New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revised its Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) related to airline ticket refunds and introduced a 48-hour “look-in” period that allows passengers to cancel or amend their bookings without paying extra charges.
In a statement, the aviation regulator said that passengers can cancel or make changes to their tickets within 48 hours of booking without any additional fee.
However, if the ticket is changed to another flight, passengers will have to pay the difference in fare, if any.
This facility will apply only if the date of departure is at least seven days away for domestic flights and 15 days away for international flights.
The benefit is available only when tickets are booked directly through the airline’s official website.
The DGCA clarified that once 48 hours from booking have passed, normal cancellation charges will apply.
The revised rules were issued February 24 and will come into effect from March 26, 2026.
The regulator has also laid down clear guidelines on name corrections and refund timelines.
Airlines will not be allowed to charge any fee for correcting the name of the same passenger if the error is reported within 24 hours of booking, provided the ticket was purchased directly from the airline’s website.
In cases where tickets are booked through travel agents or online portals, the responsibility for issuing refunds will lie with the airlines, as agents act as their representatives.
The DGCA said airlines must ensure that the refund process is completed within 14 working days in such cases.
As per the new timelines, refunds for credit card transactions must be processed within seven days, while cash payments made at the airline’s office should be refunded immediately at the same location.
The regulator has also made it mandatory for airlines to refund all statutory taxes and passenger-related charges in case of cancellations or no-shows, even if the base fare is non-refundable.
