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What to do if your flight is delayed or ticket cancelled; Know your rights as a passenger

  • If the boarding is denied to passengers against their will, the airline shall not be liable for any compensation in case alternate flight is arranged
  • In case passenger does not opt for alternate flight, you are entitled to refund of full value of ticket and compensation equal to 400% of booked one-way basic fare plus airline fuel charge
All you need to know about compensation your rights as an airline passenger
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First Published Jun 12, 2017, 4:04 PM IST

Passengers with confirmed tickets have been denied boarding at the last moment and if you have faced this situation or do not know how to cope with such an incident, here’s a guide that can help you exercise your rights as a passenger .

When you are Denied Boarding

When the number of passengers, who have been given confirmed bookings for travel on the flight and who have reported for the flight well within the specified time ahead of the departure of the flight, are more than the number of seats available, an airline must first ask for volunteers to give up their seats so as to make seats available for other booked passengers to travel on the flight, in exchange of such benefits/facilities as the airline, at its own discretion, may wish to offer, provided airports concerned have dedicated check-in facilities/gate areas which make it practical for the airline to do so.

If the boarding is denied to passengers against their will, the airline shall not be liable for any compensation in case alternate flight is arranged that is scheduled to depart within one hour of the original schedule departure time of the initial reservation.

Here’s what you need to know about compensation on being denied boarding

DGCA stand

If more passengers are expected to report for a flight than the number of seats available on a particular day due to overbooking, airlines can deny boarding even if someone holds a confirmed booking and reports well within the specified time. If you voluntarily vacate your seat, the airline will offer benefits or facilities at its own discretion. If you are bumped off against your wish, the airline is liable to pay monetary compensation in accordance with the DGCA’s provisions.

What to do when your flight is cancelled

The airline has to inform the passenger of the cancellation at least two weeks before the scheduled time of departure and arrange alternate flight/refund as acceptable to the passenger. In case the passengers are informed of the cancellation less than two weeks before and upto 24 hours of the scheduled time of departure, the airline has to offer alternate flight allowing them to depart within two hours of their booked scheduled time of departure.

Passengers who have not been informed as per the provisions contained in the above para, the airlines shall provide compensation in addition to the refund of air ticket in accordance with some provisions.

Here’s what you need to know about compensation on your flight being cancelled

How will the compensation be paid?

The compensation referred to in the graphs above shall be paid in cash, by bank transfer or with the signed agreement of the passenger in the form of travel vouchers

Passenger facilities when a flight is delayed or cancelled

The airlines has to provide necessary compensation or facilities, in case the delay causes to the passengers beyond the boarding time or if there has been a revision from the scheduled departure. The airline is exempt if the delay is due to extra ordinary circumstances.

Passengers shall be offered free of charge the following:

a) Meals and refreshments in relation to waiting time.

b) Hotel Accommodation when necessary (including transfers).  

c) Airlines shall pay particular attention to the needs of persons with reduced mobility and any other person (s) accompanying them.

 

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