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How to claim flight cancellation / delay refund — complete 2026 guide
Quick answer. If your domestic flight was cancelled with less than 24 hours notice by the airline, you are entitled to a full refund + cash compensation of ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 (depending on flight duration) under DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), Section 3, Series M, Part IV. Notice between 14 days and 24 hours = full refund + alternate flight or compensation. Notice over 14 days = full refund, no compensation. Denied boarding (overbooking): ₹10,000 if alternate flight within 1 hour; ₹7,500 if delay > 1 hour. Delay > 6 hours: refund or alternate flight + meal. Lost baggage: ₹250-450/kg domestic; USD 20/kg international. Always claim with the airline first (30-day SLA), then escalate to AirSewa (https://airsewa.gov.in), DGCA, and Consumer Forum if unresolved.
Pooja's story — "₹7,500 cash compensation, not a voucher"
Pooja Krishnan, 35, marketing manager at a consumer-goods firm in Delhi. Booked an IndiGo Delhi-Goa flight 6E-2353 on 18 January 2025 for a long weekend trip. Ticket cost ₹4,800.
“Four hours before departure I got the SMS — flight cancelled, technical reason. The IndiGo app gave me three options: full refund (in 7 days), reschedule on next available flight (the next IndiGo flight to Goa was 26 hours later), or a ₹5,000 'goodwill voucher' valid for one year. I took the refund — but I knew the CAR rules said cash compensation was due, not a voucher. I called the IndiGo customer care, the agent said 'voucher is the standard offer'. I emailed customer.relations@goindigo.in with the boarding email, the cancellation SMS timestamp, and quoted CAR Section 3 Series M Part IV, Para 3.1.5(b) — for a flight cancelled with less than 24 hours notice, compensation is ₹7,500 for a 1-2 hour duration domestic flight. Reply in 5 days: 'Voucher is the offered compensation as per our policy.' I filed an AirSewa complaint on 22 January with the same papers. Ticket number AS25-XXXXXXXX. AirSewa forwards to the airline with DGCA visibility. In 28 days IndiGo paid ₹7,500 cash to my source card — and refunded the ticket separately. The voucher I had also got — they didn't take it back. ₹0 cost. Just a clear citation of the rule.”
—Pooja, February 2025
Indian airlines carry about 4 lakh domestic passengers a day (DGCA monthly data, 2025). Cancellation rate runs at roughly 1.5-2.5% — so 6,000-10,000 cancelled flights worth of passengers a day. Most accept whatever the airline offers. A small minority who quote the CAR rule end up with cash compensation that is 2-3x what airlines offer by default — and the rule is enforceable.
What this is — and who needs it
A DGCA-mandated refund / compensation is the airline's legal obligation when a scheduled passenger flight is cancelled, delayed beyond a threshold, oversold (denied boarding), or your baggage is mishandled. The compensation is separate from the refund — refund returns your money for unused service; compensation is the airline's penalty for inconvenience caused.
You are covered as a passenger if:
- You hold a confirmed ticket on a scheduled commercial flight operated by an Indian carrier (IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, Akasa, Vistara — Air India and Vistara have merged in 2024 — AirAsia India absorbed into Air India Express).
- You are at the airport on time per the reporting requirement (typically 60 mins before departure for domestic, 120 mins for international).
- The cause is within the airline's control (crew, technical, schedule mismanagement, overbooking) — NOT a “force majeure” event (weather, ATC, strike, war, security alert).
The legal anchors are:
- Aircraft Act, 1934 and Aircraft Rules, 1937 — parent statutes for civil aviation in India.
- Carriage by Air Act, 1972 — gives effect to the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions for international carriage; governs liability for death, injury, baggage, delay.
- DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), Section 3, Series M, Part IV — “Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation of flights and delays in flights”. Last revised August 2024.
- Consumer Protection Act, 2019 — parallel route; airlines are service providers.
Step-by-step process
Step 1 — Document everything immediately
The moment you know the flight is cancelled / delayed / you've been denied boarding:
- Save the cancellation SMS / email — the timestamp matters for the 24-hour / 14-day rule.
- Photograph the boarding pass (or save the e-boarding pass).
- Take a photo of the airport display board showing the cancellation / delay status.
- Get a written acknowledgement at the airline desk — many airlines refuse but try anyway. A printed “delay certificate” or “cancellation certificate” is gold for later.
- Save receipts of any extra spending — meals, hotel, alternate transport (these become recoverable).
Step 2 — Choose: refund or alternate flight
The airline must offer both. If you choose an alternate flight, compensation is still payable (delay / cancellation didn't cease just because you took the next flight). If you choose refund:
- Domestic refunds: within 7 working days to original payment mode.
