Flight ticket cancellations to cost less

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju announced that the new cancellation norms for fare refund would become effective from 1 August. He said “Cancellation amount not to exceed basic fare plus fuel surcharge; all statutory levies and taxes to be refunded under all circumstances.”

The move would come as a relief to air passengers against the backdrop of many carriers hiking the cancellation charges in recent times.

Issuing the revised regulations, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also made it clear that airlines
cannot levy additional charge to process the refund. The regulator said carriers should refund all statutory taxes and User Development Fee (UDF)/Airport Development Fee (ADF)/Passenger Service Fee (PSF) to the passengers in case of “cancellation/ non-utilisation of tickets/no show”.

DGCA said “This provision shall also be applicable for all types of fares offered including promos/special fares and where the basic fare is non-refundable.”