When the passenger is not allowed to enter a plane for health reasons, such as infection with COVID-19, the carrier does not have additional obligations toward this. In a response to an inquiry made by IPN, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), making reference to the Civil Code, says the ticket is the confirmation of the transport contract. The nonfulfillment of the obligation by the carrier is justified if it is due to an impediment outside the carrier’s control, as in the case when a passenger cannot travel for health reasons.
As the transport contract varies from one airline to another, the CAA recommends buying a plane ticket after having the negative result of the COVID-19 test and after familiarizing oneself with the information in the Travel Advisory section on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. It also recommends all the passengers to administer a vaccine against COVID-19 and to have an appropriate confirming document.
If circumstances from the sphere of the carrier appear, about which the passengers could not know, or, if they had known about them, they wouldn’t have bought a ticket, the passenger can ask for the termination of the transport contract and the money for the ticket is paid back without delay.
If the passengers consider that damage to them was caused somehow, they can file a complaint with the claims to the airline, accompanied by the medical certificate or another document.
In a response for IPN, Flyone airline says that if the passenger is confirmed with COVID-19, the date of the flight is changed or the price of ticket is refunded in accordance with the tariff rule chosen by the passenger when paying for the ticket. “If the tariff paid from the passenger’s ticket does not envision the possibility of refunding the money or modifying the date, we suggest that the passenger should write a complaint and include all the necessary confirming documents. The Complaints Department will analyze the situation and will provide an alternative to the passenger,” stated the airline.
Air Moldova was also asked to provide details, but hasn’t responded to IPN’s inquiry by the moment the article was published.
