💶 Taxes & fees · Up to 3 years retroactively
Did not take the flight? Claim back your taxes & fees – free of charge.
If you were unable or chose not to take your flight, the airline is not entitled to keep the taxes and fees included in your ticket – as these are only paid by the airline when you actually fly. Passengers friend recovers this money for you.
No upfront payments and 100% risk-free.
💶 Claim back taxes & fees
📅 Up to 3 years retroactively
⚡ Fast & hassle-free
✅ No Win - No Fee
⭐ 4,4 on Google
OVERVIEW
Claiming back taxes & fees – The key points at a glance
Anyone who does not take a flight is entitled to a refund of the taxes and fees included in the ticket price. These payments belong to you – not the airline.
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Taxes and fees belong to you, not the airline – the ticket price includes government levies and airport fees that only apply if you actually fly. If you don't take the flight, the airline must refund these.
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Applies even to non-refundable tickets – even if your ticket was purchased as "non-refundable": the taxes and fees can always be reclaimed. Only the fare portion can be kept by the airline.
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Up to 3 years retroactively – in Germany, claims for the refund of taxes and fees only expire 3 years after the end of the year in which the flight took place.
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Airlines often resist – Passengers Friend enforces your claim – many airlines reject refund requests outright or pay less than owed. Passengers friend knows these tactics and enforces your full claim.
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Applies regardless of the reason for not flying – whether you missed the flight, were ill, had to cancel it, or another circumstance prevented you from flying: in most cases, you're still entitled to a refund of the taxes and fees.
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No Win, No Fee – just 25% on success – Passengers Friend reviews your case for free and works on a success-fee basis. No claim = no fee.
EASY WAY TO GET YOUR REFUND
No paperwork. No risk. No hassle.
Passengers friend handles the entire process – from the assessment to the payout. You only need to submit your flight details.
No Win – No Fee
Commission only upon success – you take no financial risk.
Only 25% Commission
Cheaper than many competitors – more money stays in your pocket.
Consequential Cost Reimbursement
Hotel, taxi, meals due to waiting time – we get it back for you.
Check your claim
Submit your flight details for free – online in 2 minutes.
We take over
Passengers Friend enforces your claim against the airline.
Receive your payout
Compensation paid directly to your account – with no further effort.
REIMBURSABLE COMPONENTS
What exactly is reimbursed? These components of your ticket belong to you.
An airline ticket consists of several price components. Not all of them may be retained by the airline if you do not take the flight. The following items are reimbursable:
Even with budget "non-refundable" fares, you still have the right to reclaim taxes and fees. The "non-refundable" clause applies only to the base fare portion – not to government levies and airport fees. Passengers Friend checks which amounts you are entitled to in your case.
How much are you entitled to? Find out for free.
Passengers friend analyzes your ticket price and claims the full refundable amount on your behalf.
CLAIM REQUIREMENTS
When am I entitled to a refund of taxes and fees?
In the following situations, you are generally entitled to a refund:
TRANSPARENCY
What may the airline retain – and what may it not?
The line between a justified retention and an unjustified withholding is unclear for many passengers. Here is the clear overview:
| ✕ What the airline may withhold | ✓ What the airline must refund |
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| Base airfare portion (for non-refundable fares) | Airport and handling fees |
| Refund processing fee (if applicable, up to €30) | Security fees & government passenger taxes |
| Fees for pre-booked add-ons (seat selection, baggage) that are contractually excluded | Air passenger duty (Germany: approx. €12–€58) |
| — | Environmental levies and CO₂ surcharges |
| — | Country-specific taxes (UK, USA, France, etc.) |
Many airlines fail to transparently display taxes and fees in the ticket price or refund significantly too little. Passengers Friend checks the correct amount and ensures you receive the full amount you are owed.
REFUND AMOUNT
How much is the refund for taxes and fees?
The exact amount of refundable taxes and fees depends on several factors:
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Flight route and destination – international long-haul flights generally have significantly higher taxes and fees than short-haul flights within Europe.