- International refunds: within 14 working days.
- If paid in cash at counter: refund in cash; if by card: card refund (which can take longer because of issuer cycle).
Step 3 — Claim compensation in writing
This is the step most passengers skip. Don't.
- Email the airline's customer relations / grievance address (not just the helpline). Sample addresses:
- IndiGo: customer.relations@goindigo.in
- Air India: contactus@airindia.com (since merger with Vistara, also nodalofficer.in@airindia.com)
- SpiceJet: custrelations@spicejet.com
- Akasa Air: guestservice@akasaair.com
- Quote: “Per DGCA CAR Section 3 Series M Part IV (revised Aug 2024), Paragraph 3.X, I am entitled to compensation of ₹_ for [cancellation < 24 hrs / denied boarding / delay > 6 hrs].” * Attach: ticket, boarding pass, cancellation SMS / email, any incident photos. * Demand: cash compensation to source, NOT voucher (CAR allows passenger to choose). ==== Step 4 — Wait the airline's 30-day SLA ==== Per CAR, airlines must respond to a written grievance within 30 days. If response is unsatisfactory or there is none — escalate. ==== Step 5 — File on AirSewa ==== * Visit https://airsewa.gov.in (also iOS / Android app: “AirSewa”). * Register with mobile + OTP. * “Lodge Grievance” → choose airline → category (refund / cancellation / denied boarding / baggage / etc.). * Upload all documents from Step 1. * Get an AS reference number — track on the same portal. * SLA: 60 days for resolution. AirSewa is run by the Ministry of Civil Aviation; the airline must respond on the portal. ==== Step 6 — Escalate to DGCA ==== If AirSewa doesn't yield results or the issue is structural (regulatory): * Email complaints@dgca.nic.in with the AirSewa reference. * For airline non-compliance with CAR, the DGCA can impose financial penalty under §10A of the Aircraft Act 1934 and suspend / cancel slots. * DGCA does NOT adjudicate individual disputes (that's Consumer Forum) but uses repeated complaints as evidence for show-cause notices. ==== Step 7 — File at Consumer Forum ==== If money is what you want: * District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC) — for claims up to ₹50 lakh. * State Commission — ₹50 lakh to ₹2 crore. * National Commission (NCDRC) — above ₹2 crore. * File online at https://edaakhil.nic.in (e-Daakhil portal). * Filing fee: ₹100-₹2,500 based on claim amount. * Cite: Consumer Protection Act 2019 + DGCA CAR + airline's Conditions of Carriage. ==== Step 8 — For lost / damaged baggage ==== * Get a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the airport baggage office BEFORE leaving. Without PIR, claims are extremely hard. * File the formal claim within 21 days (international, per Montreal Convention). * For domestic, airline-specific limits apply — typically 7-21 days. * Compensation: ₹250-450 per kg for domestic; USD 20/kg for international (Montreal limits). ===== Sample CAR compensation matrix ===== <code> +——————————-+——————————————-+ | FLIGHT CANCELLATION | Compensation per passenger | +——————————-+——————————————-+ | Notice > 14 days | Full refund. NO compensation. | +——————————-+——————————————-+ | Notice 14 days to 24 hrs | Refund + alternate flight, OR | | | compensation as per delay matrix below. | +——————————-+——————————————-+ | Notice < 24 hrs | Refund + cash compensation: | | Block time up to 1 hr | Rs 5,000 OR booked one-way fare, | | | whichever is LESS | | Block time 1-2 hrs | Rs 7,500 OR booked one-way fare | | Block time > 2 hrs | Rs 10,000 OR booked one-way fare | +——————————-+——————————————-+ | DENIED BOARDING (overbooking) | | | Alternate flight within 1hr | No compensation | | Alternate within 24 hrs | 200% of one-way fare + airline fuel | | | surcharge, max Rs 10,000 | | Alternate beyond 24 hrs OR | 400% of one-way fare + airline fuel | | no acceptance by passenger | surcharge, max Rs 20,000 | +——————————-+——————————————-+ | DELAYS | | | 2-3 hrs (short flight) | Free meal + refreshment | | 3-4 hrs (medium) | Free meal + refreshment | | > 4 hrs | Hotel accommodation if overnight, plus | | | refund / alternate at passenger | | | option. | | > 6 hrs | Refund OR alternate flight + meal | +——————————-+——————————————-+ | BAGGAGE | | | Lost (domestic) | Rs 250-450 per kg (airline's policy); | | | max ~Rs 20,000. | | Lost (international) | USD 20 per kg (Montreal Convention | | | limit ~ 1,288 SDR per passenger). | | Damaged | Repair cost or replacement at airline | | | option, within liability limits. | +——————————-+——————————————-+ | FORCE MAJEURE | NO compensation but full refund still | | (weather, ATC, strike, | due if flight cancelled / passenger | | war, security) | unable to travel. | +——————————-+——————————————-+ Sample claim email — paste and adapt: ————————————– To: customer.relations@goindigo.in Subject: Compensation claim