Flight troubles for IndiGo passengers don’t seem to be ending anytime soon. On Friday, travellers across several Indian cities found themselves waiting for hours at airports without any clear answers. Many said they were stuck with no food, no water and no proper updates while their flights kept getting delayed or cancelled.
The disruption has been building for days. Because of staff shortages and new operational rules, more than 500 flights were affected today alone. Since December 2, the number of cancelled flights has crossed 1000, leaving passengers confused and frustrated. Amid all this chaos, one big question remains: What are passengers actually entitled to? Here’s a simple breakdown of what DGCA rules say.
If your flight gets cancelled
Under DGCA guidelines, airlines must inform passengers about cancellations within a reasonable time.
- If the airline tells you two weeks before travel, you can either take a full refund or choose an alternate flight.
- Even if the airline informs you less than two weeks before but at least 24 hours before departure, you still get the same two options: full refund or an alternate flight at no extra cost.
When compensation is given
If the cancellation happens due to reasons within the airline’s control, passengers are eligible for compensation:
- Up to 1 hour flight: Rs 5000
- Up to 2 hours flight: Rs 7500
- More than 2 hours: Rs 10,000
If the basic fare plus fuel charges come to a lower amount, airlines may refund that instead. Passengers must also be provided basic facilities such as access to waiting areas and food or refreshments.
If your flight is delayed
If you have checked in on time and the flight is delayed:
- Short flights: After 2+ hours, the airline must offer meals.
- Medium flights: After 3+ hours, meals must be provided.
- Long flights: After 4+ hours, meals are mandatory.
If a domestic flight is delayed by over 6 hours, the airline must either shift you to another flight within six hours or offer a full refund.
If the delay goes beyond 24 hours, or if a night-time flight (8 pm-3 am) is delayed by more than 6 hours, the airline must arrange a hotel stay along with airport-to-hotel transport.
When you won’t get compensation
If delays or cancellations happen because of bad weather, airport shutdowns or other situations outside the airline’s control, IndiGo is not required to pay compensation.
