No cancellation charges within 48hrs: DGCA proposes major airline reforms
What's the story
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has proposed major changes to air ticket refund rules, including a 48-hour "look-in" period. This will allow passengers to cancel or amend their tickets without any additional charges within two days of booking, per PTI. The draft Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) aims to make refunds faster, fairer, and more transparent for travelers.
Refund responsibility
Airline responsible for processing refunds
The proposed rules also state that if tickets are booked through travel agents or online portals, the airline will be responsible for processing refunds. This is because agents are considered authorized representatives of the airlines. The DGCA has mandated that airlines complete this refund process within 21 working days. These changes come in response to increasing passenger complaints about delays and unclear policies related to refunds.
Name correction
No extra charge for correcting name within 24 hours
The draft CAR also proposes no additional charge for correcting a passenger's name if the error is pointed out within 24 hours of booking through an airline's website. Furthermore, airlines shall provide a 'Look-in option' for a period of 48 hours after booking a ticket. "During this period, passengers can cancel or amend the ticket without any additional charges, except for the normal prevailing fare for the revised flight for which the ticket is sought to be amended," it said.
Public feedback
Stakeholders can share comments until November 30
This service, however, will not be available for flights departing within five days for domestic flights and 15 days for international flights from the date of booking. "Beyond 48 hours of initial booking time, this option is not available and the passenger has to pay the relevant cancellation fees for amendment," the draft CAR said. The DGCA has invited public and stakeholder comments on the draft CAR until November 30.