Air Arabia Cancellation & Refund Policy

Air Arabia has clear policies on cancellation and refund which differ depending on type of fare that was chosen during booking. On behalf of the passengers, it is important to understand these policies to ensure the passengers are able to control their bookings and make a better decision in the event that their travel plans are altered. The following is the description of cancellation and refund policy of Air Arabia.

Overview of Air Arabia Fare Types

Air Arabia has a variety of fare, which are Basic, Value, Ultimate, and sometimes Premium. Every fare type has its own rules that regulate the possibility of modifying, cancelation, and refund. Before making a booking, the passengers need to be keen on the fare terms, which directly affect the flexibility and financial performance in case of a change or cancellation.

Cancellation Policy by Fare Type

Basic Fare:

• As per the Air Arabia Cancellation Policy, there are no money back guarantees in case of cancellations made after payment.
• In case of a cancellation of a Basic fare purchase, the balance after any penalties charged is transferred as a voucher to allow future travel.
• Until 24-72 hours before the departure, the changes are possible with a fee (e.g., AED 200 or similar in local currency).
• There are no chances of modifications or cancellations within the span of 24 hours (72 in certain areas) of the flight.​

Value Fare:

• Just like Basic, refunds are not offered, although cancellations will be credited to a future reservation.
• There is usually no charge to make amends to a booking, which can be made one time, within 24 hours of departure, although fare differences are charged.
• Value fare can be cancelled at a small fee of cancellation fee (e.g., AED 100) until 24 hours before the flight, whereas no amendments and cancellations can be performed within 24 hours.​

Ultimate and Premium Fares:

• Ultimate fare is the most flexible option with a maximum two free changes until 8 hours before the departure and can be cancelled without any fee until 8 hours to the departure.
• Premium fare (in case available) enables payment of unlimited changes at no cost up to 8 hours before flight.
• It is important to note that Ultimate and Premium fares are eligible in Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) policy, which provides a partial cash refunds given in certain circumstances.

Refunds and Credit Shells

• Air Arabia also gives out a credit shell in the form of the remaining ticket value in the case of Basic and Value bookings, where the ticket value (less applicable fees) is refunded by the end of the allotted time frame. The credit has a duration of one year since the issuance date but it can be utilized by the original traveler only.​
• As per the Air Arabia Refund Policy, no-show passengers lose the entire ticket value and can only claim the taxes imposed by the government at their request.

Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Refund

• Eligibility: CFAR is only eligible on Ultimate fare types (on a limited number of international routes, Premium fare types). There are others who are not eligible to receive cash refunds.
• Refund Procedure: Passengers will have to cancel booking not less than 24 hours prior to the flight and file a claim of refund within 5 days via the relevant portal.
• Refund Value: According to CFAR, up to half of the base fare may be returned in cash (to a local bank account) and has a sector limit (e.g. USD 500 on international flights).
• Limitations: Refund will be done only on unused tickets, but not on partially used portions or no-Shows. After the partial refund has been done, there is no more credit or cash supplied.

Conclusion

The cancellation and refund policies of Air Arabia are designed in relation to the various types of fares, which affects the choice of the passengers greatly. Basic and Value fares are relatively less flexible whereas Ultimate and Premium fares are more flexible with the Cancel For Any Reason feature. Being conversant with such policies is important in planning travels.