New Delhi: In a proposal that will gladden air travellers, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suggested that passengers should be allowed to cancel or amend tickets free of additional charge within 48 hours of booking.
The draft rules, released on Monday, underlines that airlines are ultimately responsible for ensuring refunds to passengers within 21 days even if tickets are booked through third-party vendors.
The proposed changes are aimed at addressing growing passenger grievances over delays in refund and unclear charges.
The draft document has been uploaded on the DGCA website, with the aviation regulator inviting feedback from stakeholders till November 30.
According to the proposal, airlines should offer a ‘look-in’ option to allow passengers cancel bookings within 48 hours of purchase without paying any charges.
However, there is a rider. This would be applicable only to tickets booked directly through the airline website five days before a domestic flight and 15 days before an international one.
“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,” says the draft norms.
“In case of purchase of ticket through travel agent/portal, onus of refund shall lie with the airlines as agents are their appointed representatives,” the draft states.
DGCA has also suggested that airlines will not charge any fee for spelling errors in passenger names, if requested within 24 hours of booking.
“Airlines shall not levy any additional charge for correction in the name of the same person when the error is pointed out by the passenger within 24 hours of making the booking, when ticket is booked directly through the airline website.”
