Airline asks passengers to accept credit

Airlines ask "on their knees" for help from passengers by accepting credit rather than requesting reimbursement for flights canceled during the health crisis, Alexander the director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Wednesday from Juniac. "We ask for the help of passengers (...), it's true, and we ask for it on our knees," he said on BFM Business.

Airlines, supported by France and several other European states, reimburse tickets for canceled flights only "in the form of credits" while promising a refund in cash, if consumers demand it, but with at least nine months delay in order to preserve their finances, which have been damaged by the crisis. European rules, however, give passengers the right to a refund within two weeks.

Convince the European Commission

This position of companies in the sector has been attacked by consumer defense associations. And Brussels launched an infringement procedure against ten European Union countries, including France, in early July to defend the right of travelers to be reimbursed in the event of cancellation of their stays due to coronavirus .

Trips canceled: the air sector requests "kneeling" assistance from passengers https://t.co/VhdlSsTVdm via @BFMBusiness

"We are still trying to obtain from the European Commission the power to present assets to (…) defer the reimbursement," said Alexandre de Juniac on Wednesday, acknowledging that it was a "difficult" position and "not appreciated by everyone. world. "

"Why did we ask for that?" Not for fun. Our activity is rather to pamper the passengers and not to pose them difficulties and problems, in particular financial problems. But (…) the companies' treasury is in an absolutely apocalyptic state, ”explained the former CEO of Air France-KLM.

Economy

Coronavirus: What does the law say about refunding canceled airline tickets?

Economy

Coronavirus: The economic crisis in the aviation sector "will generate social breakdown"

• Airport
• Aeronautics
• Economy
• Aviation
• Transport
• Plane