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Consumer Lawyer Jeff Orenstein defends Canadian Travellers for Refunds on CBC News

Mar 26, 2020
On CBC News:

Consumer lawyer Jeff Orenstein says airlines can't force travellers who want refunds to take credit, because businesses have a legal responsibility to refund customers in the same method they paid.

Travel credits don't have the same value as a cash refund, he said, since the airlines are not offering price guarantees and because they force passengers to book with a specific airline — instead of being able to shop around for the best price when they plan to fly again.

"I think [travel credits] are considerably less valuable than what people paid with. By not offering the cash back, the airlines are going to get unjustly enriched because of it, and I don't think that is what the law requires them to do in these circumstances," Orenstein said.

Read the full article:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/passengers-grounded-covid-19-air-canada-westjet-sunwing-1.5510105