Aviation ministry holds meeting with airlines to discuss refund for cancelled flight tickets during lockdown

The Civil Aviation Ministry on Wednesday conducted a video conference with CEOs of private airlines and discussed the issue of refund to customers whose flights have been cancelled after extension of nationwide Covid-19 lockdown till May 3.

All commercial air passenger services are suspended in the 19 days of extended lockdown. But all of them, except national carrier Air India, have been booking tickets despite the lockdown.

“Following orders from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (Govt. of India) issued to all airlines, we have extended the suspension of our operations until 3 May 2020. We are in the process of cancelling the affected bookings and we will offer customers free of charge rescheduling to another date until 31 December 2020. Fare difference, if any, will be applicable,” a Vistara spokesperson said after the meeting.

The meeting comes at a time when some of the airlines have even announced resumption of their flight services in a limited manner from May 4, without waiting for any directives from the government.

“We are cancelling the reservations of those who booked themselves for travel till May 3, 2020. Upon cancellation entire amount will be maintained in a credit shell and the same may be used to make fresh booking and travel till 28 February, 2021 for the same passenger,” SpiceJet said in a statement.

Several people have been complaining on social media as domestic airlines have decided not to give refunds in cash for flights cancelled due to the lockdown and instead issue credit for future travel.

The US had earlier this month directed its airlines to issue refunds to passengers for ticket cancellations done amid the coronavirus pandemic.

India is under a nationwide lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of coronavirus. Consequently, all domestic and international commercial passenger flights were suspended for this time period.