Parliament Question: New Ticket Refund Rules

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 6226 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2nd April 2026 ) NEW TICKET REFUND RULES 6226. SHRI BRIJMOHAN AGRAWAL Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) the details of new ticket refund rules applicable to airlines and the manner in which they provide benefits to the end users as compared to old ticket rules; (b) the total number of domestic tickets issued during the last five financial years, year and State-wise; (c) the details of the sectors eligible for the said rules; (d) whether there is any plan to include international sector originating from the country and if so, the details thereof; (e) the total number of complaints received by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) with respect to unethical/ illegal charges levied by airlines during last five years, year and airline-wise; and (f) whether the Government proposes to impose the penalty to the Airlines for the noncompliance of new ticket refund rules and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a): In order to ensure appropriate protection for air travelers in case of cancellation of flights by the airlines or ticket cancellation by the passengers, DGCA has issued passenger-centric regulations in the form of Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 3, Series 'M', Part II, titled 'Refund of Airline Tickets to Passengers'. The CAR has been recently revised and came into effect from 26 March 2026. As per the revised provisions of the CAR, the 'look-in option' has been extended from 24 hours to 48 hours. Additionally, name corrections are permitted without penalty, provided the mistake is reported within 24 hours for tickets booked directly through the airline's website and the refund process is to be completed within 14 days. (b): Data on number of domestic tickets issued state-wise is not maintained. However, the number of passengers that travelled in the domestic sector for the last five years is placed below. Year No. of passenger ( In lakhs) 2021 838.14 2022 1232.45 2023 1520.32 2024 1613.312025 1669.46 (c) & (d): The CAR applies to tickets purchased by passengers for all Indian carriers, whether operating scheduled or non-scheduled services, covering both domestic and international flights. (e): DGCA does not maintain data of unethical/illegal charges levied the airlines. (f): Airlines are required to comply with the provisions of the CAR. To ensure adherence, DGCA conducts surveillance inspections and spotchecks at various airports across the country to monitor compliance. In cases where airlines are found to be non-compliant with the provisions of the CAR, DGCA is empowered to impose penalties on the defaulting airlines for violations of the relevant provisions. ******