Are there any airlines which refund fare (including economy class) fully in case you don't get visa?
I'm an Indian. I'm planning to book a journey from Mumbai to Johannesburg, South Africa and back (conference visa). I looked at refundable tickets, while they are priced higher, they give you half your money back, for instance if the to and fro flight costs INR 40,000 they give you INR 20,000 . But this is if you are cancelling for some reason.
What if you have to cancel because your visa application or the transit visa application got rejected. As far as I understand the procedure is :-
a. Buy airline tickets
b. Apply for Visa
c. Wait between 1-6 weeks to get update about your visa application, for both visa and transit visa (although transit visa should be shorter I guess.)
d. If visa is granted then move on to planning other things about the trip.
Now in case, if the visa application fails (for whatever reason ) what recourse does the traveler have ?
Are there any airlines who are better understanding than others about this situation ?
In non-refundable tickets, I guess that all is lost or is there some way to save money there too.
Lastly, I read travel insurance can help in this case. How does travel insurance help in the above scenario ?
Edit :- One of the pre-conditions of getting the visa is
Proof of a Valid Return or onward ticket or purchase of ticket. This is from vfsglobal_Form
Best Answer
There are some airlines that offer refunds based on visa status; however you may be able to book a fare that is fully refundable.
Generally, the cheapest fares have the most restrictions. The most you can do if you end up purchasing such a fare and the visa is rejected is to pay to have the ticket transferred into someone else's name. There is usually a cost for this.
Are you sure the embassy requires a fully paid ticket? I only know of the Malaysian Embassy that requires a fully paid ticket. Schengen visas require a reservation only, so does the US.
The South African Embassy in Kuwait requires:
Copy of a valid return air flight ticket or proof of reservation thereof (for all legs of travel)
You'll notice that the same is mentioned in your quote:
Proof of a Valid Return or onward ticket or purchase of ticket.
Your best friend here is a travel agent, they can provide you a confirmed reservation which is all that is required.
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Can I get a refund on an economy as ticket?
Basic Economy tickets are not eligible for changes, but are eligible for a full refund inside 24 hours of booking as long as you completed your purchase one week or more before the original scheduled departure flight. If your ticket qualifies, you can go to My Trips to cancel your reservation and receive a refund.Can you get full refund from airlines?
Some airlines charge a fee to issue a refund, while others have a strict cancellation policy. Most airlines have a full refund policy if you cancel your flight within 24 hours of booking.Can you get a refund on international flights?
But U.S. travelers have rights in these cases: If you booked a flight that takes off or lands at a U.S. airport, even if the airline is international, DOT regulations require airlines who cancel (or significantly change) a flight to make cash refunds available to customers.How do I get a refund on my full ticket?
Steps to request for a refundAirline Refunds - Flight Cancelled? Know Your Rights!
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