Monday, December 11, 2023
The airline is obligated to assist passengers who are affected by flight cancellations and delays in accordance with the regulations outlined by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 3, Series M, Part IV, titled “Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation of flights, and flight delays.”
According to these regulations:
I. In the event of a flight cancellation, the airline must either arrange an alternative flight or provide compensation in addition to a full refund of the airfare. Furthermore, the airline must offer meals and refreshments to passengers who have already checked in for their original flight at the airport while they await an alternate flight.
II. When a flight experiences a delay, the airline is obligated to provide meals and refreshments, offer an alternative flight or a full ticket refund to passengers, or provide hotel accommodation (including transfers) depending on the extent of the delay.
It’s important to note that the airline is not required to compensate passengers in cases where the cancellation or delay is caused by a force majeure event, which refers to extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the airline.
Information regarding the facilities available to affected passengers in the event of flight disruptions can be found in the Passenger Charter published on the Ministry’s website, as well as in the CARs on the DGCA website and on the respective airline’s website. Adequate provisions are already in place to protect the interests of passengers.
This information was provided by General (Dr.) V. K. Singh (Retd), the Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, in a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
Monday, January 1, 2024
