New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has proposed significant changes to its ticket refund policies, which could soon give Indian passengers the freedom to change or cancel their reservations without incurring additional fees within 48 hours of booking.
The aviation regulator’s draft Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) states that airlines must provide a “Look-in option,” which is a 48-hour window during which travellers can change or cancel their reservations without incurring any further fees (apart from the difference in fare for a revised flight). Bookings for flights leaving within five days (for domestic routes) or fifteen days (for international routes) of the date of purchase, however, will not be eligible for this service.
The DGCA has also made it clear that airlines cannot charge extra to correct a passenger’s misspelt name as long as the error is reported via the airline’s website within 24 hours of the passenger making the reservation.
The draft norms suggest that airlines finish all refund transactions in 21 working days in order to expedite the refund procedure. According to the draft, the “onus of refund shall lie with the airlines as agents are their appointed representatives” in situations where tickets are purchased through travel agencies or internet portals.
The proposed changes come after multiple customer complaints about refunds being denied or delayed, especially during the busiest travel times and the pandemic. The DGCA also recommended that in the event that a passenger cancels a ticket because of a medical emergency, airlines may either issue a credit shell or refund the full amount.
Stakeholders have until November 30 to provide input on the draft CAR, following which the final rules are anticipated to be announced, according to the aviation regulator.
