12 Flight Cancellation Refund Rules Every Passenger Should Know (2025 Update)

4. Ancillary service refunds (Wi‑Fi, seat fees)

Rule summary: Paid extras that aren’t delivered must be refunded. If you paid for in-flight Wi‑Fi, seat selection, priority boarding, or checked-bag fees and the service wasn’t provided, ask the airline for a refund for that ancillary portion. DOT guidance covers these ancillary services as part of the broader consumer protection framework that demands honest delivery of paid services. How to claim: document the purchase and the absence of service. For instance, if you paid for Wi‑Fi but the aircraft did not have the system or the connection failed for the whole flight, keep the in-app receipt and a brief note about what happened. When you contact customer service, request a refund specifically for the ancillary fee rather than a generic compensation amount. Example message: “I paid $12 for Wi‑Fi on Flight [number] on [date]. The Wi‑Fi was unavailable. Please refund the $12 to my original payment method.” The clearer and narrower your request, the faster agents can process it. If an airline denies the claim, escalate with your documentation and the DOT citation.