under DGCA CAR — Flight 6E-XXXX cancelled on DD/MM/2026 Dear Sir/Madam, PNR: XXXXXX | Flight: 6E-XXXX DEL-GOI | Date: DD/MM/2026 Scheduled departure: HH:MM | Cancellation SMS received: HH:MM on DD/MM/2026 (i.e., hours before departure). I confirm I held a confirmed booking and was available to travel. Per DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements, Section 3, Series M, Part IV (revised August 2024), Paragraph 3.1.5(b), for a flight cancelled with less than 24 hours notice on a sector with block time of hour(s), I am entitled to: (a) Full refund of fare to the original payment mode, AND (b) Cash compensation of Rs (Rs 5,000 / 7,500 / 10,000 as per duration), payable within 30 days. I do NOT accept compensation in voucher / coupon form. Documents attached: (i) ticket; (ii) boarding email; (iii) cancellation SMS screenshot. Please credit the compensation to my source card (last 4 digits XXXX) within the 30-day SLA. If this does not happen, I will escalate to AirSewa (Ministry of Civil Aviation) and the District Consumer Forum under the Consumer Protection Act 2019. Regards, [Your name] | [Phone] | [Email] </code> ===== Common reasons your claim fails ===== * “Force majeure” defence. Airline labels the cancellation as weather / ATC / security — both refund and compensation become contestable. Refund is still due (per CAR para 3.1.4); compensation is not. To dispute the force-majeure label, you need the actual ATC log — RTI helps here (see below). * Ticket purchased through OTA. MakeMyTrip / Cleartrip / Ixigo / EaseMyTrip act as intermediaries. The airline's refund goes to the OTA first, who then passes it to you — often with a delay or service-fee deduction. Always claim with both the OTA and the airline simultaneously. * Refund processed but not credited. Airline says “refund issued”; bank says “no credit”. Get the ARN (Acquirer Reference Number) from the airline and give it to your card issuer. * Chargeback already initiated. If you raised a credit card chargeback, the airline often closes the refund file pending dispute resolution. Don't run both routes simultaneously. * Voucher accepted then redeemed. Accepting a voucher is treated as full settlement — you lose the right to cash compensation. Either reject the voucher upfront or use it without prejudice (rare; airlines push back). * No-show. If you didn't reach the airport on time per reporting requirement, the cancellation is treated as your default — no refund / no compensation (except for unused taxes/fees). * Codeshare flights. A flight marketed by Air India but operated by another carrier — claim must go to the operating carrier; airlines often pass-the-buck. * Bulk-fare / promo / non-refundable tickets. Airlines treat the FARE as non-refundable but the statutory taxes and user-development fees are always refundable (Supreme Court in Air Travellers Action Group v. UoI, 2016). Ask for the tax + UDF refund minimum. ===== If stuck — the escalation ladder ===== ==== Rung 1 — Airline customer relations ==== Detailed in Step 3 above. Allow 30 days. Be specific in citation. ==== Rung 2 — AirSewa ==== * https://airsewa.gov.in * Helpline: 011-2461-0843 (Mon-Fri 9am-7pm). * Best for: refund delays, denied boarding, baggage, deficient service. ==== Rung 3 — DGCA grievance ==== * Email: complaints@dgca.nic.in * Address: Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Opposite Safdarjung Airport, Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi - 110003 * Best for: regulatory non-compliance (airline ignoring CAR), structural issues. ==== Rung 4 — Ministry of Civil Aviation, CPGRAMS ==== * https://pgportal.gov.in → Ministry of Civil Aviation. * 30-day SLA per CPGRAMS Reform Programme 2022. * Useful when AirSewa and DGCA both fail to act. ==== Rung 5 — Right to Information (RTI) ==== DGCA, AAI (Airports Authority of India), and the Ministry of Civil Aviation are public authorities under §2(h) of the RTI Act 2005. Airlines themselves are NOT public authorities (with the exception of Air India when it was Govt-owned; post-Tata acquisition in Jan 2022, Air India is a private body and outside RTI scope). RTI helps here when: * The airline labelled your cancelled flight as “weather / ATC” — RTI to PIO Air Traffic Control (Airports Authority of India) for the actual ATC log of that day at that airport. This is the single most powerful evidence to dismantle a false force-majeure defence. * You want DGCA's enforcement record against an airline (e.g., how many CAR violations, what penalty) — RTI to PIO DGCA. * Slot allocation / on-time-performance / cancellation rate of an airline — RTI to PIO DGCA / AAI for the monthly OTP data (some of this is public, some is internal). * For airlines with government holding (Air India before Jan 2022, currently Alliance