The airline is required to assist affected passengers due to flight cancellations and delays in accordance with the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 3, Series M, Part IV issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), titled “Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation of flights, and delays in flights.”
Under the provisions of the aforementioned CAR, the airline must provide the following:
Cancellation Compensation
In the event of flight cancellation, airlines must adhere to the following:
- Provide either an alternate flight or compensation in addition to a full refund of the air ticket.
- Furnish meals and refreshments to passengers already present at the airport, waiting for an alternate flight.
Delay Compensation
For flight delays, airlines are required to provide the following:
- Meals and refreshments to passengers.
- Offer an alternate flight or a full refund of the ticket.
- Arrange hotel accommodation (including transfers) based on the total flight delay.
Force Majeure Exemption
Airlines shall not be obliged to compensate passengers in cases where the cancellation or delay is caused by a force majeure event, i.e., extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline’s control.
Note- This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation Gen. (Dr) V. K. Singh (Retd) in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on 11th December 2023. Additionally, Public may check the facilities offered to affected passengers during flight disruptions through the airline operator websites as well. The same may be subject to changes in future. Public is requested to closely watch for any notifications issued by the Government of India.