Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has proposed revised airfare refund norms requiring airlines to issue a full refund or credit note if a passenger cancels a flight due to a medical emergency, among several other changes, reports The Hindu.
It has also made airlines directly responsible for refunding passengers in cases where tickets were purchased through travel agents or online portals.
The proposals are part of the draft regulations on “Refund of Airline Tickets to Passengers of Public Transport Undertakings,” for which the regulator has invited stakeholder comments until November 30, 2025.
The draft states that “the airline may refund the tickets or provide credit shell in case of ticket cancellations by passenger arising due to medical emergency.”
DGCA proposes full refund for cancellations due to medical emergencies; invites feedback
It also proposes that “in case of purchase of ticket through travel agent/portal, onus of refund shall lie with the airline as agents are their appointed representatives.” The airline must ensure that the refund process is completed within 21 working days, it adds.
Additionally, the aviation regulator has recommended extending the current 24-hour window for passengers to amend air tickets free of charge to 48 hours, provided such a change is made at least five days before the date of departure for domestic flights and 15 days before international flights. Earlier, the window applied up to seven days before departure without distinction between domestic and international travel.
Wheelchairs and ambulifts
Separately, the DGCA has also notified its revised norms for air travel for differently abled passengers. Key changes include allowing airlines to levy a fee for the use of a wheelchair from travellers who have no disabilities.
This move seeks to ensure that the limited inventory is available to those who need them the most. This is an important amendment as airlines complain of abuse of wheelchairs by able-bodied passengers.
A greater onus has also been placed with airports, which will have to ensure ambulifts are available to enable easier embarking and disembarking of wheelchair-borne passengers.
However where neither ambulifts or aerobridges are available, airports have to provide a towable ramp. The rules have been further diluted to also allow use of stepladder where all the above mentioned equipment can’t be arranged, much to the disappointment of disability rights groups.
Airports also have to ensure there is adequate signage to demarcate areas for use by the differently abled such as cab drop-off points, which have to be left vacant for their use. Additionally, airports should ensure adequate staff at these points for coordination with airlines. Airports have also been urged to provide differently abled passengers with digital maps to help them with navigation.