Denied boarding ticket? Go home richer

Denied boarding ticket? Go home richer

OVERBOOKED FLIGHTS

Ashwini Phadnis for The Hindu Business Line

New Delhi, June 2 The next time an airline says it has no seats though you are holding a confirmed ticket and reported to the airport well in time, you could be going back home richer by between Rs 5,000 and Rs 12,000.

The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued draft guidelines that stipulate a passenger denied boarding is entitled to Rs 5,000 for flights of 1,500 km or less or Rs 8,000 for longer domestic flights. Similarly, a passenger flying over 3500 km outside India will be entitled to a compensation of Rs 12,000.

A passenger is considered as having being denied boarding when there are too many passengers and an airline does not have enough seats to offer.

Cancellation

In case of cancellation of flight, the draft guidelines say that the passenger must be given the choice of either refund of his ticket (with a free flight back to initial point of departure), or alternative transport to the final destination and meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation when necessary and communication facilities.

Refund may be in cash or through a bank transfer, the DGCA circular adds.

Delays


In case a flight is delayed by more than five hours and a passenger decides against continuing the journey, the airlines have now been asked to refund the cost of the ticket.

“We will be holding discussions with all the stakeholders including the airlines and passenger groups and fresh guidelines will be issued after taking their views on board. The consultation process should be over within a month,” a senior Government official said.

The amendments are being proposed to ensure that airlines provide minimum facilities to passengers in a liberalised aviation market.

Sources point out that while airlines do offer meals and refreshment in the case of delay in domestic flights, the decision to look at providing financial compensation is being examined for the first time.

The latest move comes months after the Lok Sabha passed the Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill, 2008, which increased manifold the compensation to be paid to an air traveller in case of death or bodily injury as also damage to checked in baggage.

While the compensation for death or bodily injury is proposed to be increased seven times to $1,40,000 approximately, the compensation for damage to the checked baggage is to increase from $20 a kg approximately to $1,400 per passenger.