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But don't lose hope just yet - you might be able to get some money back after all. Here're our guide on when you can get refunds, and how you can do it.
The ACCC has put together a guide to help navigate consumer rights and expenses related to COVID-19.
If you find yourself in this position, make sure to keep all your receipts, have proof that your expenses were non-refundable, and make a claim directly with your travel insurer.
This can depend on the rules of your airfare but, generally, if your flight is non-refundable then no. An airline may consider waiving cancellation fees for extenuating circumstances like a death in the family, but not for change-of-mind.
If your non-refundable flight is cancelled by the airline, they may offer you an alternative option, a credit value or a refund - if you're lucky.
There are a few ways to figure out the rules of your airfare;
Cheap flights can be tempting but it's important you understand exactly what you're getting for your money. Low-cost carriers and budget airlines provide the bare minimum for air travel, and charge extra for other services. Here are some examples;
⚠️ Airfares may be non-refundable - you'll have to pay more for a flexible ticket
⚠️ Airfares may be non-changeable or very expensive
⚠️ You may have to pay for checked baggage
⚠️ You may have to pay for food and drinks
⚠️ You may have to pay for a preferred seat on the aircraft
⚠️ Name changes may not be permitted
Searching through terms and conditions can be tricky, not to mention boring. So we did it for you! Here's a brief summary of refund policies in place with major airlines.
Cancellation fees vary based on your destination and fare type, so we've highlighted the maximum fee the airline could charge to cancel an international return airfare.
Airline | Maximum cancellation fee | Policy |
---|---|---|
Qantas | $500 to Non-refundable | "Cancellation fees may apply and these vary depending on your point of origin and destination." |
Virgin Australia | $400 to Non-refundable | "All bookings can be cancelled; however some bookings are non-refundable and may attract cancellations fees and surcharges." |
Jetstar Airways | $50 to Non-refundable | "Some fare types are non-refundable or only partially refundable, subject to our Conditions of Carriage or applicable law. However, if you choose not to travel,contact us to request a refund of certain third-party charges and Government taxes that may be included in your fare: excluding fuel and insurance surcharges." |
Tiger Airways | Non-refundable | "Sometimes we will provide you with the ability to obtain a refund even when we have not failed to comply with the Consumer Guarantees. We do this because we value you as a customer and we want to ensure you get to your destination as quickly as possible." |
Air New Zealand | $500 to Non-refundable | "Bookings for domestic and international travel may be cancelled online, subject to the following considerations:
|
Qatar Airways | $993 to Non-refundable | "To cancel your booking and get a refund of your ticket price (depending on the fare conditions of your ticket), please contact the agent/office where you booked your ticket, or if you changed your booking, contact the office where you last modified it." |
Eithad Airways | $565 to Non refundable | "Refunds are subject to fees and the rules of the fare that you have booked for each segment" |
*This information is accurate as of 23 March, 2020. These fees are per person and may not be applicable to codeshare flights.
Travel agencies let you compare lots of different travel services that are available across the market - including flights with various airlines. They are essentially a third party in the process.
When you book a flight with a travel agent, and use their services, a separate cancellation fee may be applied to your booking. You'll incur both the airline cancellation fee and the travel agent cancellation fee. If you have the right travel insurance policy, it can cover you for both expenses.
This table outlines the agency cancellations fees that are applied on top of the airline cancellation fees. It mainly refers to international flight bookings since these have the highest penalties.
