Airlines to reimburse up to 75% ticket cost if flight ticket downgraded*

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has amended its Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) rules on facilities to be provided by airlines to passengers due to cancellation of flights, denied boarding, and delays in flights. It added that the amendment will allow passengers, who are downgraded involuntarily and are carried in a class lower than that for which the ticket he purchased, to get reimbursements online.
The DGCA proposed that airlines need to refund the full value of such tickets, including taxes, and that the said passenger will be flown free of cost in the next available class in December 2022. Here's all that you need to know about the development:

- As per the new rules of the aviation, airlines will have to reimburse 75% of the ticket costs, including taxes, to passengers whose domestic* flight tickets have been downgraded.
- The reimbursement will differ between 30-75% in case of international ticket downgrade. This will also be including taxes, depending on the distance (1,500 km or less) that is covered by that particular flight. As per the DGCA, the amount will be 50% if the flight covers a distance between 1,500 and 3,500 km, including taxes, whereas the reimbursement amount will be 75% of the cost of ticket, if the flight covers a distance of over 3,500 km.

- Referring to this, a DGCA official added that these norms will be effective from February 15.

- If reports are to go by, the DGCA has decided to amend the norms following the complaints from air travellers about their tickets being downgraded by airlines.

- These changes have been done to facilitate the travel and strengthen the rights of air travellers, who are affected by the downgrading of their tickets, the DGCA added.