Had success claiming back Airport Passenger Duty after a missed flight?

MSE_Laura_F

Air Passenger Duty (APD) is a tax included in the cost of your flight ticket, but it isn't collected from the airlines by the government until you actually fly. So, if you miss a flight, it's worth seeing if the airline will refund you the tax.

Have you managed to get some money back this way? ✈️

See MSE Clare's Air passenger duty refund guide for more.

jimi_man

Yes I have - BA paid it out for two of us when we were unable to travel. 

eskbanker

MSE_Laura_F said:

Air Passenger Duty (APD) is a tax included in the cost of your flight ticket, but it isn't collected from the airlines by the government until you actually fly. So, if you miss a flight, it's worth seeing if the airline will refund you the tax.

Have you managed to get some money back this way? ✈️

Not sure about "worth seeing if" they'll refund - they're legally obliged to do so, as it's not their money! Edit: not true, see below.

Having said that, airline policies do differ regarding whether they'll charge for processing such refunds - unsurprisingly Ryanair are one of the least sympathetic, levying a £20 admin charge per person which outweighs the value of the refund itself, given they only operate short-haul flights with a £13 APD....

jimi_man

I should add then that BA paid out without any admin charge whatsoever. Tbh I never considered that there would be an admin charge! 

Hoenir

jimi_man said:

 Tbh I never considered that there would be an admin charge! 

Often gets overlooked how expensive someone's "time" is. 

jimi_man

Hoenir said:

jimi_man said:

 Tbh I never considered that there would be an admin charge! 

Often gets overlooked how expensive someone's "time" is. 

Indeed! I don’t generally use LoCo airlines snd definitely not Ryanair which is probably why I haven’t come across it. 

MSE_Laura_F

The CAA and HMRC told us it's not a legal requirement for APD to be refunded and comes down to airline policy. But happily it now seems to be written into the policy of all major airlines.

eskbanker

MSE_Laura_F said:

The CAA and HMRC told us it's not a legal requirement for APD to be refunded and comes down to airline policy.

Fair enough, I stand corrected, I was under the impression that they were obliged to refund this but do now see that this has been contradicted both in Parliament and by the CAA:

an answer given in November 2017:

Asked by Ian Murray : To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the level of awareness among air passengers of the entitlement of a refund of air passenger taxes to the consumer when a passenger does not travel; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by: Andrew Jones : Airlines are liable for air passenger duty with respect to all passengers they carry, when departing from a UK airport. If a passenger does not fly, no tax is due. If the airline has specified the cost of the tax within its pricing, any refunds will be covered by the terms and conditions attached to the sale. Questions about refunds for air passenger duty are a commercial matter between the customer and the airline.
We expect all airlines operating in the UK to comply with consumer protection legislation and make their terms and conditions, including their refund policy, clear at point of booking so that passengers are aware of their entitlements.

The Civil Aviation Authority notes, in its current guidance for passengers on charges and prices, that, “there is no legal authority obliging airlines to refund taxes, fees and charges when passengers cancel their tickets. Many airlines do offer a refund, although some charge an administration fee for processing the refund and this can sometimes exceed the amount being claimed.”

https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN00413/SN00413.pdf
https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers-and-public/before-you-fly/making-a-booking/comparing-prices-and-charges/

MSE_Laura_F said:

But happily it now seems to be written into the policy of all major airlines.

Maybe worth writing a piece about that, in a similar style to https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2015/04/air-tax-scrapped-from-1-may-for-under-12s-how-to-reclaim-airline-by-airline/ ?

MSE_Laura_F

Thanks @eskbanker, that's a great shout. In fact, my colleague's just written a blog about reclaiming APD which should be published soon. But I'll speak to the News team this morning on your point about admin charges exceeding the value of the refund.

MSE_Laura_F

MSE Clare's published a new blog on reclaiming APD:

Missed or cancelled a flight? Don't miss out on the tax refund

eskbanker

Seems a missed opportunity - as above, I was suggesting a guide that included details of individual airline policies and fees, which ought not to be onerous to compile for the main players (e.g. BA repays with no admin fee, Ryanair charges £20, etc), but it's distinctly lacking in useful detail:

How do I claim back Air Passenger Duty tax?

This varies from airline to airline, but generally, you'll need to fill out an online form or email or phone the airline to request a refund. If you booked through a third party travel agent, you'll need to contact them, not the airline.

Most airlines publish details of how to claim back APD tax on their website. If you can't find it, call the airline to get the details.

My airline won't refund me. What can I do?

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, airlines aren't legally obliged to refund taxes, fees and charges if you cancel your ticket. However, many airlines do.