Your Bulgaria Air refund is taking forever. Is there any action you can take?
You’ve made a refund request with Bulgaria Air due to a cancelled flight, and the wait for your refund seems to be dragging on. Perhaps you’ve received an update on the situation from the airline, or maybe you’re still in the dark. Regardless of your particular circumstances, one critical piece of information to remember is that European Union regulations stipulate that your Bulgaria Air refund should be processed within 7 days.
So, what should you do if the refund is delayed?
Bulgaria Air Refund Delays: Your Action Plan
Are you entitled to Bulgaria Air refund?
When an airline cancels a flight, they’re obligated to provide you with a refund.
Within the European Union, if Bulgaria Air cancels a flight, they must offer you a choice between a complete refund and an alternative flight. It’s crucial to comprehend that occasionally you can only receive a refund, but at other times you can receive both a refund and flight cancellation compensation.
Step 1: Reach Out to Bulgaria Air
Get in touch with Bulgaria Air customer support through their website.
Unless there’s a significant unexpected event, like a global pandemic, they should respond within a week. If a week goes by with no response, send a few more messages and repeat this process every few days until you get a response.
Step 2: Use Social Media to Contact Bulgaria Air
If your attempts to contact Bulgaria Air are ignored, resort to social media.
After several weeks of unanswered emails and WhatsApp messages, utilise Facebook and Twitter to get through to Bulgaria Air. Remind them about the 7-day refund deadline and refer to Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Article 5 and 8.
Step 3: Refuse Vouchers
Your Bulgaria Air refund should be returned to your bank account.
There’s no need to accept Bulgaria Air vouchers.
Step 4: Approach the National Enforcement Body (NEB)
Every member state of the EU has this institution.
Reach out to the NEB in the country where your flight originated. If your flight was from Germany, contact the Nationale Beschwerde- und Durchsetzungsstelle Fluggastrechte. For flights outside the EU, contact the NEB of the destination country. All contact details for these organizations can be found on this page.
Have a look at this here.
While this fourth step is the most effective, it can also be the most time-consuming. It often takes about 2 months for the respective NEB to make a decision. After that, you’ll have to wait for Bulgaria Air to process the payment. For best results, continue to make your presence known on Bulgaria Air’s social media pages and other communication channels.
Bulgaria Air Refund: When Are You Entitled to One?
EU regulations state that if Bulgaria Air cancels your flight, you are due a full refund.
If Bulgaria Air cancels a flight, they must offer you an option between rerouting (a free new flight) or a full refund of your ticket price. This rule applies regardless of why the flight was cancelled, even under extraordinary circumstances. It also doesn’t matter if it’s a last-minute flight cancellation or not.
Flight cancellation refunds must be processed within seven days.
Any delay by the airline in refunding the money is a breach of EU regulations, and you have the right to take further action.
What if You’re the One Who Cancels the Flight?
The refund process becomes somewhat more complex if you’re the one cancelling the flight. Here’s what you should know:
- Flexible tickets. If you’ve bought a flexible ticket, a refund is usually possible, but it’s always a good idea to read the airline’s terms and conditions.
- Non-refundable tickets. With non-refundable tickets, you often can’t get a full refund. However, airlines might agree to refund the taxes included in your ticket price.
- Travel insurance: If you have travel insurance that covers cancellations, you may be eligible to claim a refund from your insurance provider, depending on the reason for cancellation.
- Cancellation within 24 hours of booking: Certain airlines may provide a full refund if you cancel your flight within 24 hours of making the booking, as long as the booking was made at least 7 days prior to the departure.
- Exceptional circumstances: If you need to cancel due to exceptional circumstances like illness or a family member’s death, the airline may offer a refund or provide credit for future travel. However, this is subject to the specific policy of the airline.
Flight Cancellation Resulting from Exceptional Situations: Are You Eligible for a Refund?
Airlines are usually exempt from cancellation responsibilities in cases of extraordinary circumstances like severe weather, strikes by airport personnel (excluding airline staff strikes) or safety concerns. If your flight is cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances, you won’t get compensation from the airline.
Nonetheless, as per EU regulations (Regulation (EC) No 261/2004), if an airline, in this case, Bulgaria Air, cancels a flight, passengers must be given a choice between a full refund and an alternative flight. This implies that you are still entitled to a refund, even if the cancellation happens due to exceptional circumstances.
Remember, the refund should be paid within seven days. If there are delays in getting your refund, feel free to utilize the prescribed step-by-step strategy detailed above.
What is your experience with Bulgaria Air refunds? Have you ever received a refund from Bulgaria Air? Share your experience in the comments!
Featured photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich from Pexels