What to do if your Blue Air refund is taking forever?
How long should it normally take? How to expedite the refund process?
Your flight was cancelled, and you requested a full refund for cancellation. But it’s taking way too long. You might have received a communication from Blue Air explaining the refund delay, or maybe you’re still unaware of the refund status. Regardless, it’s important to know that EU regulations govern these matters. According to these regulations, your Blue Air refund should be processed within a week.
What should you do if it’s taking longer?
Blue Air Refund Is Taking Forever: Step-By-Step Plan
Are you entitled to a refund for cancellation?
Airlines must offer a refund when they cancel a flight.
For instance, within the European Union, if Blue Air cancels a flight they must offer you either a total refund or rebooking. Be aware that sometimes you may be entitled to a refund only, whereas other times you could be eligible for a refund and flight cancellation compensation.
But what to do if your Blue Air refund takes way too long?
Step 1: Reach Out to Blue Air
Reach out to Blue Air customer service through their website.
You can also try reaching them through WhatsApp or Messenger.
Unless it’s a significant unexpected event, such as the beginning of a global pandemic, they should reply to your inquiries within a week. If a week goes by without any response, be sure to send follow-up messages. Repeat this process every few days to ensure your concerns are addressed.
Step 2: Engage with Blue Air via Social Media
If Blue Air is unresponsive, take your concerns to social media.
If after a few weeks of emails and messages, you’re yet to receive a response, consider taking your concerns to Facebook and Twitter. Remind them of the 7-day refund timeline mandated by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Articles 5 and 8.
Step 3: Refrain from Accepting Vouchers
The refund should be transferred to your bank account.
You aren’t obligated to accept Blue Air vouchers or coupons.
Step 4: Contact the National Enforcement Body (NEB)
Such an entity exists in every EU member state.
Reach out to the NEB from the country where your flight is departing. For instance, if your flight departs from Germany, your point of contact is the Nationale Beschwerde- und Durchsetzungsstelle Fluggastrechte. If the flight departs a non-EU country, get in touch with the NEB of the destination country. All necessary contact information for these bodies can be found here.
More information is available here.
This step can be quite lengthy, typically taking up to approximately 2 months for the NEB’s decision. Further waiting is required for Blue Air to process the payment. To expedite the process, maintain your presence on Blue Air’s social media pages and engage in their other communication channels.
In Which Situations Are You Entitled To a Blue Air Refund?
EU regulations state that a full Blue Air refund is obligatory if Blue Air cancels your flight.
When a flight is cancelled, Blue Air is required to offer you a choice between re-routing (a free replacement flight) or a refund of the entire ticket price, regardless of the reason for the cancellation, including extraordinary circumstances, staff strikes and last-minute flight cancellations. The refund for a cancelled flight should be processed within one week.
Any delay by the airline in providing refunds is a violation of EU regulations, and passengers are entitled to consider further steps.
What If You Cancel the Flight Yourself?
Can you get a Blue Air refund if you cancel your Blue Air flight?
The refund conditions become a bit more intricate if you are the one cancelling the flight. Here are a few factors to consider:
- Flexible tickets. For flexible tickets, chances are you can get a refund, but it’s crucial to review the airline’s terms and conditions.
- Non-refundable tickets. With non-refundable tickets, a full refund is usually not an option. However, airlines could refund the taxes included in your ticket price.
- Travel insurance. If cancellations are covered by your travel insurance, you might be entitled to seek a refund from your insurance provider, depending on the cancellation reasons.
- Cancellation within 24 hours of booking. Certain airlines provide a full refund if the cancellation occurs within 24 hours of booking, provided that the booking was made at least one week before the flight’s departure.
- Serious illness and family bereavement. If the cancellation is due to exceptional cases such as serious health issues or a family bereavement, the airline might offer a refund or a credit for future travel, depending on their policy.
Flight Cancellation Due to Extraordinary Circumstances: Can You Get a Refund?
If your Blue Air flight is cancelled due to circumstances that are beyond their control, like harsh weather conditions, strikes by airport staff (not including Blue Air staff), or safety risks, the airlines are generally not liable for the cancellation.
Nonetheless, according to EU regulations (Regulation (EC) No 261/2004), in situations where an airline cancels a flight, they are still obligated to give passengers a choice between a complete refund and an alternative flight option. This implies that even when the flight cancellation is a result of extraordinary factors, you are still eligible for a refund.
Remember, the refund is expected to be processed within a week. If there are any delays in receiving your refund, you are encouraged to adhere to the step-by-step guide provided above.
What is your experience with Blue Air refunds? Have you ever received a refund from Blue Air? Share your experience in the comments!