The DGCA said that airlines must not levy additional charges for correcting the name of the same passenger if the mistake is reported within 24 hours of booking, provided the ticket was booked directly through the airline’s website
Airlines must offer a 48-hour ‘look-in option’ from the time of booking under the new policy, DGCA said. Representational Pic/File
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have revised air ticket refund rules to make them more passenger-friendly and have announced that the passengers can now cancel or amend their air tickets within 48 hours of booking without paying additional charges, subject to certain conditions, reported the PTI.
Under the amended Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) for the refund of airline tickets, airlines must offer a 48-hour ‘look-in option’ from the time of booking.
During this period, passengers may cancel or modify their tickets without incurring extra charges, except for any fare difference applicable to the revised flight.
However, this facility will not apply to flights departing within seven days of booking for domestic travel and 15 days for international travel, when tickets are booked directly through an airline’s website.
No extra charges for name corrections
The regulator said airlines must not levy additional charges for correcting the name of the same passenger if the mistake is reported within 24 hours of booking, provided the ticket was booked directly through the airline’s website, according to the PTI.
For tickets purchased through travel agents or online portals, the responsibility for processing refunds will remain with the airline, as agents act as their authorised representatives. The airlines must complete the refund process within 14 working days.
Medical emergency provisions
The revised norms also address cancellations due to medical emergencies. If a passenger or a family member listed on the same Passenger Name Record (PNR) is hospitalised during the travel period, airlines may offer either a refund or a credit shell, the news agency reported.
In other cases, refunds will be processed after the airline’s Aerospace Medicine specialist, or a DGCA-empanelled specialist, certifies the passenger’s fitness to travel.
The revised CAR was issued on February 24.
Move follows rise in refund complaints
The changes come amid increasing complaints from passengers about delays in refunds. The issue gained attention during disruptions involving IndiGo flights in December 2025, following which the civil aviation ministry directed the airline to complete refunds within a fixed timeframe, as per the PTI.
According to DGCA data, scheduled airlines received 29,212 passenger complaints in December 2025, of which 7.5 per cent related to refunds. During that month, domestic carriers transported more than 1.43 crore passengers.
India is one of the world’s fastest-growing civil aviation markets, with domestic airlines carrying over 16.69 crore passengers in 2025.
(with PTI inputs)
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