Passengers may soon get refund for flight delays

A flier may not lose a single rupee if he cancels his ticket within 24 hours of booking and his date of travel is beyond four days. He could also get a full refund for a flight delayed beyond four hours.

These are part of the Draft Air Passenger Charter released by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday. The ministry has invited comments from public for one month and will notify the charter later.

According to the draft, if the flight is expected to be delayed for more than four hours from the published scheduled time of departure or previously revised departure time (communicated more than 24 hours prior to original scheduled departure time), airlines can offer an option of full refund of ticket to the passenger.

When the delay is more than 24 hours from published scheduled time of departure and involves flight to fly on the next day, i.e. beyond 0000 hours, passengers have to be offered free-of-charge hotel accommodation (including transfers).

If one misses a connecting flight due to delay, the charter proposes a compensation of Rs 5,000 to the flier for a three-hour delay and if it is between 4-12 hours, one could get Rs 10,000. If the delay is more than 12 hours, the airline may have to shell out Rs 20,000.

According to the draft, free-of-charge hot snacks and beverages are to be provided to the passengers if the flight is stationed on the tarmac for more than 60 minutes. Fliers will have to be de-boarded if the delay extends beyond two hours.

On cancellation, it said, if the passenger is informed less than two weeks before and up to 24 hours of the scheduled departure time, the airline must offer an alternative flight allowing the passenger to depart within two hours of the booked scheduled departure time or refund the ticket, as acceptable to the passenger. In case the passenger is not informed up to 24 hours of the scheduled departure time, the airlines must refund the full value of the air ticket.

For baggage loss, delay or damage, the minimum compensation will be: Rs 3,000 per kg for loss of baggage, Rs 1,000 per kg for delay and Rs 1,000 per kg for damage of baggage for both international and domestic services.

The draft also said the airline should not levy any additional charge for correction in name of the same person when name correction is required by up to three characters only and when error in the spelling is pointed out by the passenger to the airline within 24 hours of making a reservation.

It also wanted the airlines to print cancellation charges prominently in the ticket itself "in a minimum font size of 12 and not as fine print". This information must also be provided as part of the reservation and ticket documentation.