How to cancel an electronic plane ticket. How to cancel a Russian Railways e-ticket and get your money back

The question of whether it is possible to return plane tickets, how to do this and how much money they will give in this case remains one of the most pressing in Russia, since in most cases air tickets are booked and purchased in advance. The right of citizens to return or exchange is enshrined in current Russian legislation, but quite often they have to face refusal. This happens mainly for two reasons:

  • The purchased ticket is classified as non-refundable - there are exceptions, which we will consider below in the article;
  • The person does not know the rules for refunding airline tickets and makes his demands incorrectly, thereby providing the company with compelling reasons to refuse.

The most common mistake is panic. When you realize that you won’t be able to get on your flight due to sudden circumstances (force majeure, sudden change of plans, someone’s illness or flight cancellation), you shouldn’t act in a hurry.

First of all, you should figure out how and what to do correctly:

  • To return purchased tickets to the airport, you need to submit a written application to exactly where you purchased them - to the ticket office, to the carrier, travel agency, and so on;
  • To write an application, you must have your passport, ticket or information about what flight it is on, date and time of departure, ticket and reservation number;
  • Errors, corrections, or inconsistencies in the application are unacceptable - it will not be accepted, which means you will waste the time given to return the money.

When handing over plane tickets, the law determines a number of features for each individual case, which we will consider below.

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How to return a plane ticket

  • You should inquire about the conditions for refunding air tickets even at the stage of purchasing them, so that you can act calmly if you have to face such a need. There are two main groups of reasons for returns:
  • Voluntary – the culprit passenger and his circumstances.

Depending on them, it will also depend on whether the money can be returned for the purchased plane ticket.

A forced refund usually does not create any problems with receiving the money paid back in full, since the inconvenience arose through the fault of the airline. There are more nuances with a voluntary return.

You can return your ticket using the same method in which it was purchased. For example, if you ordered it online, there is no need to go to the cashier - you can cancel it on the same website. A standard application is filled out and scanned documents are attached. Whether this will be a form on the website of an airline, a travel agency or an email address depends on the internal conditions of the service provider. An application can only be submitted by the person indicated in the document, and no one in his place.

Before submitting an application, it is also important to know how much is lost when returning your paid money, but first things first.

Forced return

A forced refund of air tickets gives the passenger the legal right to demand back the full cost of tickets that he paid.

Reasons for forced return:

According to the rules for returning a previously purchased plane ticket, in order to get the money back, you must provide documents that confirm the fact of purchasing the ticket and the fact that the passenger stayed precisely for forced reasons.

When considering how to return your plane ticket, take note of the following procedure:

Voluntary return

Refunding an air ticket not for forced reasons, but voluntarily, often creates problems - carriers are reluctant to agree to give back the money received. Article 108 of the Air Code, which is in force on the territory of the Russian Federation, nevertheless establishes the passenger’s right to refuse a flight if he informs the carrier about this in advance. This same article should be referenced when demanding financial compensation. But its size will depend on when exactly you apply for a voluntary refund of air tickets.

If forced refusal is due to circumstances that are beyond your control, then the rules for voluntary refusal are completely different. The sooner you apply, the better and more profitable it will be for you.

By notifying the company about the cancellation of the flight a day before, you can receive 100% compensation for the purchased ticket. If there are less than 24 hours left before the flight, the company has the right to charge a fine of up to 25% of the total cost of the flight coupon.

Before making a return, you need to prepare in advance the documents that you will attach to your application:

  • Airplane ticket or its details (flight and coupon number, departure date, to whom it is issued);
  • The main document used to issue the air ticket (personal passport and its copy);
  • Purchase receipt.

You will be given a special form to write your application.

Which payment document needs to be submitted depends on the method of payment for the air ticket:

When asking whether it will be possible to demand compensation if you cancel your flight and return your plane tickets only with your passport, the answer will be negative. If you provide an incomplete package of documents, they have the right to refuse you on legal grounds and will not accept your application at all.

