New Delhi: Passengers can now cancel or modify their flight tickets without paying any additional charges within 48 hours of booking, following revised refund norms issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The amended Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), released on February 24, aim to make the system more passenger-friendly amid rising complaints about delayed refunds.
The new “look-in option” allows travellers to cancel or amend tickets within 48 hours of booking without extra charges, except for any fare difference if they choose to reschedule to another flight. However, this facility will not apply to domestic flights scheduled to depart within seven days of booking or to international flights departing within 15 days of booking. Beyond the initial 48-hour period, passengers will have to pay the usual cancellation or amendment fees.
The DGCA has also directed airlines not to levy additional charges for correcting a passenger’s name, provided it is the same person and the error is reported within 24 hours of booking when the ticket is purchased directly from the airline’s website. In cases where tickets are booked through travel agents or online portals, airlines will remain responsible for processing refunds, as agents are considered their appointed representatives. Refunds must be completed within 14 working days.
The revised rules also address medical emergencies. If a passenger or a family member listed on the same PNR is hospitalised during the travel period, airlines may offer either a refund or a credit shell. In other medical cases, refunds will be processed after receiving a fitness-to-travel opinion from the airline’s Aerospace Medicine specialist or a DGCA-empanelled specialist.
The issue of delayed refunds gained prominence during the December 2025 disruptions involving IndiGo, when the civil aviation ministry directed the airline to complete refunds within a specified timeline.
According to DGCA data, airlines received 29,212 passenger complaints in December 2025, with 7.5 percent related to refunds. Domestic carriers transported over 1.43 crore passengers during that month, and more than 16.69 crore passengers in 2025 overall, underscoring India’s rapid growth as a civil aviation market
