Flight cancelled or delayed? Here's how you can claim compensation

With flight delays becoming an annual winter affair in several parts of India, what options do passengers have in case of delays or cancellations?

A prolonged spell of fog-induced low visibility in Delhi-NCR has severely impacted flight operations in the region. The prevailing weather condition has prompted widespread disruptions and led the Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport to issue an advisory urging passengers to contact their airlines before heading to the airport.

The Delhi airport, considered to be one of the busiest airports in the country, experienced the immediate consequences of low visibility. According to flight tracker website flightradar24, over 100 flights have been affected or delayed due to adverse weather conditions.

On January 15, IndiGo reported an untoward incident, when a passenger aboard its flight physically assaulted the pilot while he was making an announcement regarding delays. A video of the assault went viral on social media platforms.

With flight delays becoming an annual winter affair in several parts of India, what options do passengers have in case of delays or cancellations?

Rules for flight delays

As per the DGCA, carriers have to provide meals for passengers in case of flight delays. However, it depends on the 'block time' of each flight. Block time, as per aviation parlance, means the duration of the flight. Passengers have to be provided refreshments if:

-          A flight, which has a duration of two-and-a-half hours, is delayed by two hours.

-          A flight, whose duration is between two-and-a-half hours and five hours, is delayed by three hours.

-          If a flight is delayed by four hours and beyond.

However, if the flight is delayed by more than six hours, the DGCA mandates the airline to alert the passenger 24 hours before the departure time.

In this case, the passenger has the option of seeking a full refund or a seat on an alternative flight.

Secondly, if the flight is delayed for over six hours, and it is scheduled to depart between 8 pm and 3 am, the passenger has to be provided free accommodation. This is also applicable if the flight is delayed for more than 24 hours.

Rules for flight cancellations

The plans of several passengers have gone haywire as several flights have been cancelled in the past few weeks, coinciding with the holiday season. If a flight gets cancelled, then the airline has to inform the passenger less than two weeks, but at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

The passenger can then ask for a seat on an alternate flight or seek a full refund from the airline. However, if the airline fails to inform the passenger at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time, then it has to pay compensation of Rs 5,000, Rs 7,500 or Rs 10,000, based on the duration of the flight.

The same rule applies if a passenger misses a connecting flight booked on the same ticket number because of the cancellation of the first flight.

No refund if...

Airlines are not liable to provide compensation to passengers on account of cancellations and delays due to extraordinary circumstances such as natural disasters, civil wars, political instability, security risks, strikes and labour disputes, and meteorological conditions.

Cancellations and delays due to Air Traffic Control (ATC) or slowdown or interruption of work that are beyond the control of the airline also do not qualify for compensation.