Non-refundable air tickets

Knowing about their right to return the flight coupon, the question arises for passengers who do not get on the flight, why they cannot return the plane ticket they have in hand. Such situations arise when we are talking about air tickets that are classified as non-refundable. This does not contradict the law for the reason that the cost of such flight coupons is significantly lower than the price of others (by 15-20%), and when they are returned the company will suffer financial losses.

These include:


But to the question of whether it will be possible to return economy class plane tickets, the answer is not always clear. There are some exceptions that still give passengers the right to get a refund on such flights. These include circumstances that were in no way dependent on the passenger:

  • Illness with hospitalization;
  • Death - in this case, relatives have the opportunity to get the money back, but only if they submit an application before the plane takes off;
  • The flight schedule has changed, the delay is more than 4 hours or the flight is cancelled.

Returning tickets in this case provides for a refund. The returned flight coupon must be carried with you along with your passport and receipt of payment.

How to get money back for an air ticket

When returning air tickets, the passenger has the right to reimburse his losses either in full or in part. This is justified by the fact that the cost of a flight coupon consists of several components at once: airfield fee, included fare, insurance premiums, and so on. Most often, it is not possible to return exactly what is included in the tariff plan. Refund conditions for air tickets also depend on the fare, which may belong to one of the following classes:

  • Business - there are no problems with delivery, but a fine is required;
  • Premium - the entire amount is returned, even if the passenger does not show up for the flight, since the cost of such a plane ticket already includes such costs;
  • Economy - it is almost always impossible to return such flight coupons; is it possible to find an exception - mentioned above.

The lower the price of an air ticket, the more difficult it will be to get your money back, even if flight coupons were purchased in cash.


If everything is done on time, all the paperwork is available, you will be reimbursed for the cost of the flight coupon. The refund period is from three to ten days.

Cancellation of a seat on a flight by phone

In some cases, it is not at all necessary to go to the airport in person to cancel the flight and get a refund of the money paid. If you have a reservation, you can cancel it by calling the support phone number listed on the website of the company from which you purchased the ticket. Depending on the internal conditions of a given company, you will need to submit an application directly on the website by filling out an electronic form, or by writing it in free form to the specified email address.

The application will need to indicate the last name, first name, patronymic of the passenger for whom the ticket was issued, passport details, and electronic ticket number. Please keep in mind that once you have issued a refund, you will not be able to change your mind or cancel it; you will have to re-book and buy the ticket again, and there is no guarantee that there will be free seats.

Return your ticket through an agency

If you purchased air tickets through an agency, including online, a refund is also possible. You must contact the same agency and fill out an application form for returning purchased flight coupons. A copy of your passport is attached to the form. But first, check whether they are classified as non-refundable. Just look at the “Restrictions” column to get the necessary information (there may be an inscription in English “non refundable”, which means it will not be possible to return it.

If a plane ticket can be refunded, it will not be possible to get 100% of the price paid back - passengers will not receive a refund of agency fees.

The optimal time to submit an application to the agency is no later than 48 hours before departure. When returning air tickets through an agency, additional confirmation of cancellation is required directly from the customer. This is either by phone or via email.

Air tickets purchased through aggregators

A large number of air ticket orders go through aggregators due to convenience and benefits. Even one such specialized website allows you to choose and buy a ticket for the desired plane at the optimal price and the appropriate class in the shortest possible time and without leaving your home.

But aggregators do not independently issue flight coupons; they act as some kind of intermediaries directing the passenger to the carrier. That is why, in order to return the cost of an air ticket, you need to contact not the administration of the aggregator’s website, but directly the airline.

Please check your email before returning your ticket. When you order, you receive a letter from the aggregator’s website containing a description of the route and details of the airline you should contact. It is based on this information that the application is submitted. If everything is done on time, the funds are returned in accordance with the category of the flight ticket.

Air ticket exchange

When wondering whether it is possible to return a purchased plane ticket and get another one in return, that is, actually arrange an exchange, it should be noted that such an opportunity exists. You must return the coupon for exchange in the same order as if you refused it completely.

