How to Get Flight Compensation in India?

Bad weather, air strike and other unavoidable circumstance can become a hindrance to your air travel and ruin the whole travel plan before even getting started. These situational errors certainly result in flight delay and flight cancellations.

Sometimes, you can also be stopped from boarding the flight, because airline has overbooked the flight and there are not enough seats for air passengers. Although, such situations are disheartening but, if you look around, you always have a solution.

During just incidents, don’t just sit and feel bad, rather you must contact the airline and ask for compensation in return. This may sound really shocking, but yes, it is exciting that you have a right and you should know, how you can utilize it.

Let’s study different scenarios of flight disruption and the compensation criteria followed in India.

Will I get compensation if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

Definitely, Yes. As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Rule 133A of the Aircrafts Rules, 1937, passengers are entitled to get monetary compensation in case of flight delay, flight cancellation or even denied boarding.

Flight Delay Compensation in India

The revised norms of DGCA, February, 2019, has incorporated the rights to air passengers flying within the country. It involves specific law designed to protect and benefit the flyers in case flight disruptions.

According to DGCA regulation, if flight is delayed for more than 2 hours, you will get:

• Food and drink in proportion to the waiting period.

• Two phone calls, emails or faxes at the expense of the airline

• Hotel accommodation if waiting time requires overnight stay

Flight Cancellation Compensation in India

If the airline does not inform you two weeks prior to the scheduled flight, it is your right to ask for an alternate flight or refund of the ticket, whatever is acceptable to you.

If you have been not informed as per the above time frame and you missed the connecting flight, the airline has to offer you an alternate flight, provide compensation or full refund of your ticket.

How much can I claim for cancelled flight?

Following are the compensation criteria in case of flight cancellation:

Denied Boarding Compensation in India

Air Passengers will get up to INR 20,000 if they have been denied to board the flight. Besides this, airline also offer either full refund of the flight ticket or an alternate flight.

Will I get compensation if I don’t choose alternative flight?

If you do not opt for an alternate flight, the airline must offer you full refund of your ticket and compensation equal to 400% of booked one-way basic fare, airline fuel charge, subject to maximum of INR. 20,000.

When to claim for flight delay or cancellation?

It is airlines’ responsibility to inform air passengers about the cancellation two weeks prior to the scheduled flight or they should also offer an alternate flight. Being an air traveler, you can raise a claim ticket for compensation if you are not willing to board the alternate flight.

It is also important to note that if your flight has been delayed or cancelled because of the extraordinary circumstances which is beyond airlines’ control such as – bad weather, natural disaster, political unrest, air strike or other activities. In such situations, you are eligible to get any monetary compensation.

How to claim for flight delay or flight cancellation in India?

According to the DGCA Regulations, you need to carry all your necessary travel documents while claiming in order to get compensation. The issue will be handled by the nodal officer of that particular airline. If the issue remains unresolved even after raising the legit claim then, you are also allowed to go legal with the respective airline.

If it is getting really difficult for you to claim, you can contact compensation provider companies in India such as refundme.in, which can help you get the monetary compensation, keeping your eligibility and air passenger right in mind.

Will I be Supported in Medical Emergency?

Of course, Yes. No matter what the situation is, if you are feeling unfit or uneasy, you are required to handle the situation calmly, because all the airports are very well-equipped with 24*7 medical facilities, medical doctors and specialists to treat you and support you during medical emergencies.

In occurrence of any unfortunate accident, injury or death during your air travel, as per the new charter act, the airline has to pay you up to INR. 20,00,000 per passenger whereas, up to 113,100 SDR per passenger is given during the international travel. If any of the injury or accident happens because of natural disaster, you won’t get any compensation because such situations cannot be controlled by any airline or by human efforts.

Your Compensation is Your Right!

70 per cent of the flyers are not aware of their rights, 17 per cent do not think they are eligible for compensation, and 13 per cent do not how to file a claim. The data is quite shocking but, if we take one step forward to file a claim, we can help ourselves and make our surrounding little more aware and actionable.

Next time, if you ever get into the situation of flight disruption, you will know your right, you will know your eligibility, and you will know how will you get the compensation.

refundme.in is India’s first flight compensation provider company that is consistently making efforts to make air travelers aware about their air passenger rights and help them get the monetary compensation that they deserve. So far refundme.in has settled claims worth more than a million by protecting the rights of the passengers and making their travel experiences even more exciting.