Airlines face legal action over failure to refund taxes on cancelled tickets

AIRLINES which fail to repay Government taxes and airport charges to passengers who buy tickets but do not travel may soon face a legal challenge to force them to offer such refunds.

The National Consumer Agency said yesterday that it was considering taking a High Court challenge against airlines which persist in obstructing travellers in getting refunded money to which they are entitled. Airlines including Ryanair and Aer Lingus have been accused of imposing high administration charges to deter passengers who cancel their flights from reclaiming airport taxes and other charges.

A survey by a British consumer watchdog in 2007 expressed concern that administration fees charged by many airlines bore no relation to the actual cost of processing claims for such refunds.