New Delhi, Feb 27 The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has introduced a major relief for air passengers by announcing a 48-hour free cancellation window and revising refund norms under its updated Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR).
✈️ Key Highlights of the New DGCA Rules
🔹 48-Hour “Look-In” Period
- Passengers can cancel or modify tickets within 48 hours of booking without any extra charge.
- If rescheduling to another flight, passengers must pay the fare difference, if applicable.
- This applies only when:
- Domestic flights are booked at least 7 days before departure
- International flights are booked at least 15 days before departure
- Valid only for tickets booked directly through the airline’s official website.
- After 48 hours, normal cancellation charges will apply.
🔹 Name Correction Rules
- Airlines cannot charge any fee for correcting a passenger’s name if:
- The error is reported within 24 hours of booking
- The ticket was booked via the airline’s official website.
🔹 Refund Responsibility & Timelines
- Even if tickets are booked via travel agents or online portals, the airline remains responsible for issuing refunds.
- Refunds must be completed within 14 working days in such cases.
Processing timelines:
- 💳 Credit card refunds – within 7 days
- 💵 Cash payments at airline offices – refunded immediately at the same location
🔹 Mandatory Tax Refund
- Airlines must refund all statutory taxes and passenger-related charges in case of cancellations or no-shows — even if the base fare is non-refundable.
📅 Implementation Date
- Rules issued: February 24, 2026
- Effective from: March 26, 2026
This move is expected to improve passenger convenience, enhance transparency, and strengthen consumer rights in India’s aviation sector.
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