New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revised its Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) for airline ticket refunds and introduced a 48-hour “look-in” period, allowing passengers to cancel or amend bookings without extra charges. Passengers can cancel or modify tickets within 48 hours of booking without paying any additional fee, though if a ticket is changed to another flight, they will need to pay any fare difference.
This facility applies only if the departure date is at least seven days away for domestic flights and 15 days away for international flights, and is available only for tickets booked directly through the airline’s official website. After 48 hours, standard cancellation charges will apply.
The revised rules were issued on February 24 and will come into effect from March 26, 2026. The DGCA has also clarified guidelines on name corrections and refund timelines.
Airlines cannot charge any fee for correcting a passenger’s name if the error is reported within 24 hours of booking, provided the ticket was purchased directly from the airline’s website.
For tickets booked through travel agents or online portals, airlines are responsible for issuing refunds, as agents act as their representatives. Refunds must be completed within 14 working days in such cases. Credit card refunds must be processed within seven days, while cash payments made at the airline’s office must be refunded immediately at the same location.
Airlines are also required to refund all statutory taxes and passenger-related charges in case of cancellations or no-shows, even if the base fare is non-refundable.
The DGCA said the revisions aim to improve passenger convenience and ensure transparency in ticket refunds.
With IANS inputs