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Departure and destination country – some countries levy particularly high passenger taxes (e.g., UK, USA, Japan) – making claims especially worthwhile here.
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Airport and terminal – different airports charge varying fees for takeoff, landing, and handling.
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Ticket class – Business and First Class tickets typically contain higher absolute tax and fee amounts than Economy tickets.
On your booking confirmation or e-ticket, tax and fee breakdowns are sometimes listed separately – but often not transparently. Passengers Friend analyzes the exact composition of your ticket price and reclaims the correct amount.
Find out how much you are entitled to
Free check in 2 minutes – No Win No Fee
YOUR BENEFIT
Why Passengers friend – and not contact the airline yourself?
Direct requests to the airline's customer service for tax refunds often fail or are rejected. Passengers friend knows the right contacts and arguments.
| Contact airline yourself | ✈ Passengers friend | Do nothing |
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| × Often brushed off or ignored | ✓ Knows the right channels | × Money stays with airline |
| × Often unaware of the correct amount | ✓ Analyzes the correct amount | × Claim expires after 3 years |
| × No leverage against airline if rejected | ✓ Enforces your claim – legally if necessary | × No effort, but no money |
YOUR PATH TO A REFUND
How the refund process works with Passengers friend
Passengers friend makes the process as simple as possible. You provide the details – we take care of the rest.
Documents you should have ready
- 📧Booking confirmation or e-ticket with booking reference
- 💳Proof of payment (bank statement or credit card statement)
- 📋Cancellation confirmation (if available)
- 📄Any correspondence with the airline regarding the refund request
CUSTOMER REVIEWS
What our customers say
Google Reviews
"I had a non-refundable ticket and thought I had no claim at all. Passengers Friend explained to me that the taxes still come back – and recovered €87."
Taxes & Fees · Non-Refundable"Flight to New York cancelled – the airline only refunded a fraction of the taxes. Passengers Friend claimed the difference for me: an additional €210."
Taxes & Fees · Cancellation"I didn't use my return flight, but the airline simply kept the taxes and fees. Passengers Friend corrected that – quickly and effortlessly for me."
Taxes & Fees · Return flight unused"I had almost forgotten about the claim – the flight was 2 years ago. Passengers Friend still recovered €40 for the taxes. Very professional."
Taxes & Fees · 2 years backFAQ
Everything about taxes and fees when not taking the flight
Why should taxes and fees be refunded?
The ticket price includes various government taxes and airport fees that the airline only has to pay if the passenger actually flies. If a passenger does not show up, these costs are not incurred by the airline – meaning the airline may not retain this money. This applies regardless of whether the ticket is refundable or not.
How long can I claim taxes and fees?
In Germany, the limitation period is 3 years from the end of the year in which the unused flight took place. A flight from 2023 can therefore still be claimed until December 31, 2026. The sooner you take action, the better.
How can I claim the taxes and fees?
You can contact the airline directly – many airlines have a refund form on their website. However, requests are often ignored, rejected, or answered with amounts that are too low. Passengers friend takes care of the entire process: checking the correct amount, contacting the airline, following up, and enforcing your claim – even in case of disputes.
I only took the outbound flight of a round trip. Can I still claim a refund?
Yes. You are entitled to a refund of the applicable taxes and fees for the unused return flight. Some airlines also automatically cancel the return ticket in a round-trip booking if the outbound flight is not taken – Passengers friend can help in these cases as well.
How much does the Passengers friend service cost?
The assessment is completely free. If successful, we charge a 25% commission (including VAT) from the refunded amount – the lowest commission of all German providers. No success = no fee.
The airline has already refunded part of the taxes – is it still worth pursuing the claim?
Yes. Partial amounts are often refunded, while the remaining balance is retained. Passengers friend checks whether the refunded amount is correct – and claims the outstanding difference on your behalf. This is particularly worthwhile for international flights with high tax components.
