AIRLINE COMPARISON
Airline comparison for requesting
a tax refund on an unused ticket
Didn't take your flight and want to recover the taxes on your ticket? The procedure largely depends on the airline, the ticket type, the country of departure and the purchase channel.
Each airline uses its own wording: "Government Tax", "airport and security taxes", "unused airport taxes", "refund request", "claim form"... This is why we created premium guides for each airline.
Guides by airline · Message templates · Step-by-step procedure · No guaranteed refund
The easiest airline to deal with is not always the one that refunds the most, but the one with the clearest procedure. KLM and Vueling have fairly clear documentation on unused airport taxes or airport and security taxes. Ryanair refers to a "Government Tax" refund within one month of the departure date.
For easyJet, you need to clearly distinguish between the 24-hour cancellation and the tax request after an unused ticket. For Air France, the request generally goes through the official tools or "My bookings".
Ryanair, Vueling, easyJet, Air France, KLM: which procedure to choose?
Each airline uses its own wording and its own channels. This is why we created premium guides for each airline: the correct message, wording and channel are not always the same.
Definition: what is an airline tax refund comparison?
An airline tax refund comparison lets you compare the steps to follow depending on the airline concerned: who to contact, which type of tax to request, what wording to use and which mistakes to avoid.
Definition: why do procedures differ between airlines?
Procedures differ because each airline has its own fare conditions, booking management tools, forms and internal rules. A direct booking can also be simpler than a booking made via an OTA.
Key facts about this comparison
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Airlines compared | Ryanair, Vueling, easyJet, Air France, KLM |
| Situation targeted | Unused ticket, missed flight, passenger who did not board |
| Goal | Request the recoverable taxes |
| Full ticket refund | Not automatic |
| Message template | Yes, to adapt depending on the airline |
| Refund guaranteed? | No |
Quick airline comparison table
| Airline | Term to use | General procedure | Clarity | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryanair | Government Tax | Government tax request if the passenger did not travel | Medium | View the guide → |
| Vueling | Airport and security taxes | Contact Customer Service Center / assistant | Good | View the guide → |
| easyJet | Recoverable taxes / fees | Distinguish the 24-hour cancellation from the tax request | Medium | View the guide → |
| Air France | Taxes and fees | Request via official tools / My bookings | Good | View the guide → |
| KLM | Unused airport taxes | Refund request even with a non-refundable ticket | Good | View the guide → |
Ryanair
Ryanair states that its tickets are generally non-refundable if the flight operated and the passenger did not travel. However, the airline states that it is possible to request a "Government Tax" refund within one month of the departure date if the passenger did not travel.
Vueling
Vueling states that if a passenger did not fly, they can request a refund of the "airport and security taxes (JD)" by contacting the Customer Service Center. Vueling also states that if the passenger does not take the outbound flight, the rest of the booking remains active.
easyJet
easyJet states that a cancellation within 24 hours of booking may result in a full refund minus cancellation fees. Beyond that window, you need to distinguish between a ticket refund and a targeted request for recoverable taxes or fees.
Air France
Air France offers official pages to request a refund, a voucher or compensation depending on the reason. The request can in particular go through the official refund tools and the booking management area.
KLM
KLM recommends requesting a refund even with a non-refundable ticket, since a passenger who did not board can recover the unused airport taxes. The refunded amount depends on the route, the travel class and the ticket type.
Comparison by difficulty
| Airline | Estimated difficulty | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| KLM | Easy to medium | Clear mention of unused airport taxes |
| Vueling | Easy to medium | Clear mention of airport and security taxes |
| Air France | Medium | Structured procedure but requires the right information |
| easyJet | Medium | The 24-hour rule should not be confused with taxes |
| Ryanair | Medium to high | Very strict tickets, "Government Tax" wording |
Comparison by type of tax mentioned
| Airline | Term used or recommended | To avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Ryanair | Government Tax | "Full ticket refund" |
| Vueling | Airport and security taxes | "Full cancellation" if you want to keep other segments |
| easyJet | Recoverable taxes / fees | Confusing with the 24-hour cancellation |
| Air France | Taxes and fees | Forgetting the ticket number |
| KLM | Unused airport taxes | Confusing taxes with extra options |
Which airline is the easiest?
There is no universal answer. One airline may have clearer documentation, but the refund always depends on the ticket, the country of departure, the taxes actually paid, the purchase channel and the fare conditions.
From a practical standpoint, KLM and Vueling use fairly clear wording. Ryanair is stricter about the full ticket, but does mention the Government Tax.
Which guide should you choose?
| Your situation | Recommended guide |
|---|---|
| You missed a Ryanair flight | Ryanair guide |
| You did not take a Vueling flight | Vueling guide |
| Your easyJet flight has passed and you did not travel | easyJet guide |
| Your non-refundable Air France ticket was not used | Air France guide |
| You did not board a KLM flight | KLM guide |
| You bought via Opodo, eDreams, Expedia, Booking or Trip.com | OTA page + airline guide |
Premium guide pricing
Premium guides give you a procedure tailored to each airline, with a message template and mistakes to avoid.
Choose my airline's guide →Secure payment · Instant access · No guaranteed refund
Common mistakes when choosing a procedure
Requesting a full ticket refund
This is often the main mistake. If the ticket is non-refundable, the airline may refuse without specifically handling the taxes.
Using the same message for every airline
Airlines do not all use the same terms: "Government Tax", "airport and security taxes", "unused airport taxes"...
Forgetting the agency or the OTA
If the ticket was bought via Opodo, eDreams, Expedia, Booking or Trip.com, the correct contact may be the agency.
Forgetting the deadlines
Some airlines mention specific deadlines, such as Ryanair with its Government Tax request within one month of the departure date.
What our guides do not guarantee
- –that one airline will refund more easily than another
- –the same amount or timeline from one airline to another
- –that the airline will accept your request
- –that the full ticket price will be refunded
The refund depends on the airline, the ticket, the country of departure, the taxes actually paid, the purchase channel and the applicable conditions.
Independent site, not affiliated with any airline
Flight Tax Refund is an independent site. The site is not affiliated with Ryanair, Vueling, easyJet, Air France, KLM or any other airline mentioned.
Our guides are practical informational resources. They do not constitute personalized legal advice and do not guarantee that you will obtain a refund.
In summary
- –Not every airline presents its tax refund process in the same way.
- –Ryanair refers to a "Government Tax" with a one-month deadline after departure.
- –Vueling states that a passenger who did not fly can request airport and security taxes.
- –easyJet clearly distinguishes between the 24-hour cancellation and the tax request after an unused flight.
- –Air France offers an official refund procedure depending on the reason selected.
- –KLM recommends requesting a refund even with a non-refundable ticket.
- –No refund is guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions about the airline comparison
Ready to choose the right guide?
Compare the airlines, choose your guide and prepare a request tailored to your situation.
Useful sources
- – Ryanair Help Centre: Refund Policy / Government Tax refund
- – Vueling Help Centre: Airport Taxes
- – easyJet Help: Cancelling your flight
- – Air France: Refunds, vouchers, and compensation
- – KLM: Cash refund options / unused airport taxes
- – Service-Public.fr: refund of the airport tax and passenger fee