Sipu Jha
NEW DELHI: The Central government on Saturday ordered IndiGo to clear all pending passenger refunds without delay as the IndiGo’s nationwide disruption entered its fifth day, with hundreds of flights cancelled and fares surging across key routes.The ministry of civil aviation said the intervention was essential to safeguard passengers grappling with uncertainty, soaring ticket prices and prolonged delays.
10 key directives issued by the Centre –
- The government directed that IndiGo must complete all pending passenger refunds for cancelled or disrupted flights by 8pm on Sunday, December 7.
- Airlines, including IndiGo, have also been instructed not to levy any rescheduling fees for passengers affected by cancellations or major delays.
- IndiGo must ensure that all baggage separated from passengers during cancellation or delays is traced and delivered to the passenger’s residential or chosen address within the next 48 hours. Airlines have been told to maintain clear communication with passengers regarding tracking and delivery timelines, and to provide compensation where required under existing
passenger rights regulations . `
- To stop surge pricing during the nationwide crisis, the government has imposed fare caps across affected routes. These must be followed strictly.
- The airfare caps will remain in place until operations return to normal. Any violations will attract regulatory action.
- The DGCA’s Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms have been placed in abeyance to help airlines deploy more cockpit crew without compromising safety.
- The ministry of civil aviation expects schedules to begin normalising within 24 hours and fully stabilising within the next three days.
- The ministry said that if a flight is cancelled, airlines must issue full refunds automatically, no passenger requests required. Airlines must offer hotel accommodation, refreshments and essential services for passengers stranded due to long delays.
- Special support, including lounge access, faster processing and dedicated help, must be provided to vulnerable travellers.
- To ensure real-time monitoring, the government has opened a 24×7 control room (011-24610843, 011-24693963, 096503-91859) to coordinate swift action.
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