NEW DELHI — India’s aviation regulator has introduced a 48-hour free cancellation window for airline tickets and revised refund guidelines aimed at strengthening passenger protections.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said passengers will be allowed to cancel or amend their bookings within 48 hours of purchase without paying additional charges. If a ticket is rebooked to another flight, however, passengers will be required to pay any fare difference.
The facility will apply only if the scheduled departure is at least seven days away for domestic flights and 15 days away for international flights. The benefit is available exclusively for tickets booked directly through an airline’s official website.
The regulator clarified that once the 48-hour window expires, standard cancellation charges will apply. The revised Civil Aviation Requirements were issued February 24 and will take effect March 26, 2026.
Under the updated rules, airlines will not be permitted to charge fees for correcting a passenger’s name if the error is reported within 24 hours of booking, provided the ticket was purchased directly from the airline’s website.
For tickets booked through travel agents or online travel portals, airlines will remain responsible for processing refunds, as agents are considered their representatives. The DGCA said airlines must complete the refund process within 14 working days in such cases.
Refund timelines have also been specified more clearly. Credit card refunds must be processed within seven days, while cash payments made at an airline’s office must be refunded immediately at the same location.
In addition, airlines are now required to refund all statutory taxes and passenger-related charges in cases of cancellations or no-shows, even if the base fare is non-refundable. (Source: IANS)
