Foreign airlines refuse to refund tickets of Pakistani travellers

ISLAMABAD: (Monitoring Desk): International airline companies have refused to refund tickets cancelled after suspension of international flights operation in Pakistan following coronavirus pandemic. Over Rs3 billion amount of the Pakistani air travellers is now stuck in the form of the cancelled air tickets.

The Travel Agents Association of Pakistan has demanded of the government to slap a ban on the transfer abroad of the foreign airlines’ profits. They said they were not able to file claims as the International Air Transport Association had suspended its system.

The foreign airline companies are now offering travel vouchers instead of refunding claims worth billions of rupees but the air travellers are now demanding their money. “If the amount is not refunded the crisis-hit travel agents will go bankrupt,” the association said.

The government had suspended operation of all international flights including chartered and private flights to Pakistan from March 21 in the backdrop of the spread of coronavirus. Later the suspension was also extended to domestic flights operation.