund as they are the ones cancelling. 
We paid on a credit card and have travel insurance, but would rather they provided us with the refund as a matter of principle. 
What are everyone's thoughts?

bagand96

Emirates are only offering voucher refunds to the customers who booked directly with them, so what you've been offered is the same.  

They should be refunding you, but they seem to have chosen not to and just issue vouchers.  You're in a difficult spot because your credit card won't help you, you paid Netflights, and they have fulfilled their contract to you (which was to act as your agent and book your flights).  Travel insurance, it would appear most insurers are not paying out if vouchers have been offered.

43722

If that is the case, travellers are being stitched up. Why am i not surprised?

nathanscott90

We won't be able to make use of the travel voucher as it has been an effort both being able to get the paid leave (3 weeks) agreed to by our employers, at the same time. Feeling royally shafted 

nathanscott90

Just to update you all:
Net Flights state on their website that should we not be able to travel within the 12 month period of which the travel voucher is valid, they will extend it for another 12 months, or offer a full refund.

Westin

There might be a glimmer of hope.

Emirates have recently changed their travel waiver policy and from this the credit on your ticket is now valid for longer (up to 24m) and they have also now conceded and are offering refunds if passengers prefer this.    This has changed in the past day so I expect may not have filtered to Netflights when you last spoke with them.  

You may wish to read through the current offered options but you will need to go via Netflights rather than approach Emirates directly.
https://www.emirates.com/uk/english/help/refund-request/

fifeken

Westin said:

There might be a glimmer of hope.

Emirates have recently changed their travel waiver policy and from this the credit on your ticket is now valid for longer (up to 24m) and they have also now conceded and are offering refunds if passengers prefer this.    This has changed in the past day so I expect may not have filtered to Netflights when you last spoke with them.  

You may wish to read through the current offered options but you will need to go via Netflights rather than approach Emirates directly.
https://www.emirates.com/uk/english/help/refund-request/

I think the refund option still comes with the problem that the original fare conditions are in effect,  so cancellation charges may be deducted from any refund.

fifeken

bagand96 said:

You're in a difficult spot because your credit card won't help you, you paid Netflights, and they have fulfilled their contract to you (which was to act as your agent and book your flights).

That has been my thinking until recently, but MSE advice seems to be that a chargeback will be OK, even though a Section 75 claim won't.