Ministry of Civil Aviation asks airlines to provide justice to passengers in case of flight delays and cancellations; Guidelines issued

“A senior Civil Aviation Ministry official has advised all airlines and operators to provide justice to passengers in case of sudden flight cancellations and further delays. DGCA is also monitoring the complaints of passengers,” a ministry official told ANI. .

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New Delhi: Amid flight cancellations and delays due to fog and other operational issues, the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has asked airlines and operators to provide justice to passengers. In recent weeks, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has witnessed a major traffic spike due to the Christmas and New Year holidays.

However, the ministry has also received several complaints about flight delays and cancellations. “A senior Civil Aviation Ministry official has advised all airlines and operators to provide justice to passengers in case of sudden flight cancellations and further delays. DGCA is also monitoring passenger complaints,” a ministry official told ANI.

At a meeting with senior officials and airlines, including representatives of operators, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia himself asked operators to strictly follow the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) in terms of flight cancellations or delay and refund policies.

In December, the government issued guidelines for compensation to air passengers due to flight cancellations and delays.

Here are the guidelines:

In the event of cancellation, the airlines will either offer an alternative flight or provide compensation in addition to a full refund of airline tickets.
The airline will provide meals and refreshments to passengers who have already registered at the airport for their original flight while they wait for the alternate flight.
In the event of a flight delay, the airline is obliged to provide meals and refreshments, an alternative flight or a full refund of the ticket to the passenger or hotel accommodation (including transfers), depending on the total flight delay.
Airlines are not obliged to provide compensation in cases where the cancellation and delay are caused by force majeure – extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline’s control.
Facilities offered to the affected passengers in case of flight disruption are already available in the public domain in the form of a Passenger Charter published on the Ministry’s website, the DGCA website and on the website of the concerned airline.