Earlier today the DoT issued an enforcement notice that airlines must provide a full refund and not a travel voucher for cancelled flights. A lot of readers have had to take these vouchers while they pursue a refund, if that’s you then I’d strongly encourage you to reach out to the airlines involved and point them towards the enforcement notice & ask for a full refund. The enforcement notice states:
the Aviation Enforcement Office will refrain from pursuing an enforcement action against a carrier that provided passengers vouchers for future travel in lieu of refunds for cancelled or significantly delayed flights during the COVID-19 public health emergency so long as: (1) the carrier contacts, in a timely manner, the passengers provided vouchers for flights that the carrier cancelled or significantly delayed to notify those passengers that they have the option of a refund; (2) the carrier updates its refund policies and contract of carriage provisions to make clear that it provides refunds to passengers if the carrier cancels a flight or makes a significant schedule change; and (3) the carrier reviews with its personnel, including reservationists, ticket counter agents, refund personnel, and other customer service professionals, the circumstances under which refunds should be made.
My recommendation is to not wait for the carrier to contact you and instead contact them directly and ASAP to get your full refund.
