Coronavirus: Major airlines breaking law by not offering refund

Consumer affairs group blames unprecedented levels of cancellations

Swiss International Air Lines aircraft are parked on the tarmac at the airport in Zurich, Switzerland. EPA

Brussels Airlines planes stand on the tarmac at Brussels Airport, after the suspension of more than 2/3 of the flights of Brussels Airlines, in Zaventem. AFP

Commercial aircrafts remain at the tarmac of closed Jorge Newbery airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina. AFP

Scoot and Singapore Airlines planes sit on the tarmac, as airlines reduce flights following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Singapore's Changi Airport. Reuters

A Singapore Airlines flight goes past some Jetstar planes parked at the tarmac of Changi Airport in Singapore. Getty Images

Emirates' aircrafts are pictured grounded at Dubai international Airport in Dubai after Emirates suspended all passenger operations. AFP

Cathay Pacific aircraft are seen parked on the tarmac at the airport, following the outbreak of the new coronavirus, in Hong Kong. Reuters

Korean Air's passenger planes are parked on the tarmac at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea. Reuters

AirAsia aircraft are parked on the tarmac at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 in Sepang, Malaysia. EPA

Planes of the German carrier Lufthansa are parked on a closed runway at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany. Reuters

Aircrafts of China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Hong Kong Airlines are seen on the tarmac at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China. Reuters

Major UK airlines and package holiday providers were accused of breaking the law on Wednesday by failing to refund customers on time amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Consumer affairs group Which? said the 20 leading firms must refund customers as they legally should and it urged insurance terms and conditions to be clearer.
Some large firms such as British Airways, TUI, Virgin holidays and Ryanair are issuing credit notes even when cash refunds have been asked for.
"Some holiday companies claim to still be offering refunds but say there are delays in returning customer cash. Lastminute and Expedia both claim to still allow cash refunds, but customers are reporting that they haven't been refunded weeks after making a claim," Which? said.
Many have blame "unprecedented" levels of demand for refunds for the delays although smaller operators are generally paying out refunds on time.
"We do not want to see the industry suffer further as a result of this outbreak, but it cannot be on consumers to prop up airlines and travel firms, especially when so many maybe in difficult financial situations of their own," said Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel.

Qantas and Virgin Atlantic are among the airlines issuing credit notes automatically for flights they've cancelled while British Airways customers have complained the number they have been given to contact automatically hangs up when the refund button is pressed.
If a package holiday provider cancels a holiday and is asked for a refund, it must process it within 14 days. For flights, long as the airline is based in the UK or EU, or you are flying from an airport in the UK or EU, you must be offered the choice between being rerouted or refunded if the airline cancels your flight Which? said.
"Airlines are facing unprecedented challenges keeping vital routes open to repatriate stranded British travellers and transport critical medical supplies and PPE as part of cargo operations," Airlines UK, the association of UK airlines, told The Guardian.
"Carriers are facing a far longer than usual volume of refund claims to get through and the current restrictions imposed nationally mean they are not able to bring in additional staff to deal with them. We are thankful to passengers for their continued patience."