If you need to change your flight time or date, notify the company as early as possible - this will determine whether you will be charged an additional fee or not. Each company has its own air fares, so it would be a good idea to inquire about the exchange conditions by calling the hotline or on the website. It happens that issuing a cancellation and then purchasing a new ticket is a much more profitable procedure than an exchange.

Where to complain

It is not uncommon for passengers to encounter an airline's refusal to accept a returned ticket and return money. Since this procedure is limited in time, you should pay attention in advance to the sequence of actions in this situation. First of all, you need to write an application addressed to the air carrier to cancel the purchased plane ticket. The claim looks like this:

Application for a refund for an air ticket

I, (last name, first name, patronymic, passport details) , I ask for termination of the air transportation contract and a refund of the money paid.

I am familiar with the amount due to me at the time of filing this application. (or Please inform me in advance of the amount to be refunded and not cancel my place until I confirm).

Order details:

Order No./PNR Route
Ticket number Nearest departure date
Insurance number
Full name of passengers

Details for refund:

(to be filled out only if the payment was made by non-cash and the return is possible only in the same way and to the same account from which the payment was received) .

contact phone number

"___"_______20___ Signature of the applicant

Let us remind you that a purchased plane ticket can only be returned at the same place where it was purchased. If your application was denied inappropriately, it is important to get it in writing, officially. Next, having collected documents (your passport, ticket purchase receipt and ticket itself, your complaint sent to the carrier, and his response to it), you have the right to file a claim in court.

Before going to court, it is recommended to consult with a qualified lawyer about whether in your case it is possible to return the money paid for an air ticket, in what amount and whether anything additional can be recovered for a ticket not returned on time.

A sample claim form is presented below:

(name of the judicial authority,

where the claim is filed)

Plaintiff: (full name of the plaintiff, passport

data, place of registration)

Respondent: (full name,

legal address)

Cost of claim: ___________ rubles.

Statement of claim for recovery of funds for air transportation

The plaintiff purchased an air ticket on the route _____________-_____________ -___________ for flight No. _________ of the airline "_____________" with departure from the city ________________ "____"________20____ at ___:____.

Due to (circumstances due to which you postponed your flight) , as confirmed by the attached documents ________________________, the flight had to be postponed. The plaintiff turned to the air carrier "___"________20___ with an application and attached documents for a refund for the returned ticket, but the defendant unlawfully refused to compensate for the funds paid, as evidenced by a copy (a document with a refusal issued by the company) .

Referring to the above circumstances, as well as legislative norms (list depending on the individual circumstances of the situation), I ask:

To recover from the defendant the cost of the air ticket in the amount of ____________ rubles.

Exempt the plaintiff from paying state fees.

Attached to the claim:

(list all documents that testify in your favor).

Date of claim Signature of plaintiff

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According to the policy of the Pobeda company, a refund for a ticket in case of refusal of transportation is possible only in special cases that fall within the framework of the concept of “forced refund of tickets.”

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In general, Pobeda airline tickets are considered non-refundable. These are the conditions. That is, if for some reason you miss or refuse air transportation, then your ticket will simply expire. To get your money back for a ticket, you need to try very hard to prove to the company that the reason for the canceled flight did not depend on you, it was just the circumstances.

IMPORTANT: if you have purchased round-trip tickets, if you do not use the first one, the second one will automatically expire. These are the conditions dictated by Pobeda Airlines. Therefore, it is advisable to book tickets in two ways, there and back separately.

In what cases can you return a ticket and get your money back?

In practice, in order to get a refund for tickets, you need to provide the airline with evidence that the flight did not take place either through no fault of yours or due to a combination of extraordinary circumstances. This is called forced ticket return.

According to the company's rules, ticket refunds are considered forced in the following cases:

  1. Flight cancellation by the airline itself.
  2. Flight delay or not scheduled (if the time difference in tickets and actual transportation is more than 4 hours).

    In practice, according to reviews from passengers, quite often there are simply not enough seats on Pobeda flights, and passengers with a ticket can easily be removed from the flight and offered to fly on the next available flight, and the time difference can be either one hour or more than 4 hours .

    If such a case occurs (if your flight is postponed by more than 4 hours), you can write a request for a refund and fly on another airline.

