In a big relief for Indian travelers, passengers may soon be allowed to cancel or reschedule their tickets without being charged if they do so within the first 48 hours of booking.
India’s aviation watchdog DGCA has come up with a proposal to benefit air travelers with significant changes in ticket refund norms.
Apart from this, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has come up with several other proposals to provide relief to air passengers, according to a PTI report.
Air Transport Facilitation: What has DGCA proposed?
Under the aviation watchdog’s proposal, airlines should provide a “look-up option” for 48 years after an individual books a ticket and offer a full refund if the ticket is canceled during that time.
“During this period, passengers can cancel or modify their ticket without any additional charges, except the normal prevailing fare for the modified flight for which the ticket is requested,” the DGCA said.
The proposal was made in the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) regarding ticket refunds.
The CAR proposal further says that “the airline will not charge any additional rectification fee in the name of the same person if the passenger brings the error to the attention of the passenger within 24 hours of the booking if the ticket is booked directly through the airline’s website”.
The proposed changes come amid a growing number of complaints and issues related to ticket refunds.
Besides, the DGCA suggested that if a passenger books a ticket through a third party such as a travel agent or an online portal, “the onus of refund lies on the airlines as the agents are their appointed representatives”.
The regulator further said that airlines must ensure that the refund process is completed within 21 working days.
Another proposal by the DGCA is for airlines to reimburse tickets or provide credit facility in case of cancellation of the ticket by the passenger due to medical emergency.
What are the exceptions?
The DGCA noted that the proposed ticket refund rules will not apply to everyone.
It said the facility will not be available for a flight whose departure is less than five days in case of domestic travel and 15 days in case of international travel from the date of booking when the ticket is booked directly on the airline’s website.
“After 48 hours from the initial booking time, this option is not available and the passenger must pay the applicable cancellation charges for the change,” as the CAR proposal states.
The DGCA has sought comments from stakeholders on the draft CAR by November 30. If implemented, the new ticket refund rules will come as a big relief to passengers.
