The DGCA has proposed new changes to the air ticket refund rules. These changes are intended to provide better protection for passengers. They also aim to make the refund process faster, fairer, and more transparent.
Draft amendments to the Civil Aviation Requirement pertaining to air ticket refunds have been proposed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to enhance passenger protection and streamline the refund procedure.
One of the main planned improvements is that, under certain circumstances, travellers can change or cancel a reservation within 48 hours of purchase without paying extra cancellation or modification fees. If the updated reservation is more expensive, passengers will still be responsible for the fee difference.
The “look-in” window, however, would not apply if the flight departs within 5 days for domestic trips or 15 days for international journeys of the booking date.
Another significant proposal is that airlines must complete refunds within 21 working days if the ticket is purchased through a travel agent or online portal. Under the draft rule, if a booking is made via an agent, the airline — as the principal carrier — is responsible for processing the refund rather than passing the liability to the agent.
Additional proposed protections include:
- No extra charge for correcting a passenger’s name on the booking if the mistake is reported within 24 hours of ticketing (when booked directly with the airline).
- Publication of clear cancellation and refund terms by airlines, including any caps on charges and prohibiting extra processing fees.
- Full refund of applicable taxes and fees in cases of ticket cancellation or non-utilisation due to delays, flight changes or medical emergencies.
The DGCA has invited comments from stakeholders on the draft revisions by the end of November and plans to finalise rules thereafter. The overhaul comes in response to rising complaints by travellers about delayed refunds and unclear cancellation rules.
This means greater flexibility to change travel plans shortly after booking, and faster access to refund for the passengers. For airlines and travel agents, the proposed rules will require updates to booking systems, clearer upfront disclosure of policies, and tighter coordination to manage refund workflows.
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