Air, currently AAI's Pawan Hans matters) — RTI directly applies. * To know what action DGCA took on the AirSewa complaints received against a particular airline. RTI does NOT help here when: * The airline is private (IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa, post-2022 Air India, Vistara) — they are NOT public authorities. RTI to them = no reply / dismissal. Use AirSewa / Consumer Forum instead. * To compel the airline to refund — RTI gets you information, not enforcement. Use Consumer Forum. * To dispute the airline's tariff / ticket-pricing — that's the airline's commercial decision; DGCA doesn't fix tariffs (they are de-regulated since 1994). For format and template, see RTI in 12 simple steps — for first-time filers. ==== Rung 6 — Consumer Forum (e-Daakhil) ==== * https://edaakhil.nic.in * Filing fee from ₹100. Compensation typically: refund + cash compensation per CAR + ₹5,000-50,000 for “deficiency of service” + cost of litigation. * Strong precedents: Air India v. Renu Bala (NCDRC 2019), IndiGo v. Anjali Gulati (NCDRC 2022), SpiceJet v. Ranjan Ghosh (Delhi State Commission 2024) — all upheld CAR-based compensation orders. ===== FAQs ===== Q. The airline says the cancellation was due to “weather”. I think it was operational. How do I prove it?
File an RTI to the PIO of the relevant airport's Air Traffic Control (Airports Authority of India) asking for the consolidated ATC log for that date, the airport METAR (weather report) and the list of other carriers operating in the same window. If other airlines flew the same sector at the same time without cancellation, the “weather” defence collapses. Q. My international flight was cancelled. Are the rules different?
For international carriage, the Carriage by Air Act 1972 (incorporating the Montreal Convention 1999) applies — passenger rights for cancellation/delay are weaker than DGCA CAR for domestic, but baggage and personal-injury liability is stronger (1,288 SDR limit). For an Indian carrier flying outbound from India, DGCA CAR Section 3 Series M Part IV still applies to refund and compensation in many cases. EU rights (EU 261/2004) apply if you are flying to / from / within the EU. Q. The airline only offers a credit shell / voucher. Can I refuse?
Yes — explicitly. CAR mandates cash refund to the original payment mode for cancellations. Voucher is offered for passenger convenience but is not the legal default. If the airline refuses, file AirSewa with a one-line claim citing CAR para 3.1.4. Q. My flight was diverted to another city. The airline says no compensation. Right?
For diversions (Bengaluru-flight landing in Hyderabad due to weather), CAR treats it as a delay if rerouting brings you to your final destination within reasonable time (4-6 hrs). If onward connection is not provided or you are stranded, refund + compensation per the delay matrix applies. Q. Go First / Jet Airways went bankrupt while my ticket was unused. How do I get my money?
This becomes an insolvency claim — file your claim with the Resolution Professional (RP) appointed under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016. The RP includes ticket-refund claims in the operational creditor / passenger creditor category. Recovery is usually pennies on the rupee. AirSewa will tell you the RP's contact for the airline. Q. Can I claim compensation if I missed a connecting flight because the first leg was delayed?
Only if both legs are on the same booking (same PNR / through-checked baggage). Then the airline that operated the delayed first leg owes compensation per CAR for the missed connection. If you booked the legs separately, you have no claim against either airline for the missed connection. Q. My baggage was delayed by 2 days but eventually delivered. Can I claim?
Yes — for “interim expenses” (clothes, toiletries) at the destination. Airlines typically reimburse ₹2,000-10,000 against receipts for short delays. File within 21 days of delivery (Montreal) or per the airline's Conditions of Carriage for domestic. Q. The airline charged extra for “seat selection” but auto-allotted a different seat. Refund?
Yes — that is a clear deficiency of service. Email airline → AirSewa → Consumer Forum if needed. NCDRC has consistently held these are recoverable + compensation for inconvenience. ===== Related on RTI Wiki ===== * RTI in 12 simple steps — for first-time filers * All Indian government helplines — one master directory * RTI forms + state-wise fee chart * How to claim a train ticket refund (TDR) — IRCTC + Indian Railways * How to file a CPGRAMS grievance — full process Last reviewed: 26 April 2026 by RTI Wiki editorial team. DGCA CAR thresholds and AirSewa SLAs are revised periodically — verify amounts at dgca.gov.in or write to admin@bighelpers.in if you spot a stale figure.