Due to the coronavirus outbreak, your trip is either canceled or the lockdown simply does not allow you to go on vacation. What are your rights ? Postponement, exchange, refund or voucher ... Here is what is planned.
Planes grounded, hotels closed ... The tourism and travel industry is at a standstill due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether it is the airline or the agency that cancels your trip or whether the cancellation is on your own initiative (confinement requiring you not to leave your home), you have rights.
Your dry flight has been canceled by the airline
You bought a plane ticket without accommodation or accommodation on the Internet or at a travel agency, but the airline canceled the flight due to the coronavirus epidemic. In theory, you are entitled to reimbursement of the full price of the ticket. But in reality, many airlines offer holdings to preserve a minimum of cash. For the moment, you are free to refuse and legally demand the reimbursement of your plane ticket. European regulations could however evolve since the Secretary of State for Transport, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, said Tuesday April 7 to work with his European counterparts in the establishment of valid assets until the end of 2021 to support the air sector.
On the other hand, you will not be able to demand the fixed compensation provided for by European regulation n ° 261/2004 in the event of flight cancellation. Cancellation due to an “exceptional and inevitable event” does not give entitlement to this.
You cancel your dry flight
If you take the initiative to cancel a flight that is maintained by the airline, you must check whether your plane ticket is refundable or exchangeable. If this is not the case, contact the airline to find out if it has put in place special postponement or cancellation conditions due to the epidemic. You will at least be entitled to reimbursement of airport taxes (airport tax and passenger fee) but you will have to request it. If you have taken out cancellation insurance, it may not be of much help since in most cases, health risks are not covered.
Some companies offer a deferral or a credit. For example :
At Air France, if you bought your ticket before April 16, 2020 on the site or from an Air France point of sale for a flight before July 3, 2020 and you wish to cancel it, you can obtain a non-refundable credit note valid for 1 year on all Air France, KLM, Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Airways flights.
At Transavia, flights maintained until May 31, 2020 can be postponed until October 24 without modification fees. A price difference may however apply if the price of the new flight is higher.
At Easyjet, dates and destination can be changed without change fees, unless the new flight is more expensive.
Your package stay has been canceled by the travel agency or yourself
In principle, when a travel agency cancels a package holiday (combining at least two services: flight + accommodation, hotel + car rental, etc.) or a cruise, you are entitled to reimbursement of the sums paid (article L. 211-14 II and III, 2 ° of the Tourism Code). This is also the case if you decide to cancel your stay due to an exceptional and unavoidable event at the place of destination, or in the immediate vicinity. The tour operator must reimburse you in full for the sums paid within 14 days.
But in order to support tourism professionals, the government adopted on March 25, 2020 an ordinance, taken under the emergency law to deal with the Covid-19 epidemic, which sets up a derogatory device from the law. tourism. It applies to any trip canceled between March 1 and September 15 inclusive due to exceptional circumstances related to Covid-19, regardless of the author (the tour operator or the traveler).
Instead of a refund, the travel agency can issue a credit note valid for 18 months. Its amount must be “equal to that of all payments made” (deposit or total balance). You must be informed by mail or email within 30 days of the date of cancellation of the trip. You cannot refuse it but if you do not use it (or not in full), you will be automatically refunded after the end of its validity.
The travel agency also has three months from the date of cancellation to offer you another identical or equivalent stay, at no additional cost. This offer remains valid for 18 months and you can refuse it. If the travel agency goes bankrupt, the asset is covered by the financial guarantee obligatorily subscribed by tour operators under article L.211-18 of the Tourism Code.
Your hotel reservation is canceled by the hotelier or yourself
The terms of the ordinance of March 25, 2020 also apply to cancellations of services sold alone: accommodation reservation, vehicle rental and tourist services (visit to a leisure park, bicycle rental, thermal cure, spa, etc. etc.).
In case of cancellation of a reservation in France between March 1 and September 15 inclusive, the hotelier can offer you a credit valid for 18 months instead of a refund. If the hotel is abroad, it is necessary to negotiate directly with the hotelier for a free cancellation or a later postponement. If you have gone through a platform of the Booking or Expedia type, first contact the hotel or the owner of the accommodation and then contact the platform. She can help you facilitate the cancellation. Please note, it only acts as an intermediary and has no obligation to reimburse you for the price of your reservation.
For accommodation rented directly from an individual, in France and abroad, you must negotiate with the latter. On Airbnb, reservations made until March 14 with an arrival date until May 31 can be canceled free of charge against a travel credit or a full refund.
What to do in case of disputes?
If your steps with the travel agency or the airline are unsuccessful, you can contact the competent mediator to help you settle your dispute amicably. Most of the time, this is the Tourism and Travel Mediator (MTV). If the professional in question is indeed a member of this mediation, you can enter it via the online form or by post to the following address: Médiation Tourisme et voyage - BP 80303 - 75 823 Paris - Cedex 17. During the period of confinement, only online referrals will be processed. Please note, the referral can only be made after a written complaint to the professional and in the absence of a response or end of refusal to receive from the latter within 60 days.
In the event of a dispute with an airline, you can contact the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) via an online form.
Approved consumer associations can also help you in your efforts.
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