French Consumer Group Sues 20 Airlines, Including Royal Air Maroc, Over COVID Flight Refunds

The targeted companies are Air France, KLM, Transavia, Ryanair, Vueling, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Royal Air Maroc, Tunisair, Air Algérie, TAP Air Portugal, Volotea, Air Caraïbes, Norwegian, Air Austral, Air Europa, Air Corsica, Corsair and Air Transat, reports the magazine, which points out that European legislation provides that in case of cancellation, the traveler must be offered either a new itinerary or a refund. "The latter remains the rule, and can be in the form of a credit, but only with the agreement of the consumer," the European Commission recalled.

The association denounces these companies which, instead of letting the traveler choose, "make them believe that the particular situation of the pandemic only allows them to offer a credit." Others agree to reimburse their passengers, but "suspend payment until an undetermined date, or even after the end of the health crisis".

Last April, the association had put 57 companies on notice, before choosing to summon 20 of them before the Paris judicial court. The airlines defend themselves by arguing the "unprecedented liquidity constraints". On Tuesday on BFMTV, the French Secretary of State for Transport, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, said that "airlines have had to react in a completely unprecedented situation".