  3. Change of transportation route at the initiative of the airline.
  4. Failure to provide a seat to a passenger on the date indicated on the flight indicated in the ticket. There are cases that for some reason passengers were removed from the previous flight (they did not have time to go through security, complications arose when paying for baggage, and so on), that is, they were late for boarding and did not fly away. In this case, Pobeda Airlines removes any passenger from the next flight, offering him a flight on another nearby flight, and resolves the issue in favor of the first customers. In this case, ticket exchange is not offered, and passenger check-in for the next flight is subject to availability of seats on the plane.
  5. A passenger is late for a flight due to the incompetence of airline employees. In particular, this includes the passenger being searched for too long, as a result of which he did not have time to check in for the flight and board the plane. But this case is recognized as a reason for the forced return of the ticket only if no prohibited items and substances were found in the passenger’s luggage.
  6. Sudden serious illness of the passenger himself, as well as illness or death of the person who was supposed to travel with him. This fact must be recorded on the day of the flight and confirmed by medical documents, which contain a note indicating that air travel is contraindicated for the passenger’s health.

IMPORTANT: Money is returned only if the passenger notifies the airline of this fact in any convenient way before check-in for the flight ends.

How to get a refund for a ticket

Since the reasons for the forced return of tickets can be different, the methods of returning money have their own nuances and certain deadlines.

So, what to do if you are forced to refuse air transportation for reasons provided for by the rules of Pobeda Airlines.

  • If a passenger decides to refuse transportation due to a flight delay, cancellation or change in flight conditions, he must contact the departure airport ticket office for a refund no later than before check-in for the current flight is completed. In this case, you will need to present an identification document, most often a passport.
  • If the airline, for any reason, canceled the flight or changed the flight conditions (time, date, route), and warned the passenger about this in advance by phone or email, then you can refuse transportation at the time of notification in a telephone conversation, or by reply letter . You can later call the call center and warn about the forced return of the ticket. But you can cancel your tickets no later than before the end of passenger check-in for your flight.


If the passenger was not transported due to his fault (lateness, refusal of inspection and various proceedings, refusal of additional payment for excess baggage allowance), then the ticket will not be refunded.

How do you get a refund for a ticket?

To get your money back for a ticket, you need to write a corresponding notification to the company and provide the required documents.

IMPORTANT: an adult passenger can only get a refund for his own ticket, since he writes a notification on his own behalf and provides personal documents. You can write a notification and receive a refund for another person only with a notarized power of attorney (except in cases of sudden serious illness or incapacity of the passenger).

In various situations, money can be returned as follows:

  • In cash at the airport ticket office, if at the time of application there is a sufficient amount to be returned.
  • By bank transfer to the bank card from which the ticket was paid, or to the electronic wallet account from which the payment was made.
  • By bank transfer when the client writes a notification for a refund within 90 days from the date of forced cancellation of the flight. The notification must be sent by email to customer service with a special note. In this case, the money will be returned no later than 30 days from the date the airline receives your notification.

What documents are required to return a ticket?

  1. A notice written by the person whose details the air ticket was issued for. The notification contains personal information and details for transferring the refund amount. It can be submitted either at the airport ticket office or sent to the company by email.
  2. Russian or foreign passport. Its data must match the data of the electronic ticket for which the carriage was not carried out. You can submit either the original at the airport ticket office or a scanned copy by email.
  3. Itinerary receipt.
  4. Documents confirming the fact of illness or death under appropriate circumstances.

IMPORTANT: if a passenger is warned in advance about changes in flight conditions, he must submit a notification for a refund of tickets no later than 24 hours before the flight departure. This is necessary to cancel your reservation.

If not all required documents were submitted upon notification, the reservation will not be considered canceled and the airline has the right to refuse a refund for the ticket.

Ticket exchange

Pobeda Airlines rules do not allow ticket exchange. You cannot change the time on the flight date on the ticket, not to mention the route and flight. In the event of force majeure, either the ticket is burned or the money is returned. And a new ticket is bought.

It is only possible to make corrections to passport data if errors were made when booking tickets, and then for 4,000 rubles.

