Air France cancellation policy seems to violate EU261
Air France states that for COVID-19 related cancellations:
"... or complete the online form below to obtain a travel voucher. This voucher is valid for 1 year on all Air France, KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic flights. This voucher will be refundable after one year if it is not used."
That seems like a ploy to circumvent EU261 regulations which I believe require a full refund in cases of cancellations. Air France is offering sort of a refund but with one year delay built in.
Background: we have an US<->India ticket booked on Expedia with an Air France ticket. We obviously can't fly this and some legs have already been cancelled anyway. We like a full refund, not airline credit.
Question: What's the best strategy to approach this? We shouldn't really call Expedia until 72-hours before departure, Air France says "call your travel agent" and I'm worried that Expedia will simply say "airline is offering credit: take it or leave it. EU261 is not our problem". Does anyone have some experience with Air France cancellations recently?
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Is Air France giving refunds for Cancelled flights?
Only the last one allows cancellation by the individual with an automatic refund. Air France is currently offering changes and refunds free of charge and without a reason, until the day of departure, for all tickets purchased before February 1, 2022, for travel before June 30, 2022.Are airlines reimbursing for Cancelled flights?
The airline is required to compensate you for a canceled flight if you were notified less than 14 days before your original scheduled departure date. However, compensation is not required if the airline proves that extraordinary circumstances (e.g., weather) caused the cancellation.Can I cancel my Air France flight?
Air France Cancellation Fee of $100 to $500 is applicable if ticket cancellation requests are made after 24 hours as a risk-free cancellation. If you cancel your Air France flight within 24 hours from the scheduled departure of your flight, then a fee of $100 to $400 will be charged as an Air France cancellation fee.Air France Cancellation Policy 24 Hours | Refund Policy | Flight Change 2020 Update
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