Domestic airlines saw 10% rise in compensation for delays in ’19: DGCA

Domestic airlines paid around 10% more compensation to passengers for flight delays, cancellations and for denying boarding in 2019 than in 2018.

Domestic airlines paid around 10% more compensation to passengers for flight delays, cancellations and for denying boarding in 2019 than in 2018.

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According to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data, the airlines paid a total amount of ₹44.72 crore in 2019 as compared to ₹40.94 crore in 2018 which is 9.23% more than 2018. This comes after the aviation ministry introduced the air passenger charter in 2019.

The domestic air passenger traffic grew to 144.1 million in 2019, an increase of just 3.74% as compared to the previous year. However, in 2018, the domestic air passenger traffic grew by 18.6% to 138.9 million.

DGCA data stated that the airlines had to spend ₹15.05 crore for denying boarding to passengers, ₹8.17 crore for cancellations and ₹21.50 crore for flights delayed for more than two hours, last year. However, in 2018, they had to pay ₹21.14 crore alone for denying boarding to passengers, ₹5.78 crore for cancelling flights and ₹14.02 crore for delaying flights.

The DGCA data, however, did not contain information about the amount spent as compensation (in all three categories) individually by GoAir and IndiGo for compensating passengers for flight delays. The regulator did not mention the reason for the exclusion of these numbers in their report.

Jitender Bhargava, former executive director of Air India said, “The increase in compensation paid by the airlines only shows that they have been now bound to strictly follow the rules and regulations as stated by the aviation regulator in the air passengers charter which was introduced by the ministry with an aim to protect passenger’s right.”

As per the air charter that was introduced by the aviation ministry in February 2019, if a passenger is denied boarding due to overbooking of a flight, he/ she would be liable to hold airline for compensation if he or she is not given an alternate flight within one hour of the original flight’s departure. Besides, the airlines also have to refund the total ticket cost to passengers in case a flight is expected to be delayed by more than six hours or offer an alternate flight to the passengers. The charter also entitles the passengers to get an alternate flight arranged or get a full refund in case an airline fails to inform about a flight cancellation in less than two weeks of its departure.