Mumbai, January 15: Over the past week, dense fog across the country has led to a wave of flight disruptions. At New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport alone, nearly 500 flights were delayed, and ten were cancelled on Sunday, January 14. The visibility at the Delhi Airport was zero metres from 12:30 am to 10:30 am and remained below 200 metres until 11:30 am on Sunday, marking the worst fog spell of the season.

The delays resulted in minor altercations and calls for legal action against an airline. A passenger on an IndiGo flight to Goa from Delhi even physically assaulted the pilot during an announcement about the delays. A video of the IndiGo pilot assault has gone viral on social media, causing outrage. Indigo Pilot Slapped by Passenger Video: Legal Action Initiated Against Man for Assaulting Pilot of Goa-Bound Flight.

Similar fog conditions were reported across the country, with significant delays at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport. On Sunday, 53 flights were delayed, and eight were cancelled, leading to frustration among passengers. Delays were also reported at Ahmedabad Airport in Gujarat.

So, what rights do passengers have in such situations? The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation), the airline regulator, has a specific CAR (Civil Aviation Regulation) to address cases of delayed flights, cancelled flights, and overbooking. Delhi Airport Congestion: Around 150 Flight Delayed by Hours, 11 Diverted, Some Cancelled Due to Low Visibility.

Know About Passenger Rights

Flight Delays

  • In the event of flight delays, passengers are entitled to refreshments or meals, depending on the block time (flight duration). The criteria are as follows:

  1. For flights with a block time of up to two and a half hours, the provision applies if the delay is beyond two hours.

  2. For flights with a block time between 2.5-5 hours, the provision applies if the delay is beyond three hours.

  3. The provision applies if any flight is delayed beyond four hours.

  • If the delay exceeds six hours, the airline must inform passengers of the rescheduled time 24 hours before departure. Passengers can then opt for an alternative flight or a full ticket refund.

  • If the flight is delayed for more than 24 hours, passengers should be provided with accommodation. This also applies if the airline is delayed for more than six hours for flights departing between 8:00 pm and 3 am.

  • Air India recently launched the “Fog Care” initiative, which allows affected passengers to reschedule or cancel their flights without any extra charges.

  • However, airlines are not required to pay any compensation when the delay is due to factors beyond their control, such as Air Traffic Control (ATC), security issues, natural disasters, political issues, etc. While most provisions are well-defined, certain factors like ATC are inherently unpredictable.

Flight Cancellations

  • In the event of flight cancellations, the DGCA guidelines stipulate that airlines must inform passengers at least two weeks prior to the travel date and arrange an alternate flight or refund the passenger.

  • If the cancellation is announced between two weeks and 24 hours before the scheduled time, the airline is obligated to offer an alternate flight or refund the ticket.

  • If passengers are not informed or miss the connecting flight on the same ticket number (PNR), the airline must provide an alternate flight or compensation, which includes:

  1. A full refund and Rs 5,000 or the booked one-way basic fare, whichever is less, for flights with a block time of up to one hour.

  2. A full refund and Rs 7,500 or the booked one-way basic fare, whichever is less, for flights with a block time between one to two hours.

  3. A full refund and Rs 10,000 or the booked one-way basic fare, whichever is less, for flights with a block time above two hours.

  4. In the case of alternate flights, airlines must provide meals, refreshments, and hotel accommodations, including transfers as required.

  • Passengers affected by fog-related disruptions may be eligible for rebooking on the next available flight without additional charges in some cases. They might also be offered a refund for the affected journey.

  • It’s always advisable to check your travel insurance policy, as it may cover certain expenses incurred due to flight delays or cancellations.

How to Get a Full Refund

  • Visit your airline’s website and navigate to the ‘Manage Booking’ section.

  • Enter the PNR or the booking reference number, which is available on your ticket or your booking receipt in your email, and enter the last name of the passenger whose booking needs to be cancelled.

  • Select the Modify/Cancel option and proceed accordingly. It’s advisable to read the cancellation terms and conditions.

Passengers can claim compensation in case of cancellations and delays by contacting the nodal officer of the concerned airline. However, passengers need to claim refunds for being denied boarding within a month of the incident. When filing their claim, customers must provide all necessary documents required by the airline to complete the process. These include your contact details, credit card number used for purchase, ticket number, flight number, date of travel, and billing address.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 15, 2024 01:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).