Flight time changed 7 July 2020 at 4:28PM in Flights, Currency & Car Hire 2 replies 41 views

Jacquti

Hi, this is my first post.  I have flights booked to go to Canada at the end of September, currently we would have to selft isolate for 2 weeks when we get there so wouldn't go if that was the case, however, the company I booked my flights with, AirTransat, have changed the flight from a Saturday to a Friday lunchtime and neither my husband or I can get this time off, due to shift work and others already on holiday.  The coopany have offered me 24 months credit, from the date of my return if I don't take the amended flight. 

Can I ask for a refund rather than the credit, as they changed the timings?

Looking forward to your replies.

Kind regards

Jacquti

Westin

Yes, you should receive a refund given that schedule change.  In fact this would be covered under EU261/2004 legislation given an ex UK/EU departure.  What you may however find is that the airline is only offering a credit which seems to be the direction all Canadian airlines are taking and one approved by the Canadian authorities.

I would ask them again for a refund and perhaps remind them that this is what legally they should provide under EU261.  If they continue to put up a fight and you paid by credit card then ask that they intervene.  

Alan_Bowen

After pressure from the UK, Westjet, and more reluctantly Air Canada has offered refunds for flights starting in the UK. Air Transat continued to resist, despite being in the process of being bought by Air Canada, but the latest last night was that they were, at last, prepared to refund the outbound flight but not the return.
Talk about having to squeeze the pips to get anything out of them. They sell flights priced on a one-way basis and are trying to argue the law does not apply to the flights leaving Canada but EU261 is clear that if you buy the flights together as a return, you are entitled to a refund for both sectors. It is a case of pushing and pushing, maybe the owners don't care about their reputation anymore since they are selling out and all they want is the profit but the deal has been sent to the competition authorities both in Canada and the EU, so they are making a big mistake. If the deal doesn't complete, no one who has had bookings with them this year will ever book with them again.