Thus, by default, Pobeda Airlines tickets are considered non-refundable. But if the air transportation of a passenger at the specified time and place did not take place due to the fault of the airline or due to a combination of extraordinary circumstances, then you can return the ticket and get your money back. To do this, you need to write an application and provide the necessary documents. All this must be done within a certain time frame, so the conditions for returning tickets must be known and studied in advance.

Airplane tickets can be returned and you will receive the full cost of the flight. You can also return the cheapest non-refundable air tickets, but get only part of the money. If plans change, a trip is canceled or a flight is missed, then knowing the rules according to which airlines are required to refund passengers the cost of air transportation, you can avoid losing all your money.

In what cases can you get a refund for air tickets?

The conditions for refunding plane tickets depend on the reasons. If the return of air tickets is voluntary and the passenger, for personal reasons, refuses the flight, then he agrees with the airline’s terms and fines. The amount that an airline will refund for unused air tickets depends on their fare. The cheaper the fare, the less chance you have of selling your tickets. If you are planning a charter flight, economy class, or purchasing a promotional offer, please note that if you cancel the trip, you will not be refunded the full cost of the air tickets, and you will have to pay extra when exchanging.

Refund of air tickets due to the fault of the airline

A passenger can return the full cost of air tickets in the event of a forced refund, which occurs due to the fault of the airline.

  • Flight rescheduling or cancellation for more than 3 hours.
  • The flight is not operating as scheduled.
  • Changing the flight route.
  • Failure of the airline to provide connecting flights.
  • Lack of space on the plane (overbooking or overbooking).
  • Delay of a passenger due to inspection at the airport (if during inspection no substances and items prohibited for transportation were found).

A refund of the full cost of air tickets is also possible in case of refusal to obtain a visa, in cases of hospitalization, death or illness of a passenger or his close relatives. Each airline ticket refund case is examined individually, requiring supporting documents: a certificate from the embassy or hospital.

Non-refundable air tickets

The hardest thing to do is get your money back for non-refundable air tickets. They are marked Non Ref (Non Refundable) in the “Restrictions” section, which means “Not Refundable”. Even if there is no inscription, carefully study the information “Refunds” and “Exchange” (Change), because by purchasing a ticket, you agree to the terms and conditions of the airline.

Non-refundable air tickets are non-refundable fares; most often they are sold through promotions and special offers. All airlines have such tickets, and this fare is especially popular with low-cost airlines: "", and others. It is prohibited to return non-refundable air tickets, but there are exceptions.

In what cases can non-refundable air tickets be returned?

You can get a refund for non-refundable air tickets in the following cases:

  • Illness of a passenger, a member of his family or a relative who is traveling with him on the flight.
  • Death of a passenger's family member or close relative.
  • Flight cancellation due to flight delay.

These cases must be documented before the end of check-in for the flight and medical certificates must be submitted to the airline.

For non-refundable air tickets, you can get a portion of the money back in the amount of the airport tax without a valid reason or documentary evidence. This is stated in the rules of the Air Code. The airline will not return an amount equal to the fare of a non-refundable air ticket.

How to exchange air tickets

A hassle-free exchange for another flight is rare and in most cases you will have to pay extra for it. The amount of the surcharge is calculated from the amount of the fine and the difference in the cost of tariffs. The rules are the same: the cheaper the air ticket, the more expensive it is to exchange it. Business class air tickets are generally exempt from commission. If you want to exchange air tickets, do it as early as possible and always before the plane takes off. Compare the terms of return and exchange - sometimes it is more profitable to return your current air ticket and buy a new one.

How to get your air tickets back if you miss your flight

Refund of air tickets if a flight is missed depends on the fare and rules of the airline. Most likely, the money for the air ticket will not be returned, or a serious fine will be deducted. As soon as you realize that you are late, immediately call the airline and warn about it. This way you will get back at least part of the cost of the air ticket - the airport tax. If you are late for check-in, but the flight has not yet been announced, run to the counter and try to solve the problem with the airline staff. Some air carriers make concessions and allow you to exchange air tickets.

