Airlines Must Give a Refund, Not a Voucher, if Your Flight Was Cancelled Over COVID-19

If your flight was cancelled amid the coronavirus crisis, you're entitled to a refund - not just a voucher.

The US Department of Transportation says airlines need to issue passengers refunds for flights that were cancelled over COVID-19, not just vouchers.

According to CNBC, "the agency said it has received an increasing number of complaints from airline customers who said they were denied refunds for canceled or significantly delayed flights and instead given vouchers to use for travel at a later date."

The DOT says they'll give airlines a chance to comply with these guidelines before they begin to take "enforcement action".

What if you already got a voucher? The DOT is talking about you, too.

"Specifically, the Aviation Enforcement Office will refrain from pursuing an enforcement action against a carrier that provided passengers vouchers for future travel in lieu of refunds for cancelled or significantly delayed flights during the COVID-19 public health emergency so long as: (1) the carrier contacts, in a timely manner, the passengers provided vouchers for flights that the carrier cancelled or significantly delayed to notify those passengers that they have the option of a refund; (2) the carrier updates its refund policies and contract of carriage provisions to make clear that it provides refunds to passengers if the carrier cancels a flight or makes a significant schedule change; and (3) the carrier reviews with its personnel, including reservationists, ticket counter agents, refund personnel, and other customer service professionals, the circumstances under which refunds should be made."

Here's the full statement: HERE.

Have you had travel arrangements cancelled because of the virus? Did you get a refund?