The Israeli government has approved a temporary amendment to their aviation law to allow airlines 90 days to issue cash refunds for flights that the airline cancelled between March 1-May 31.
Previously the law required a cash refund within 21 days.
The amendment also wipes out any additional compensation owed for cancellations and delays from March 1-May 31.
That end date can be extended for up to 9 additional months.
Note that Israeli airlines are still subject to the laws of the countries that they fly to.
It’s worth noting that the US DoT is not waiving their requirements to issue timely cash refunds for cancelled flights and airlines that fail to do so will face enforcement actions.
There is truly a logistical challenge when the number of people needing refunds is 50 or 70 times the norm. I do not like LY but many airlines found the sheer number of refunds challenging.
Nah, that’s just an excuse to hold your funds hostage.
Airlines are stopping their travel agents and online websites from offering refunds.
While I can see the benefit of slowing down the refund process, you have to admit that ramping up to issue refunds to 100% of booked passengers requires more manpower trained in this. Even if it is totally computerized there must be people trained in the procedure. Behind the scene of just hitting refund on the screen there is a process and people preventing fraud. There are always people finding loopholes in order to fleece any large corporation that is not careful.
Then again, LY actually had my wife sign a doubled receipt for a cc purchase for onboard duty-free. It was signed under duress, in a darkened cabin. LY was extremely difficult. Only when they came out and told her to get an Israeli Attorney and try to sue were they made to understand that my wife is an Attorney, licensed in the USA and Israel. They settled in minutes, still claiming it was customer service.
This is 2020. Not hard to refund everyone on cancelled flights in minutes.
They’re using customer money as a de facto bailout and 0% bridge loan.
Dead on!!!
Total nonsense. They are sitting on $100m in cash while people are waiting to get money back. AND ELAL is currently essentially out of business for now and laid everyone off. Luckily I paid with my American credit card and got my $ back.
El Al still claims they’ll refund me as soon as they have the refund staff operational again. Hm.
Travel agents and online booking sites are open and willing to process refunds.
El Al is blocking them from doing that.
Besides, they seem to also manage to bring in whatever staff they need for all these rescue flights and cargo flights… When it comes to making money, they know just how even if they’re closed. When it comes to giving money, oh that’s another story…
I booked an air france flight tlv-jfk thru paris using amex miles. flight was canceled & air france says that amex must give me the credit. amex says they can’t bec air france uses a different credit system. this passenger can’t use this ticket within the time frame (& is no longer based in Israel) so i’m hoping to get the miles credited. anything else to do?
Well I issued a complaint to the dot about my cancelled elal flight and elal just responded to the complaint the same that they already told me. refund when we resume to full operation. I emailed the DOT again about this. No response.
I had the same happen to me. How did you reach back out to dot? By filling a new complain? Any idea what there is to do next?
I disputed my credit card charge.
Let them fight it out..
Hi dan
I’ve been talking to chase travel every week since elal canceled my flights trying to get my points refunded so I can rebook with United but they keep telling me elal is not refunding them I’ve spoken to multiple agents and supervisors anybody have an idea to help me get my points refunded ASAP so I can use them for United
I had a terrible experience with Chase Rewards Travel. It’s seems to be a shell of a company. Not really a travel agency as they didn’t understand anything about different airports, dates…basic stuff. I complained to Chase Sapphire but got nowhere :(.
Posted on DDF 3 weeks ago
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=115440.msg2224411#msg2224411
That was just a proposal.
So the airlines with face discipline from the country
Yippee
El Al is on the verge of bankruptcy as it is
So they’ll get hit with penalties
Then what ?
Fares increase ?? It’s no win for passengers
El Al specifically isn’t worried about US DOT or they would have figured out a way to start issuing refunds already, once they basically all out closed the airport and even before then
is disputing the ticket charge, an option?
Dan, is there a discussion link or opinion you have on apartment rentals in Israel through a third party? Refund?
Dan, where can I find a copy of this law in english?
In light of Israel extending El Al’s need to refund to 90 days and possibly further (?9 months) is it a reasonable/viable option to start a dispute with USA credit card to have the money refunded, and not wait for El Al to respond? The credit charge went to El Al, not to the travel agent. Any downside to doing so? Thanks for insight on this.
Their website still says that all flights are cancelled through 16 May
Do you know their guidelines regarding canceling hotels? I have a booking for Lag Be’omer, but the hotel refuses to issue a refund.
Which hotel?
Are they even open?
Litov in Jerusalem. They claim that they open the hotel the coming Sunday.
Thanks a million.
I just forwarded this to my travel agent and B”H, he was able to get us a refund.
An article in The Times of Israel about the El Al bailout on July 6 said they owe customers $350 million in refunds. The entire bailout is $400 million – good luck getting our money back.