Parliament Question: Passenger-centric governance and grievance redressal ecosystem

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1764 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9th March 2026 PASSENGER-CENTRIC GOVERNANCE AND GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL ECOSYSTEM 1764. SHRI NARHARI AMIN SHRI LAHAR SINGH SIROYA DR. MEDHA VISHRAM KULKARNI SHRI S. SELVAGANABATHY SMT DARSHANA SINGH Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) whether Government has undertaken any evaluation of the operational outcomes of the 24x7 Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR), including improvements in grievance resolution timelines and coordination among aviation stakeholders; (b) the number of passenger grievances handled through PACR and AirSewa integration since its operationalisation, category-wise, including delays, cancellations, refunds and baggage- related issues; (c) whether any standard operating framework has been prescribed for fare monitoring and intervention during operational disruptions to ensure passenger protection and market stability, and (d) the steps being taken to further strengthen real-time passenger support systems through data analytics, automation and airline accountability mechanisms? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) a): Yes, the Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) has improved the grievance redressal timelines including refunds and cancellations. (b): The number of passenger grievances handled through PACR and AirSewa integration, since it's operationalisation is attached as annexure. (c): Airfares are not subject to regulation by the Government, and airlines have the flexibility to determine their airfares based on their operational needs, while adhering to Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937. The Government generally refrains from regulating airfares to maintain market competitiveness however, it remains vigilant and intervenes in exceptional circumstances by adopting measures like redistributing capacity across various sectors andimposing temporary fare caps, such as during Pandemic, Maha kumb, Pahalgam incident & recently massive Indigo flight disruptions. (d): To strengthen real-time passenger support and airline accountability mechanisms measures have been taken, such as 24x7 real-time monitoring and resolution of grievances of air travellers received through AirSewa, PACR helpline numbers and social media channels, in coordination with airlines, airports and other relevant stakeholders to ensure prompt resolution on a priority basis. ******Annexure Category-wise details of the grievances received since PACR and AirSewa integration from 10 December 2025 to 01 March 2026: PACR (Social media and Nature of AirSewa (Portal + Email) Calls) grievance Received Resolved Received Resolved Delay 415 415 5959 5905 Refunds & 3375 3375 11780 11579 Cancellation Baggage 711 711 3785 3678 Other categories 1419 1213 6505 6255 Total 5919 5714 28029 27417 *****