How long to wait for money after returning air tickets

The exact refund period depends on the date of application, payment method and airline. If you ordered air tickets through a bank card, the transfer will arrive on the same card within 5 days to 2 months.

You must issue a refund for air tickets where you purchased them: on the website of the airline or ticket agency via the feedback form or by email. Prepare a copy of your passport, air tickets and details - the recipient's account, full name of the bank, BIC and correspondent account. If a letter or application is not answered within 3 days, you must call and find out the reason.

If you want to reduce risks, choose a tariff with flexible return conditions. Look for information about fares on the airline's website. The most favorable conditions for returns and exchanges apply to business class tickets, the most inconvenient are non-refundable air tickets. Do not forget that you can return or exchange air tickets only where you bought them.

New items in the country's air legislation. Practical examples of refunds for air tickets. Requirements of carriers and promises of intermediaries.

The relationship between the air carrier and the passenger is regulated by the Air Code of the Russian Federation, and more specifically by Articles 103 and 108 of this document. In fact, it all depends on the integrity of the airline and the demands of the client. And, of course, let’s not discount some agreements, thanks to which transport services protected themselves from the risks of refunds for unused tickets.

How does the state regulate the issue of refunds for air tickets?

According to Article 103 of the VC, the passenger has the full right to a refund of the amount for the “carriage fee”, which is specified in the contract. The money must be returned at the time of termination of the agreement. The law states that the carrier is obliged to notify about the conditions for receiving money for the ticket before concluding the contract. It turns out that the airline can still set some rules - to please itself, of course.

Now about Article 108 of the VK, point by point:

  1. The passenger must notify the carrier of termination of the contract no later than one day before the end of check-in for the flight.
  2. The refund amount is calculated as the cost of the ticket minus the costs incurred by the carrier.
  3. If the passenger notified the airline less than 24 hours before the end of check-in, the refund amount is reduced by 25% (for example: from 10 thousand rubles to 7.5 thousand rubles).
  4. The carrier has the right not to pay money if the client decides to terminate the contract of carriage after check-in for the flight has ended. It turns out that if you are late for the plane, you will be refunded exactly 0 rubles for your ticket. 0 kopecks.
  5. The agreement may be concluded with the condition of non-refund of the amount paid for the ticket. We are talking here about 100% non-refund of funds spent.

Of course, the state has provided for the option of forced refusal to transport by air due to the death of a close relative. But there are also “buts” here - you will have to notify the carrier 24 hours before departure, and the fact of death will still need to be documented. This exception applies to both refundable and non-refundable tickets.

How to return the cost of an air ticket purchased from Aeroflot

In June 2014, Aeroflot announced the introduction of non-refundable tickets on Budget and Promo fares. The message was made immediately after the corresponding changes in the RF CC.

The innovation also affected the “Optimum” tariff. A fixed penalty for returns was established (instead of the old 25%). At the same time, the company clarified that a warning about refusal of transportation less than 40 minutes before the established limit automatically transfers the ticket to “non-refundable” status.

The Aeroflot website lists the option of returning tickets on-line, that is, without visiting offices. To do this you will have to call the Information and Reservation Service by phone 8-800-444-5555.

The principle of working with clients is similar for each airline. To find out more details on how to return the money paid for your carrier’s ticket, please study the corresponding section on the company’s website.

Sales intermediaries: will they return the money you spent on an air ticket?

A fairly common occurrence: buying a ticket through an online intermediary, for example, Ozon Travel. Note that Ozon, like other similar companies, offer to buy a seat not only on Russian, but also on foreign flights.

We are asked to log into our personal account and click on the “Return and Exchange” button located directly opposite the order. There you will need to fill out an application, based on the points of which seats on the plane will be canceled and the refund amount will be calculated.

Ozon notifies that:

  1. Foreign carriers most often enter into non-refundable contracts.
  2. The sooner you submit your application, the greater your chances of avoiding maximum losses.
  3. Some airlines may refund money for an air ticket if a passenger is officially denied a visa.

The intermediary, as well as the airline, will transfer the refund to the account from which payment for the flight was made.