Travel agent or aggregator | Additional Maximum cancellation fees | Policy |
---|---|---|
Flight Centre | $300 to Non-refundable | "Cancellations to International bookings (excluding Trans-Tasman bookings) will incur a fee of $300 per passenger per booking in addition to supplier fees." |
STA Travel | $200 to Non-refundable | "Cancelled bookings will incur charges. These charges can be up to 100% of the cost of the booking, regardless of whether travel has commenced. Fees will also apply where a booking is changed or tickets are reissued. All online bookings are subject to STA Travel cancellation fee of AUD200 and any other airline fees applicable. This will vary depending on the airfare you have booked. For some fares no refund is available, so check your specific fare rules carefully. If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your travel insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim your cancellation charges through your insurer." |
Helloworld | $300 to Non-refundable | "Each fare within the itinerary you have booked carries unique rules and restrictions:
Cancellations to International bookings (excluding Trans-Tasman bookings) will incur a fee of $300 per passenger per booking in addition to supplier and credit card fees." |
Online aggregators such as Webjet and Skyscanner are very popular ways for people to book travel. You can easily search for many different airfares with the click of a button and at any given time.
You can see why the popularity of online bookings are increasing, however there is one major downfall when it comes to booking with an aggregator. It's the lack of human support, especially when you need it. Online aggregators will usually direct you back to the airline that you've booked with and you'll need to have the relevant information for the airline to access your booking. This sounds easy, but it can be tricky if you can't find the right booking numbers.
This is how some aggregators deal with international cancellations.
Aggregator | Maximum cancellation fees | Policy |
---|---|---|
Webjet | $32.95 | "Your right to a refund of an airfare booked on the Website is governed by the terms and conditions of the airfare you purchased and is as determined by the applicable airlines. Many fares are non-refundable. Airline charges or cancellation fees may apply to your particular airfare." |
Skyscanner | n/a | "For changes, cancellations or refunds, we recommend that you contact the travel provider (airline or travel agent) agent that you completed your booking with. As a travel search engine, Skyscanner doesn't take your booking or payment ourselves. Instead, we pass you through to your chosen airline or travel agent where you make your booking directly. We therefore don't have access or visibility to any of your booking information. Depending on the type of ticket you've booked, there may be different options for changes, cancellations and refunds, and the travel provider will be best placed to advise on these." |
In June 2017, finder.com.au analysed Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) data for caline cancellations dating back to 2010, to find out which was the worst performing airline in Australia. It found thatQantasLink had the highest percentage of cancellations since 2010 at 2.32%.
Carrier | Flights 2019 | Cancellation 2019 | Cancellation % |
---|---|---|---|
Jetstar | 86,849 | 2,192 | 2.5% |
Qantas | 105,928 | 2,543 | 2.4% |
QantasLink | 120,411 | 1,951 | 1.6% |
Regional Express | 71,974 | 712 | 1.0% |
Virgin Australia | 140,912 | 2,761 | 2.0% |
Virgin Australia Regional Airlines | 9,415 | 201 | 2.1% |
Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE)
If you have a valid travel insurance policy, then it should cover non-refundable expenses. You'll have to provide copies of your receipt and prove that you can't be reimbursed elsewhere.
If you don't have valid travel insurance, it's still worth getting in touch with the accommodation provider to see if they will let you change the dates of your booking, or give you a credit voucher. Try to give them as much notice as possible.
Here are a few hints to help you figure out if your hotel is non-refundable.
Here are some examples of why your travel insurance policy may not cover you if:
❌ You cancel due to change of mind
❌ Your travel service provider goes bankrupt or insolvent
❌ You make an error on your own booking
❌ You trip is affected by a government regulation or prohibition
Once you enter in your details and click "Get my quote" you can filter the results by clicking "Cancellation fees" on the left side of the page to only see policies that include this.
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I purchased tickets directly via Tigers website. Would Tiger insure provide refund if flight has been canceled?
Hi Vita,
Thank you for getting in touch with finder.
Tigerair has this compensation policy wherein in they will move you to the next available Tigerair Australia service to the same destination at no further costs in the event that they need to delay or cancel your scheduled service for a reason other than an event within Tigerair control and your new flight time is not suitable to you. Tigerair will provide a refund if you are entitled to receive under the Compensation Policy of any amount you have paid them.
I suggest that you check their T&Cs as well as contacting their customer contact centre for further clarification on this matter.
I hope this helps.
Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any other enquiries.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni