New Indian Airlines Rules: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has established certain regulations for airlines in India. These regulations help Indian airlines adhere to international standards. These regulations fall under the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR). Let us explain what these regulations are…
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New Indian Airlines Rules: In August 2019, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued new regulations for passengers who are denied boarding due to flight delays or cancellations, and for passengers who are unable to board a flight due to overbooking. This tightened the compensation requirements for passengers. If you are a frequent flyer and have experienced similar difficulties, you can claim compensation.
What are DGCA regulations?
The DGCA has established regulations for airlines in India. These regulations help Indian airlines adhere to international standards. These regulations fall under the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR). According to Section 3 of the CAR, if a flight is cancelled or delayed, or a passenger is denied boarding due to overbooking, airlines must provide all waiting facilities.
This rule applies to all domestic flights in India and all international flights departing from India, regardless of whether the airline is Indian or foreign.
The DGCA states that if an airline is unable to operate as planned, it must either compensate passengers or arrange alternative travel options for them. However, the compensation passengers receive depends on how far in advance they were informed of the cancellation and the length of the delay.
If a Flight Is Delayed
If you have checked in on time and discover your flight is delayed after arriving at the airport, airlines are obligated to compensate you.
If a flight with a duration of two and a half hours is delayed by two hours or more, a flight with a duration of two and a half to five hours is delayed by three hours or more, and a flight with a duration of more than five hours is delayed by four hours or more, the airline must provide free meals and refreshments during the waiting period.
If your domestic flight is delayed by more than six hours, airlines must inform passengers 24 hours before the scheduled departure. Passengers will also be given the option of an alternate flight or a full refund within six hours.
If any flight is delayed by more than 24 hours, or if a flight between 8 pm and 3 am is delayed by more than six hours, airlines must arrange hotel accommodation for passengers.
If a flight is cancelled without notice or after the scheduled departure time,
Airlines must notify passengers of any flight cancellation at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled departure time. Passengers should also be offered the option of an alternate flight or a full refund. If the airline fails to notify you of the cancellation and you miss a connecting flight booked on the same ticket, a full refund along with additional compensation is provided.
- For flights with a block time of up to 1 hour – ₹5,000 or one-way fare plus fuel charges.
- For flights with a block time of 1-2 hours – ₹7,500 or one-way fare plus fuel charges.
- For flights with a block time of up to 2 hours – ₹10,000 or one-way fare plus fuel charges.
If the airline has provided an alternate flight departing from another airport, the airline will also have to pay for the transportation to that airport. (If the alternate flight is notified more than 6 hours in advance, the passenger will have to reach the airport in person.)
Denied boarding due to overbooking
When a flight runs out of seats for passengers with confirmed bookings, this is called overbooking. In such cases, airlines seek volunteers willing to give up their seats in exchange for compensation or an alternate flight.
In such cases, the airline must provide an alternate flight for the passenger departing within one hour. If the airline fails to do so, it must pay compensation.
If an alternate flight is arranged within 24 hours – 200% of the original one-way fare plus fuel charges. If an alternate flight is arranged after 24 hours – 400% of the original one-way fare plus fuel charges. If you refuse the alternate flight – full refund of the ticket + 400% of the original one-way fare + fuel charges.
How to claim a refund or compensation?
To claim compensation, keep all your documents, including your boarding pass, ticket, and booking reference ID, as well as information records from the airline, and food and hotel receipts.
File a complaint on the airline’s grievance portal. According to DGCA regulations, complaints will be resolved within 30 days.
If the airline refuses to resolve your issue, you can file your complaint on the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Air Seva portal (airsewa.gov.in).
When is a refund received?
Cash payments are refunded immediately. Credit card payments are refunded within 7 days. If the booking was made through a travel agent, the refund will also be provided by the travel agent.
What is the benefit of a flight cancellation?
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), if an airline cancels a flight, it is mandatory to provide a full refund.
If the airline notifies the passenger of the cancellation at least two weeks in advance, the passenger can choose between a refund or a different flight.
If the airline notifies the passenger less than two weeks but more than 24 hours in advance, the passenger can still choose between a refund or a different flight.
If the airline fails to provide timely information or a connecting flight is missed on the same ticket, compensation and a refund/another flight will be provided based on the travel time.
How much compensation is given?
- Up to 1 hour of flight: ₹5,000
- Up to 2 hours: ₹7,500
- More than 2 hours: ₹10,000
The airline may choose to pay the base fare and fuel charges instead of this amount. Passengers also receive waiting facilities at the airport. However, if the passenger did not provide their contact details or the cancellation was due to circumstances beyond the airline’s control (such as weather, security reasons), no compensation will be provided.
DGCA Rules for Flight Delays
If a flight is delayed and passengers have checked in on time, the airline must provide basic amenities like food and drinks to waiting passengers.
These amenities become mandatory after this time:
Short routes – 2 hours Medium routes – 3 hours Long routes – 4 hours
Note: If a domestic flight is delayed by more than 6 hours, the airline must either arrange another flight within 6 hours or provide a full refund.
What is covered in case of a major delay?
If a night flight is delayed by more than 6 hours, or if the delay exceeds 24 hours, or if a night flight (8 PM-3 AM) is delayed by more than 6 hours, the airline must provide hotel accommodation and transportation to and from the airport. However, there are exemptions to this rule: if the delay is beyond the airline’s control (e.g., weather, political unrest, or natural disasters), hotel accommodation or other amenities are not required.
What benefits do passengers receive?
- Full refunds are mandatory for flight cancellations.
- Compensation for failure to provide timely information or missed connections is ₹5,000-₹10,000.
- Meals and drinks on delayed flights, and hotel and transportation for extended delays.
- In exceptional circumstances, the airline is not responsible.
