The situation at airports is far from rosy: the number of pre-Covid flight bookings is rapidly returning and even the most efficient European airports are experiencing problems. L’overbookingi tto the staff they strikes In recent weeks, many passengers have been forced to miss their flights. But how can you protect yourself and ask for a refund of the flight?
The best apps to request a refund for a flight
After two years of health emergency, air traffic is picking up, returning almost to pre-Covid levels. According to the European air traffic monitoring body, air traffic will reach 95% of 2019 levels this summer. On the other hand, however, especially in 2020, traffic has been reduced to a minimum – even by letting empty planes take off to secure EU slots – and many European countries have had to resort to staff cuts. Wired Italia, in fact, reports that 200,000 European aviation workers were laid off during the pandemic.
The quick return to normal, therefore, is turning into nightmare situations inside airports. Many flights suffer delaysa good deal comes deletedand some passengers remain on the ground due dell’overbooking.
But if your flight is delayed or canceled after a legitimate initial anger, you don’t need to despair. In fact, there are several services that deal with managing all the bureaucratic part to obtain reimbursements or compensation, even in case of lost baggage. All this because the European Union protects travelers with a regulation that establishes consumer rights, for example for refunds and alternative flights.
I EU air passenger rights apply if:
- The flight takes place within the European Union;
- Se arrives in the EU coming from a country outside Europe and an EU airline;
- If the flight starts from the EU with destination in a country outside Europe, and is operated by an EU or non-EU airline.
- If the passengers have been informed of the cancellation of the flight less than 14 days before of the expected date.
- Se the delay is three hours or more. There is no refund for cancellation or delay caused by a extraordinary circumstancesuch as adverse weather conditions or the impact between the aircraft and birds.
Airhelp, the most used service for flight refunds
However, the procedure for reimbursement or compensation for an air flight can be complex and lengthy. Precisely for this reason, several platforms have been created that take on the burden of carrying out all the bureaucratic part, in exchange for a small percentage of the reimbursement in the event of a positive outcome.
One of the most famous – if not the best known – platforms is Airhelpused by more than 15 million users and which boasts over 350 employees and consultants. The service is available in 30 countries and 17 languages, obviously including Italian. The site, complete and well done, joins a smartphone application extremely useful for starting the procedure on the move, perhaps when you are still in the airport in a panic. In case of a negative result, you will not have to pay anything to Airhelp, while the platform will ask for a fixed percentage in the event of a refund.
Noproblemflights.it it works in the same way, that is by entering your data from the site and waiting for the refund result. The platform, if successful, retains the 25% of the compensation, VAT included. The same goes for SkyGenius.it, another portal for refunds, which in this case holds the 25% + Iva, and in the event of a subpoena from the airline there will be no further deductions. This is because in the event that the airline does not respond within 6 weeks, as required by the European regulation, you can move on to the next step, which is the court.
Not so for other services, such as Risarcimentovolo.it, which withholds 25% of the total – VAT included – but in the event of a subpoena against the airline, 45% VAT included will be withheld. The pro of Risarcimentovolo.it is that it also covers refunds against tour operator or in case of a ruined vacation.
Other services that do not withhold a percentage of the refund
Among other services we find Rimborsoalvolo.it, a portal dedicated to the protection of passengers, which takes care of the bureaucratic part in the event of a delayed flight, canceled, denied boarding and lost luggage. As with other platforms, all you need to do is enter your data and the necessary documentation to start the practice, and then wait for the refund result. Respect to others, does not withhold any percentage of the refund.
Another platform is Rimborsovoli.itwhich works in a similar way and on the official site – in the FAQ section – claims to be completely free and not to withhold any percentage on the refund obtained. On Trustpilot it boasts more than 500 reviews, with an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Finally we find Sosvolo.comwhich does not retain any percentage, and like other platforms, it bases its remuneration on legal fees recognized by airlines, if successful. Although the absence of deductions can be a positive thing from the passenger’s point of view, it must be considered that the platform fee will only arrive in court, so it is reasonable to think that these services aim to go into action. instead of solving the problem in a short timesuch as platforms that take direct compensation from the reimbursement obtained by the customer.