Airlines must compensate passengers for flight delays, says Raghav Chadha of AAP in RS | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party member Raghav Chadha on Tuesday demanded that airlines should compensate passengers for every hour of flight delay, saying delays of three to four hours have become common. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during a discussion on the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill 2024, which aims to eliminate redundancies and replace the Aircraft Act, 1934, Chadha argued that airlines are charging passengers thousands of rupees for allowing of excess baggage on flights.
The Aircraft Act has been amended 21 times so far.
“If there is excess baggage of even one kilogram, airlines charge passengers thousands of rupees but compensate us for flight delay of several hours,” he asked, urging the Civil Aviation Minister to create a mechanism where airlines compensate passengers for every hour of delay they cause.
“Along with this (the proposed compensation), a monthly summary of which airlines have delayed passengers by how many hours and on which routes should be issued,” he said.
He also raised the issue of lack of affordable food and beverage options and alleged that there is a duopoly in the aviation sector, with two airlines holding 90 percent of the market share.
Chadha further raised the issue of high prices of air tickets and said that air travel should not become a luxury trip for the countrymen.
He also addressed the issue of “overcrowding” at Indian airports, which led to long queues for passengers.