Atlas Refund Service Scope
Last Updated: 7 July 2026
Atlas delivers a seamless, automated refund experience for bookings made on our platform. Refunds are processed in line with the applicable airline rules and Atlas policies. We recommend reviewing our refund service scope and policy before getting started.
Service Eligibility
Before submitting your request, please ensure your order meets the acceptance criteria:
Refund Type
Voluntary refunds, involuntary refunds, and special refunds (such as duplicate ticketing, denied boarding, compassionate ground illness or death-related refunds)
Refund requests that do not meet the airline's refund policy or are submitted without the required supporting documentation
Payment Methods
Bookings paid using Atlas prepayment or VCC passthrough
Bookings paid directly to airline using your own B2B account
Application Status
New bookings not previously submitted for a refund to the airline
You or the passenger have submitted a refund request to the airline (please contact the airline directly to follow-up)
Ticket Status
The ticket status is "Unused", "Not Checked In", "Within Validity", and within the airline refund deadline
The ticket status is "Used", "Checked In", "Suspended", "Expired", or beyond the airline’s refund deadline
Refund Application Guidelines by Type
Voluntary Refund
Before Departure
Please confirm in advance that the booking meets the airline’s refund rules and deadlines. If the airline policy does not permit refunds, we will be unable to proceed.
Special Note (Voucher Refund): Some airlines only allow refunds in the form of vouchers or travel credit if the request is made close to the departure (e.g. 24/48 hours before departure). In such cases, we will provide the airline’s official response and voucher usage instructions. Final outcomes are strictly subject to airline policy.
Post-Departure
For refund requests submitted after the scheduled departure time, a valid Airline No-Show Confirmation is required (e.g. a screenshot from the airline’s system showing “Unused” or “No-show” status).
If the required airline no-show confirmation is not provided, invalid, or cannot be verified, the refund request will be rejected automatically.
Where no-show status can be confirmed directly via the airline’s departure records, we will proceed without additional client input.
If no-show status requires manual confirmation via airline email, phone, or online customer service, clients must support the request by providing acceptable airline-issued confirmation proof
Final eligibility and processing remain subject to airline validation and policy.
Guide: Applying for Voluntary Refund
Involuntary Refund
Please first confirm whether the airline policy allows refunds for the specific flight change. If not supported, we reserve the right to decline the request.
We will verify the flight change information through the event logs, ticketing email and airline official website. If the flight change was not notified by Atlas, kindly provide supporting evidence such as a screenshot of airline's notification email/SMS. The refund request will be rejected if the supporting document provided cannot prove the flight change or does not match the airline’s record.
Force Majeure Disclaimer:
For disruptions caused by force majeure (e.g. weather, pandemics), airlines usually prioritize rebooking or issuing credits/vouchers rather than cash refunds. Final decisions are subject to airline policy.
Guide: Applying for Involuntary Refund
Compassionate Ground (Illness and Death)
Refund requests submitted on compassionate grounds due to illness or death are treated as special refund applications. Depending on the airline's requirements, you may need to provide supporting documentation such as a medical certificate, death certificate, proof of relationship, or other relevant documents. Documentation requirements vary by airline and the airline's policy will prevail.
Compassionate refund requests typically require manual review by the airline and may take longer to process than standard refund requests. Atlas will submit the request on your behalf and continue to follow up with the airline; however, we cannot guarantee the airline's review timeline, response time, or refund processing time.
Approval of a compassionate refund does not guarantee a full refund. Depending on the airline's policy, refund fees or other deductions may still apply. The final refund decision and refunded amount are determined solely by the airline.
Emergency Refunds
Refund requests submitted within 48 hours before departure will be treated as "Emergency Refund".
We strongly recommend contacting the airline directly via their official website or customer service to improve success rates and processing speed.
If you encounter difficulties, Atlas can assist by providing official airline contact details and communication support. However, outcomes are not guaranteed and remain subject to airline approval.
Airline Approved Refund – Request Atlas Payout (Refund Claim)
Eligibility
Applicable only if you have already submitted a refund request to the airline and received airline confirmation.
Required Documents
Please provide official airline refund proof, including:
Refund date
Refund amount
Refund transaction number (ARN)
Last four digits of the refund card
Note: ARN is a critical reference for tracking refund status. If the airline is unable to provide an ARN, it typically indicates that the refund has only been processed by the airline. The refund may not yet have entered the banking or card payment clearing system. Please continue to follow up with the airline for the latest refund status.
Refund Process
Atlas will process your refund promptly after receiving the funds from the airline.
Guide: Refund Claim Process
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
1. Service Commitment
We uphold our core commitment of "4-hour Processing Standard" ensuring:
Fast acceptance and proactive handling of refund requests within controllable scope
Transparent progress updates and efficient coordination
Actual airline review and refund timelines strictly follow airline processing standards.
2. Service Details
a) 4-hour Processing Standard
Standard Procedure: For standard refund requests with complete documentation that meet the acceptance requirements, Atlas will register the request, verify information, and submit the refund request to the relevant airline within 4 hours. The system status will be updated to “In Progress” with next-step details.
Note: Refund requests submitted on compassionate grounds (illness and death), as well as other requests requiring additional documentation or special airline review, are not subject to the above 4-hour submission timeline. Processing times may vary depending on the airline's review requirements and response timelines.
You can track refund progress in real time via ATRIP. All follow-ups are handled based on submission order and flight urgency without affecting priority.
Approval, review and refund settlement are sole discretion of the airline. We will continuously follow up and keep you informed.
c) Follow-Up & Escalation
Daily follow-up: Refund request status will be updated within 24 hours with next-step notes. If no airline response is received within a reasonable timeframe, weekly escalation will be initiated.
B2B/API channels: Direct airline contacts.
B2C channels: Airline escalation paths shared with you.
Issue escalation: If you need to escalate or have concerns, please submit it via EVA. We will respond within 4 hours with updates.
d) Rejection and Disclaimer
Rejection Proof: If a refund is rejected due to airline policy, we will upload full supporting evidence (policy references, screenshots, etc.). Such cases do not trigger Atlas penalties.
Rejection Review: You can initiate a review request within 7 calendar days after receiving the rejection notice, If the refund request result is obtained after this period, we will decline the application for a review request.
Long-term airline non-response: If no substantive airline response is received within 45 calendar days after multiple follow-ups and escalations, the order will be marked “Airline Unresponsive”. All communication records will be provided, and Atlas will no longer be liable for the refund fulfillment. You may choose to continue waiting or terminate the process.
e) Explanation of Ultra-Long-Term Refund Request
According to IATA practices, airline tickets are generally valid for one year from the date of issuance or from the first sector of travel. After the validity period expires, airlines usually no longer accept refund requests.
To prevent refund requests from remaining in a pending state for extended periods, Atlas will automatically close unprocessed refund requests based on the following criteria:
Atlas Refund:
The first flight departure date was more than 1 year ago; and
The refund request has been submitted for more than 1 month but has not yet been completed.
Refund Claim:
The invoice was issued more than 365 days ago; and
The refund request has been submitted for more than 1 month but has not yet been completed.
Once a refund request is automatically closed, Atlas will no longer perform further follow-up, manual review, or handle any related disputes for that request.
System Access
You can manage all refund-related operations via ATRIP, including:
Submitting refund requests
Uploading supporting documents (check-in proof, flight change evidence, etc.)
Tracking refund progress
Viewing airline responses
Viewing rejection reasons and supporting details
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