Govt. working on ticket cancellation fee norms

TIL Desk/Business/New Delhi-Government is working on new norms with respect to ticket cancellation fee amid concerns that airlines have been levying high charges on passengers. “There are a lot of suggestions we are working on,” Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju today said in a response to a query on whether the ministry is formulating norms with regard to ticket cancellation charges and related issues.

He was speaking here on the sidelines of a function, where Airports Authority of India (AAI) National Skill Development Corporation and National Skill Development Fund entered into an agreement for skill development in aviation sector. The ministry is working on new norms for ticket cancellation, baggage and denied boarding, sources had said. Recently, domestic air passengers’ body APAI wrote to the ministry and the DGCA about issues such as adequate compensation to fliers in the eventuality of their flight getting cancelled or delayed.

After domestic airlines including the largest airline by market share IndiGo and government-run Air India hiked its cancellation charges, Directorate General of Civil Aviation had sought an explanation from the carriers over the issue. A total of 46,833 passengers were affected due to flight cancellations, delays and denied boarding, involving a compensation of Rs 1.33 crore during April.