State Duma Deputy Sergei Leonov and Ilya Zotov, who chairs the All-Russian Union of Passengers (OOP) and serves as Deputy Chairman of the Public Council of the Ministry of Transport, recently sent formal letters to the ministry. Their aim is to stop airlines from automatically canceling passengers return tickets when a first leg of a round trip is missed. This initiative was reported by the newspaper News.
In their appeal, the lawmakers and social activists asked the Minister of Transport Vitaly Savelyev to consider new rules that would protect travelers who bought a round trip within a single booking. The key concern is that if a passenger misses the first flight, the airline currently may cancel the return segment, leaving travelers unable to use the rest of their itinerary. Deputy Leonov noted that many people end up buying new tickets because the return portion is canceled without their explicit consent or a clear plan to continue the journey.
Leonov explained the logic behind the proposal: airlines should not automatically cancel return flights for passengers who miss the initial leg. The first step would be to determine whether the traveler intends to use the remaining portions of the reservation. Only if the traveler signals a decision not to proceed should the travel documents tied to the booking be canceled. This approach would safeguard travelers who still plan to complete their trip using the other tickets in the same booking.
The authors also pointed out that some passengers were unaware of the automatic cancellation practice, which has led to uncomfortable and confusing situations at many points of travel. They argue that clearer rules are needed to prevent misunderstandings and to ensure fair treatment for everyone who buys a bundled itinerary within a single reservation.
When travelers file complaints with the Ministry of Transport, the ministry has stated that carriers may cancel reservations on any segment of a route under federal rules, but only if the passenger does not provide the necessary consent. The ministry emphasized that a traveler who wishes to continue on the remaining route must communicate this intention. In practice, passengers often discover that the right to preserve the return ticket hinges on timely notification, a fact that becomes problematic when instructions at the time of purchase are vague or absent.
Because federal regulations do not specify a fixed period for indicating the intent to use other tickets from the same booking after missing the first flight, Zotov proposed introducing a clear time frame. The plan calls for adding a defined deadline in federal rules within which travelers must inform the airline of their desire to keep the return tickets and for airlines to provide explicit information to travelers about the cancellation process. The goal is to remove ambiguity and create a predictable process that benefits both passengers and carriers by reducing last minute disruptions and unexpected cancellations.
In summary, the initiative seeks to establish a transparent, straightforward procedure for handling return segments when the first flight is missed. It aims to protect travelers who intend to complete their journeys and to ensure airlines communicate clearly about cancellation rights and timelines. This proposal reflects a broader effort to balance operational needs within the transportation sector with the rights of passengers who book round trips in a single reservation. The discussion continues as lawmakers examine how these changes could be implemented and what impact they might have for domestic travel policies and consumer protection rules across the federation. This coverage highlights a growing attention to passenger rights and the practical effects of booking practices on real-world travel planning. (attribution: News)
There is also a note that birds have been reported to collide with Russian aircraft more frequently, a separate issue reported in the same context. This reference underscores the ongoing attention to safety and reliability within the aviation ecosystem, which regulators and industry groups alike strive to address through clear rules and proactive measures for travelers in Russia and beyond.