DGCA relaxes air-ticket refunds: 48-hour free edits and free name corrections

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has amended air ticket refund rules to be more passenger-friendly. Passengers can cancel or amend their ticket without paying any additional charges within 48 hours of booking. They only need to pay the normal prevailing fare for the revised flight, and airlines must provide a look-in option for 48 hours after booking to facilitate this. The look-in facility, however, isn’t available for flights whose departure is seven days away for domestic travel or fifteen days away for international travel when the ticket is booked directly through the airline’s website. Beyond the initial 48 hours, passengers would have to pay the relevant cancellation fees for any amendment.

Name corrections are also streamlined: airlines shall not levy any extra charge for correcting the name of the same passenger when the error is pointed out within 24 hours of making the booking, provided the ticket is booked directly through the airline website. If the ticket was purchased via a travel agent or portal, the onus of refunds lies with the airlines as those agents are their appointed representatives. Airlines must ensure refunds are completed within 14 working days.

Cancellations due to medical emergencies—where the passenger or a listed family member gets admitted or hospitalised during the travel period—may be refunded or issued as a credit shell. For all other situations, refunds would be issued once an opinion on the passenger’s fitness to travel certificate is received from an airline’s Aerospace Medicine specialist or a DGCA-empanelled Aerospace Medicine specialist.

The overarching aim is to streamline refunds and enhance passenger convenience, reducing last-minute hassles and giving travelers clearer options when plans change.

#DGCAUpdate #AirTicketRefund #PassengerFriendly