At present, it is common to plan the holidays well in advance to be able to benefit from the prices of the flights in the months prior to the realization of the trip. However, although this practice has multiple advantages, both to save some money and to plan the journey with enough time, on many occasions certain circumstances arise with which they did not count.
Depending on the type of event, it will be necessary to cancel a flight reservation due to the trip being cancelled. Among the main causes are the adverse weather conditions of the place of destination, political or social conflicts in it or, unfortunately, some illness or death, either their own or of a close relative.
In addition to knowing when and how it is possible to cancel a plane ticket, it is also advisable to take out travel insurance to guarantee reimbursement of expenses in case the trip is canceled.
It is possible to cancel the reservation of a flight
When purchasing a plane ticket, it is necessary to read the general conditions established by the airline regarding the cancellation or modification regulations, although in any case, the general regulations establish that it is possible to cancel or change a flight for any reason that prevents it from being carried out. In this sense, it must be taken into account that the airline can penalize the client with 20% of the price in the case of domestic flights or 25% if it is an international flight, if the cancellation is made within 24 hours before the trip.
In the case of a cause of force majeure, provided that it is duly justified, the airline is obliged to return the total amount of the ticket, except the management expenses that would be borne by the user.
Another option that many customers consider when they find the need to cancel their trip is to offer the ticket so that someone else can fly. However, it will also depend on what the flight reservation contract is established, as well as the type of ticket. As a general rule, low-cost airlines tend to put more obstacles both to make this change and to cancel the reservation of a flight.
It is important to note that users have the right to withdraw from the purchase of a plane ticket and recover the amount paid. In the event that the airline refuses to do so, a claim can be filed. In addition, the penalty established for carrying out this management can never be higher than the price of the ticket.
As established by the Air Navigation Law, “the passenger can waive his right to make the trip, obtaining the return of the price of the ticket in the part that is determined, provided that that resignation is made within the period that is set by regulation”.
The first step that must be taken to cancel the reservation of a flight is to contact the airline to communicate the objective and carry out the necessary procedures. If the reservation of the ticket has been made through a travel agency, it will be necessary to go to it and as a general rule, the management will be much easier, despite the possible costs that the user has to assume due to the cancellation of the flight.