Draft proposal brings relief to air passengers

As travel became a part of everyday life and people began exploring the world more, air travel also became common for ordinary people. Today, anything related to flying affects not just expatriates but also business travellers, tourists, and families. Usually, during festival seasons or holiday periods, when the number of passengers increases, we only hear about high airfares. But now, there is some good news for passengers- the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has released a draft proposal to make ticket booking and cancellation rules more flexible, offering relief and hope to travellers.

The main change is that passengers will not have to pay any extra charge if they cancel or change their flight within 48 hours of booking. In other words, if a traveller needs to cancel the ticket or change the travel date within two days of booking, no money will be lost. Often, such last-minute changes happen due to emergencies like a death in the family, accidents, or surgeries. These new rules would be a big relief for passengers during such unavoidable situations.

Currently, airline tickets generally fall under two categories- Saver Fare and Flexi Fare. Saver fares, which are usually cheaper, are offered by budget airlines and do not allow cancellations or date changes. Flexi fares, on the other hand, allow these changes but involve a fee- around Rs 500 to Rs 1000 for domestic flights and Rs 2000 to Rs 5000 for international flights. Only the remaining amount is refunded. Under the new rule, if the cancellation happens within 48 hours, the full amount will be refunded. However, this benefit will apply only to tickets booked through the airline's official website. Many passengers, especially those travelling to Gulf countries, usually book through travel agencies or other websites. If the DGCA extends this benefit to them as well, the new rule will become even more popular.

At the same time, the draft says that free cancellation or date change will not apply to passengers who book domestic tickets less than five days before travel or international tickets within 15 days of the journey, since there would be little chance of rebooking those seats. Another change reduces the refund waiting period from 30 days to 21 days, making it the airline’s responsibility to ensure timely payment. Overall, these new rules are expected to greatly improve passenger rights, addressing long-standing complaints that airlines rarely prioritise customer interests. Finally, it is important that the DGCA amends the rule to include passengers who book through travel agents or third-party websites, ensuring that everyone can enjoy the no-extra-charge benefit, and that the new policy comes into effect as soon as possible.