{"id":103758,"date":"2018-08-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-08-16T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelstartblg.wpenginepowered.com\/flight-cancellations\/"},"modified":"2025-11-04T13:55:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T13:55:04","slug":"flight-cancellations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelstart.co.za\/blog\/flight-cancellations\/","title":{"rendered":"All You Need to Know About Flight Cancellations"},"content":{"rendered":"

So, you might be wondering how flight cancellations work and what it means when you need to cancel a flight ticket. Perhaps, you’ve been thinking about what you’d do if you suddenly found out you won’t be able to make your trip. Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll show you the ins and outs of cancelling a flight and answer your most pressing questions.<\/p>\n

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Image courtesy of @mackie_photo_airplane<\/a> via Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Can you cancel an airline ticket?<\/h2>\n

In short, yes. Airlines do allow you to cancel a flight ticket but you should be careful. This almost always carries a penalty. By booking a flight with Travelstart instead, you have the option to choose from one of our three refund products (more on these further down). By adding one of these value add-ons, you can cancel your airline ticket and get a full refund of your airfare and taxes.<\/p>\n

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Image courtesy of @from_busan.jin9<\/a> via Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Can you get a refund if you cancel your flight?<\/h2>\n

Some airlines charge you a cancellation fee or the full value of your ticket if you decide to cancel your flight. These cancellation fees are dependent on the airline you use. In some cases, an airline will refund you your airfare, but not the taxes (which take up the bulk of the cost). Always read the fine print when booking your flights, this will usually tell you what you can and cannot do should you not be able to catch your flight.<\/p>\n

This isn’t the worst though. If you don’t cancel and avoid showing up for your flight, you won’t be refunded anything. However, some airlines may still refund unused taxes.<\/p>\n

In order to avoid all of this, take a look at our refund products.\u00a0If you use one, you can get a full refund of your airfare and taxes.<\/p>\n

With Travelstart’s flight cancellation protection<\/a>, you have the guarantee of receiving a full refund of your airfare and taxes if you cancel your ticket before the scheduled departure of your flight.<\/p>\n

Below are our useful cancellation products that you can add to your flight booking. Take note that you have to add them to your booking when purchasing your flights.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Cancel within 7 days<\/strong><\/a> product allows you to cancel your flight within\u00a0seven days<\/em> after you’ve completed your booking! You will then get a full refund of airfare and taxes for any reason. This product is only available for international flights<\/strong> and when the departure date is more than 15 days away. This product is not available through Flapp.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Cancel anytime<\/strong><\/a> product lets you cancel a flight for any reason 48 hours before the scheduled departure of your flight<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0receive a full refund of airfare and taxes. This refund option is only available for international travel<\/strong>. This product is not available through Flapp.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0cost<\/strong> of purchasing the Cancel within 7 days<\/em> and Cancel anytime\u00a0<\/em>products depends on your\u00a0cabin class and the details of your flight.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Medical Cancellation Refund<\/strong><\/a> product allows you a full refund if you suddenly get ill, there’s a death in your travel group, or you or a close relative gets admitted to hospital. A close relative according to the Travelstart policy is your\u00a0husband, wife, partner, child, grandchild, brother, sister, parent or grandparent. This refund requires proof, such as a doctor’s note, form for hospital admission or discharge, or death certificate. The product is only valid if you request a cancellation before your scheduled departure date. You can use the Medical Cancellation Refund product for both domestic and international travel. You can purchase it through Flapp.\u00a0<\/strong>Please note that the processing time of this refund is determined by the airline, not Travelstart.<\/p>\n

Medical Cancellation Refund Cost<\/strong>:<\/p>\n