DGCA Introduces 48-Hour Free Cancellation Window: What You Need to Know?

Air travellers will now have greater flexibility after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) revised its refund regulations to make them more passenger centric.

Under the amended Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), airlines must provide a 48-hour “look-in” period from the time of booking. During this window, passengers can cancel or modify their tickets without paying cancellation or change fees, though any fare difference for a revised booking will still apply.

Conditions Apply for Short-Notice Travel

The benefit will not extend to tickets booked directly on an airline’s website if the departure is scheduled within seven days for domestic flights or 15 days for international travel from the date of booking. After the 48-hour grace period, standard cancellation or modification charges will come into effect.

No Fee for Name Corrections Within 24 Hours

In a significant relief measure, the DGCA has instructed airlines not to levy additional charges for correcting minor name errors, provided the mistake is reported within 24 hours of booking, and the ticket was purchased directly through the airline’s website.

The regulator clarified that when tickets are booked through travel agents or online portals, airlines remain responsible for processing refunds, as agents act as their authorised representatives. Refunds must be completed within 14 working days.

Medical Emergencies Covered Under Revised Norms

The updated rules also address situations involving medical emergencies. If a passenger or a family member travelling on the same PNR is hospitalised during the travel period, airlines may offer either a refund or a credit shell. In other medical cases, refunds will be subject to evaluation by the airline’s medical team or a DGCA-empanelled aerospace medicine specialist regarding the passenger’s fitness to travel.

Rising Complaints Prompt Reform

The changes come amid growing concerns over delayed refunds. The issue gained attention following disruptions in December 2025 involving IndiGo, after which the civil aviation ministry directed the airline to expedite pending refund cases.

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DGCA data shows that in December 2025 alone, scheduled airlines received 29,212 passenger complaints, with 7.5% related to refunds. Domestic carriers transported over 1.43 crore passengers that month. For the full year 2025, Indian airlines carried more than 16.69 crore passengers, highlighting the scale of operations in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.

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