What to Do When Your Flight Is Cancelled in India

A flight cancellation feels like the end of the world for about five minutes. Then it becomes a logistical problem with a clear solution — if you know what you are entitled to under DGCA rules. Most passengers accept a voucher or rescheduled flight without realising they have the right to cash compensation on top of it. This guide walks you through every step, in order.

What DGCA rules actually give you

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has a Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on passenger rights — Section 3, Series M, Part IV. Under this, for any cancellation where the airline gives you less than two weeks' notice:

• Choice of alternate flight at no extra charge, at the earliest available time, or full refund including all taxes — whichever you prefer.
• Cash compensation on top of this, unless the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances (war, extreme weather, security risk, air traffic control decision). The compensation amounts are: Rs 5,000 for flights up to 1,500 km; Rs 7,500 for 1,500–2,500 km; Rs 10,000 for flights above 2,500 km — or 1.5× the one-way base fare, whichever is lower.
• Meals and refreshments while you wait if the alternate flight departs 2+ hours after the original scheduled departure.
• Hotel accommodation with transfers if you have to wait overnight because the airline cannot provide an alternate flight the same day.

Step 1: Get documentation before you leave the counter

The worst thing you can do is walk away from the airline counter with only a verbal promise. Before you move:

• Ask for the cancellation reason in writing — a printout or an email to your address on record. If they refuse, note the agent's name and employee ID.
• Ask directly: "Am I entitled to compensation under DGCA CAR Section 3 Series M Part IV?" This signals you know the rules and often prompts better service on the spot.
• Ask for all alternate flight options across carriers — not just the airline's own next departure. You are not required to accept an inconvenient option 18 hours later if a competitor has an earlier flight.
• Get any meal or hotel voucher in writing with a booking reference. Verbal promises get forgotten.

Step 2: Choose — alternate flight or full refund

You have the right to choose one. The airline's default is to rebook you on their next available flight, but:

• If you no longer need the trip — you missed the meeting, event, or onward connection — demand a full refund including taxes. You are not obligated to accept an alternate.
• If the alternate works for you, take it — and ask separately about cash compensation. The two are independent claims.
• If they offer a travel voucher instead of a cash refund: unless you fly the airline frequently, the cash refund is usually more valuable. Vouchers have expiry dates and blackout periods.

Refund timelines — and what to do when they miss them

Under DGCA rules, airlines must process refunds within 7 working days for card payments and 20 working days for cash payments. If the refund does not arrive within that window:

1. Send a written complaint to the airline's customer care email. Keep the sent email as timestamped evidence.
2. If no response within 7 days, file a complaint on the AirSewa portal (below).
3. If you paid by credit card, initiate a chargeback simultaneously — most banks process airline disputes within 30–45 days and the threat alone often prompts the airline to process the refund.

Filing a complaint on AirSewa

AirSewa (airsewa.gov.in) is the DGCA's official passenger grievance portal. Airlines are required to respond within defined timelines once a complaint is logged.

1. Register on airsewa.gov.in and log in.
2. Click Grievance → choose the airline → select the issue type (cancellation / refund / compensation).
3. Attach: your booking confirmation, the cancellation notice, your refund or compensation request to the airline, and their response or non-response.
4. Note the ticket number to track status on the portal.
5. The airline typically has 30 days to respond. DGCA reviews unresolved cases and can direct airlines to comply.

AirSewa resolves most standard refund and compensation disputes. For larger losses — missed international connections, pre-paid hotel bookings, business losses — you will need the Consumer Forum.

When to go to Consumer Forum

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission handles airline complaints under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. It is the right escalation when AirSewa closed your complaint without resolution, or when your actual losses significantly exceed the DGCA compensation cap. Filing fees are zero for claims up to Rs 5 lakh. Most airlines prefer to settle at the legal notice stage rather than face a forum appearance.

A legal consultant on TrunkCall can structure the complaint, cite the correct DGCA regulations and consumer law sections, and calculate the full recoverable damages including consequential losses — typically in a single 30-minute session. For claims above Rs 50,000, the session fee pays for itself easily.

What travel insurance covers — and what it does not

• What it typically covers: trip cancellation (your decision to cancel for a covered reason), trip interruption caused by the airline's cancellation, and delay costs after a threshold — usually 6–12 hours depending on the policy.
• What it does not cover: the airline's DGCA-mandated compensation obligation. That is the airline's legal duty regardless of your insurance.
• The right order: claim from the airline first under DGCA rules. Then claim from your travel insurance for anything that falls outside airline liability — unused hotel nights, visa fees, tour deposits.