Expedia and Lastminute.com have promised faster refunds for cancelled flights under pressure from the EU
Two major online travel agents, Expedia and Lastminute.com, They have committed to faster refunds for passengers for cancelled flights, following coordinated pressure from the European Commission and national consumer protection authorities (the CPC network). This decision comes ahead of expected new EU rules on refunds for multimodal journeys.
Key changes
🔹 Refund within 14 days
Passengers will receive refunds within two weeks of the flight cancellation. Agencies will be required to forward refunds immediately after they are credited by the airline – no later than within 7 days.
🔹 More transparent communication
Websites will more clearly display customer service contact details, explain passenger rights, and clarify the difference between basic and additional services. Special emphasis will be placed on explaining the impact of partial cancellations on refunds for multi-leg journeys.
🔹 Implementation deadlines
- Lastminute.com implementation begins on 1 July 2025, with full application expected by 1 September.
- Expedia it is already fully compliant with the new standards.
With this move, Expedia and Lastminute.com are joining other major OTA platforms (eDreams ODIGEO, Etraveli Group, Kiwi.com) that have already made similar commitments in 2023. This increases the number of key OTA players that adhere to European passenger protection standards.
The European Commission welcomed this agreement as an important step for consumers, particularly during the summer period when the number of flights is at its highest.
The Commission will continue to monitor implementation to ensure full compliance of all OTA platforms with the European Union's legislative framework.
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