It is a regular practice for airlines to downgrade their passengers, but now, passengers will be given a full refund for this and a free seat in the next available class!
The new rules have been proposed by India’s civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Passengers To Be Given Full Refund And Free Seat If Downgraded By Airlines
According to new regulations proposed by India’s civil aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, passengers downgraded by airlines – for example, from premium economy to economy class seats – will now receive a full refund and a free seat in the next available class (DGCA).
The aviation regulator reported seeing a number of instances where passengers were downgraded (to a lower class) at the time of check-in for a variety of reasons, including unusable seats, a change of aircraft, and overbooking.
As per a statement, “In view of rapid expansion of air services within India and on international routes to / from India and with the increase in volume of passenger traffic, it has been noticed that sometimes airlines downgrade passengers (tickets)…..In order to cater to such situations, the DGCA is in the process of amending its Civil Aviation Requirement… to protect the rights of air travellers affected.”
The proposal will go through stakeholder consultation, and after that, the final regulation will be published and put into effect.
How Are Passengers Compensated Now?
As of now, depending on the circumstance, passengers who are denied boarding are compensated by the airlines.
As long as the airline schedules a replacement flight within an hour of the original departure time, there is no compensation if an airline refuses to board a confirmed booking. A passenger must pay a fee of 200 percent of the one-way fare plus fuel charges, up to a maximum of Rs 10,000, if the alternate flight is scheduled within 24 hours of the original departure. If the alternate flight is more than 24 hours after the original departure, the compensation will be limited to Rs 20,000 and comprise 400 percent of the one-way fare plus fuel charges.
If a passenger chooses not to take a different flight, the airline in question is required to issue a full refund, 400% of the one-way fare plus the fuel surcharge, up to a maximum of Rs 20,000.
If there has been an overbooking, the airline may request volunteers in exchange for rewards.
Compensations are limited to a maximum of Rs 5000–10,000 when an airline cancels a flight with less than 24 hours to go before takeoff, depending on how many hours are left in the window.
