Refunds for canceled flights can begin in 10 days and without inquiries the Ministry of Transportation and State Duma deputies are discussing new rules for refunds for canceled flights. Passengers will no longer have to write complaints and collect certificates. The assumption is that it will be enough to refuse the proposed alternative flight with one click of a button, after which the money will be returned to the ticket within 10 calendar days. However, the initiative has nuances. Experts warn that fully automatic refunds could create problems if there are mass flight cancellations. After all, it is often more important for the passenger to fly on a different plane than to receive money with which he will no longer be able to buy a new ticket. "The optimal option is when the system first offers an alternative route, and only if the passenger actively presses the refusal button, the refund timer starts," explained Natalia Kuchakovskaya, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, to Novaya Izvestia. Another problem is tickets purchased through aggregators. Often, airlines and brokers shift responsibility to each other, delaying refunds. According to the expert, the new rules should eliminate this situation. At the same time, the current legislation allows the carrier to consider a claim for up to 30 days. Without changing these norms, the promised ten-day period may remain only on paper. What should travelers do now? Save flight cancellation confirmation: screenshots, SMS or airline letters. If the card was purchased through an aggregator, submit claims to the agency and provider at the same time. Remember the deadlines: half a year to file a claim, and 30 days for the carrier's response. If the money has not been returned, contact Rospotrabendzor or the court. In some cases, it is possible to collect not only the cost of the ticket, but also a fine for voluntarily refusing to fulfill the passenger's requirements.

Refunds for canceled flights can begin in 10 days and without inquiries the Ministry of Transportation and State Duma deputies are discussing new rules for refunds for canceled flights. Passengers will no longer have to write complaints and collect certificates. The assumption is that it will be enough to refuse the proposed alternative flight with one click of a button, after which the money will be returned to the ticket within 10 calendar days. However, the initiative has nuances. Experts warn that fully automatic refunds could create problems if there are mass flight cancellations. After all, it is often more important for the passenger to fly on a different plane than to receive money with which he will no longer be able to buy a new ticket. "The optimal option is when the system first offers an alternative route, and only if the passenger actively presses the refusal button, the refund timer starts," explained Natalia Kuchakovskaya, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, to Novaya Izvestia. Another problem is tickets purchased through aggregators. Often, airlines and brokers shift responsibility to each other, delaying refunds. According to the expert, the new rules should eliminate this situation. At the same time, the current legislation allows the carrier to consider a claim for up to 30 days. Without changing these norms, the promised ten-day period may remain only on paper. What should travelers do now? Save flight cancellation confirmation: screenshots, SMS or airline letters. If the card was purchased through an aggregator, submit claims to the agency and provider at the same time. Remember the deadlines: half a year to file a claim, and 30 days for the carrier's response. If the money has not been returned, contact Rospotrabendzor or the court. In some cases, it is possible to collect not only the cost of the ticket, but also a fine for voluntarily refusing to fulfill the passenger's requirements.