SC issues notice to MoCA and DGCA on airline ticket refund issue

The bench comprising Justice Ramana, SK Kaul, and BR Gavai were hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an NGO, Pravasi Legal Cell.

The Supreme Court has termed the MoCA office memorandum, dated April 16, 2020, limiting the airline ticket refund only for the tickets booked during the lockdown period, as ‘arbitrary’ and issued notices to both the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the airline regulator, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The bench comprising Justice Ramana, SK Kaul, and BR Gavai were hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an NGO, Pravasi Legal Cell.

“It does seem arbitrary that refunds are being issued only to those who booked ticket after the lockdown was enforced. The relief should be entitled to everyone whose flights were cancelled because of lockdown irrespective of the period of booking,” observed Justice Kaul.

The MoCA office memorandum issued after protracted meetings among the travel trade bodies, airline operators and the government representatives on the refund issue had drawn flak from the travel trade and the public alike. Trade associations like IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI) had called the directive “ambiguous” and “devoid of any logic”. Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) alleged that the government looked “weak in taking the airlines into task” on the refund issue.

IAAI had approached SC seeking impleadment into the PIL last week.

Source :ET Travel World