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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has proposed revised ticket refund norms that, among several other changes, require airlines to issue a full refund or credit note if a passenger cancels a flight due to a medical emergency.
It also made airlines directly responsible for refunding passengers in cases where tickets were purchased through travel agencies or online portals.
The proposals are part of a draft regulation on “Refunding tickets to passengers of public transport companies”, on which the regulator has invited comments from stakeholders until 30 November 2025.
The proposal states that “an airline may refund ticket prices or provide credit in the event of cancellation of a passenger’s ticket due to a medical emergency.”
It also suggests that “in case of ticket purchase through a travel agent/portal, the onus of refund is on the airline as the agents are their appointed representatives”. The airline must ensure that the refund process is completed within 21 working days, he adds.
In addition, the aviation regulator has recommended extending the existing 24-hour period for passengers to change tickets free of charge to 48 hours if such change occurs at least five days before the departure date for domestic flights and 15 days before international flights. Previously, this window applied up to seven days before departure regardless of domestic or international travel.
Wheelchairs and ambulifts
Separately, the DGCA has also announced its revised norms for air travel for differently abled passengers. Key changes include allowing airlines to collect a wheelchair fee from passengers who do not have a disability. The move seeks to ensure that limited supplies are available to those who need them most. This is an important amendment because airlines have complained about the abuse of wheelchairs by able-bodied passengers.
A greater burden has also been placed on airports, which will have to ensure the availability of ambulance lifts for easier boarding and alighting of wheelchair passengers. However, where neither ambulifts nor aerobridges are available, the airport must provide a towing ramp. The rules were further watered down to also allow stepladders to be used where all the above facilities cannot be provided, to the disappointment of disability rights groups.
Airports must also ensure that there is adequate signage to delineate areas for use by the differently abled, such as cabin launch areas, which must be left clear for their use. In addition, airports should provide sufficient staff at these locations to coordinate with airlines. Airports have also been asked to provide differently-abled passengers with digital maps to help them navigate.
Published – 04 Nov 2025 21:16 IST
