DGCA: Air ticket rules have changed, full refund will be given even if cancellation is made, but with a condition..

DGCA: The aviation watchdog, DGCA, has amended airline ticket refund rules. Passengers can now cancel or change their air tickets within 48 hours of booking without incurring any additional charges. This is subject to certain conditions. In a move that makes the new rules easier for passengers, the DGCA also stated that if a ticket is booked directly on the airline's website and the passenger reports the error within 24 hours of booking, the airline should not charge any additional fee for correcting the error in the same person's name.

DGCA Changes Ticket Refund Rules
Air travelers have received significant relief from the DGCA. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued new refund rules, which state that no additional fees will be charged for ticket cancellation or change within 48 hours of booking. According to the DGCA, passengers can cancel or change their tickets within 48 hours of booking, and no additional fees will be charged. Additionally, there will be no fee for correcting a name error while booking a ticket. If the error is reported within 24 hours and the ticket is purchased directly from the airline's website, no additional fee will be charged for the correction.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated that airlines will be responsible for refunds for tickets purchased through travel agents or portals, as agents are their appointed representatives. Airlines will ensure that the refund process is completed within 14 working days. Furthermore, changes have been made to the rules for ticket cancellation due to a passenger's medical emergency.

The changes to the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) for airline ticket refunds to passengers of public transport companies have been made in light of increasing passenger complaints about non-timely refunds. The issue of ticket refunds had also come up during the IndiGo flight disruption in December 2025 and at that time, the Civil Aviation Ministry had directed the airline to complete the refunds within a stipulated timeline.

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