New charter to enable refunds on flight delays

New Delhi: Domestic air passengers will soon be able to avail refunds, along with additional compensation for delays, lost baggage and some relief from cancellations charges, as the government Tuesday put in the public domain a new ‘passenger charter’ for eliciting comments, suggestions before
notifying them.
However, the new compensation structure will apply only if it is found that the flight delay or cancellation was caused by the airline concerned. The new norms are expected to be notified by mid-July after public comments on the draft charter have been sought by the Ministry of Civil Aviation within a month. According to the proposed passenger entitlement, the charter proposes a ‘lock-in period’ for 24 hours after booking in which a passenger can “cancel or amend the ticket without any additional charges”.
Additionally, the draft document prohibits airlines and online or offline agents to levy cancellation charges that total to more than the “basic fare plus fuel surcharge”.
In terms of delays, subject to conditions, “when a flight is expected to be delayed for more than 4 hours” airlines will be mandated to offer an option of full refund.
“When delay is more than 24 hours from published scheduled time of departure and involves flight to fly on the next day, that is, beyond 0000 hours, passenger to be offered free-of-charge hotel accommodation (including transfers),” the ministry said.
On account of missing a connecting flight on the same PNR (Passenger Name Record) ticket number due to a delay, the charter proposes to fine the concerned airline Rs5,000 “for a delay of more than 3 hours”. Subsequently, if the delay is between 4 and 12 hours, the compensation will be Rs10,000. A delay of more than 12 hours will lead to a liability of Rs20,000 per passenger. Besides, passengers would be de-boarded, if the flight is stationed on the tarmac for more than 90 minutes plus with “no possibility of departure in the next 30 minutes”.
In case of flight cancellations, if the passenger is informed less than two weeks before and up to 24 hours of departure time, then the concerned airline will be asked to offer an alternate flight or to provide a full refund. Further, liabilities for baggage lost, delayed or damaged have been mooted at “Rs3,000 per kg for loss of baggage, Rs1,000 per kg for delay and Rs1,000 per kg for damage of
baggage”.
The draft document also mandates airlines to have seats that are “designated as acceptable for persons with disabilities free of charge, which will remain blocked until close to the time of departure”.