DGCA Allows Free Ticket Cancellation Within 48 Hours Of Booking
New refund norms mandate 14-day timeline for airlines
New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revised ticket refund norms, allowing passengers to cancel or amend air tickets within 48 hours of booking without additional charges, subject to conditions.
Under the amended Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) issued on February 24, airlines must provide a “look-in option” for 48 hours from the time of booking. During this period, passengers can cancel or modify tickets without extra charges, except payment of the fare difference for the revised flight.
The facility will not apply to domestic flights scheduled to depart within seven days of booking, or international flights departing within 15 days, when tickets are booked directly through the airline’s website. After 48 hours, standard cancellation or amendment charges will apply.
The regulator also directed that airlines should not levy additional charges for correction of the name of the same passenger if the error is reported within 24 hours of booking, provided the ticket was booked directly through the airline’s website.
In cases where tickets are booked through travel agents or portals, the DGCA said the responsibility for processing refunds will rest with the airline, and refunds must be completed within 14 working days.
The revised norms also address cancellations due to 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 cases, refunds will be processed after receiving a fitness-to-travel assessment from an airline’s aerospace medicine specialist or a DGCA-empanelled specialist.
The changes come amid rising passenger complaints regarding delays in refunds. In December 2025, airlines received 29,212 passenger-related complaints, of which 7.5 per cent were related to refunds, according to DGCA data. Domestic carriers transported over 1.43 crore passengers during that month and over 16.69 crore passengers in 2025.
