In a major relief to air travellers, India’s aviation safety regulator has mandated a ‘Look-in option’ that allows passengers to cancel or amend flight tickets without additional charges for a period of 48 hours after the initial booking.
The new Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) comes after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) received a high volume of complaints regarding delayed refunds and restrictive airline policies.
Accordingly, under the new “Look-in” provision, passengers can cancel or change their tickets within 48 hours of booking at no additional charge, except for any prevailing fare difference for the revised flight.
This facility is only available for domestic flights booked at least seven days in advance and international flights booked 15 days prior to departure through airline websites.
Beyond the initial booking flexibility, the CAR prescribes rigorous timelines for the return of funds.
In case of credit card payments, airlines must complete the refund within seven days of cancellation.
Besides, for cash transactions, the refund shall be made immediately by the airline office where the ticket was purchased, the new CAR said.
Furthermore, for tickets bought through travel agents or portals, the CAR states that onus of refund rests with the airlines, which must ensure the process is completed within 14 working days.
On the issue of ‘Credit Shells’, the regulator stated that holding a refund amount in such a facility shall be the prerogative of the passenger and not a default practice of the airline.
Consequently, airlines are no longer permitted to automatically retain funds for future travel unless the passenger specifically opts for this arrangement.
The CAR further mandates airlines to refund all statutory taxes, User Development Fees (UDF), Airport Development Fees (ADF), and Passenger Service Fees (PSF) to passengers even in cases of non-utilisation or non-refundable “no show” tickets.
Moreover, the regulator has stipulated that cancellation charges must be indicated prominently at the time of booking.
Additionally, the CAR stated that under no circumstances shall an airline or its agent levy a cancellation charge exceeding the basic fare plus fuel surcharge.
Meanwhile, airlines have been barred from levying any additional charge to process a refund or for correcting the name of a passenger if the error is pointed out within 24 hours of booking on the airline’s website.
Additionally, in the event of medical emergencies involving hospitalisation of the passenger or a family member on the same Passenger Name Record (PNR), airlines may provide either a refund or a credit shell.
In addition, for other medical situations, CAR said that refunds will be issued following an opinion from a DGCA-empanelled Aerospace Medicine specialist regarding the passenger’s fitness to travel.
Published on February 26, 2026