Tax rights
Most goverments charge either a set amount of tax per each departing passenger, or a ticket price dependent tax (i.e. more tax levied on more expensive tickets, for example business class tickets). The booking price always includes these taxes already, but the airline only has to pay the taxes after passengers who left the airport on their planes. They will – understandably – hold on to it if passengers do not make it to the flight until regulation is introduced that makes it compulsory for them to automatically refund it. In the absence of such regulations, this is still not a straightforward process. Airlines will commonly state that the ticket is 100% non-refundable, but this does not include taxes as they are technically not part of the ticket. You have the right for a tax refund irrespective of the reason for not boarding the aircraft, and the type of ticket you bought. Up to 25% of the price you paid when making the booking may be refunded – and for our TaxClaim service, we only charge the fixed €25 fee.
Keen to know more about flight tax refunds?
Read our brief, easy-to-understand overview below
Most goverments charge either a set amount of tax per each departing passenger, or a ticket price dependent tax (i.e. more tax levied on more expensive tickets, for example business class tickets). The booking price always includes these taxes already, but the airline only has to pay the taxes after passengers who left the airport on their planes. They will – understandably – hold on to it if passengers do not make it to the flight until regulation is introduced that makes it compulsory for them to automatically refund it. In the absence of such regulations, this is still not a straightforward process. Airlines will commonly state that the ticket is 100% non-refundable, but this does not include the taxes as they are technically not part of the ticket. You have the right for a tax refund irrespective of the reason for not boarding the aircraft, and the type of ticket the airline sold you.
Up to 25% of the price you paid when making the booking may be refunded – and for our TaxClaim service, we only charge the fixed €25 fee.
Check your eligibility
Go ahead and claim your refund, if these statements apply to you.
Check your eligibility
Go ahead and claim your refund, if these statements apply to you.
The taxes were included in the price
The price you paid for your flight booking needs to have included airport taxes. This is the general practice for almost all European airlines, and you can sometimes find a detailed description of what the price is comprised of in the booking confirmation, on the ticket(s), or in the booking system where made your booking.
You did not take the flight
You are eligible for the tax refund, if you did not board the plane. The taxes only need to be paid after passengers who take a flight from the airport. If you had multiple passengers in your booking, it does not matter if some had taken the flight, the rest will still be able to claim refunds because the taxes are always charged per person boarding the plane.
You are within the limitation period
Under the Montreal Convention, such claims can only be made up to 2 years later than the departure date of the flight. However, in many European countries, local rulings had changed the general practice regarding flight claims: in the United Kingdom for example, the limitation period is much longer: 6 years.