- January 9, 2022
- Posted by: IAAI
- Category: Circular, News
Ref: IAAI/0184/BE/CIR/20
11th September 2020
Trade Circular
Dear Members,
Sub: News update on PIL before the Hon. Supreme Court of India, on refund of Air Tickets
Greetings from IAAI.
The PIL before Hon. Supreme Court of India in the matter of Pravasi Legal Cell V/s Union of India & Anr.
Filed by Pravasi Legal Cell – New Delhi, along with the impleading application by IATA Agents Association
of India (IAAI) regarding the refund of Air Tickets, was came for hearing on September 9, 2020. Both
Pravasi Legal Cell and IAAI represented by our legal counsel Adv. Jose Abraham.
Hon. Supreme Court of India directed Union of India / DGCA to make it clear that, a full refund is
applicable for all cancelled tickets irrespective of the booking dates and allowed to file an additional
affidavit in this regard within one week. One week time granted to Airlines and other stakeholders also
to file written response if any and the matter listed for disposal on September 23 2020.
Earlier, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) informed the Supreme Court in an affidavit that,
Airlines may be directed to fully refund all domestic and international tickets booked for travel during
lockdown period, between March 25 and May 3, 2020.
According to IAAI, refunding of tickets issued during March 25 and May 3, 2020, based on the MoCA
directives on 16.04.2020, is not charity, only reconciliation of the regulatory lapses. Allowing Airlines to
issue tickets for journey during lockdown period itself was illegal, arbitrary, ambiguous and devoid of
any logic, especially during a period when all national and international Airports were closed operation
due to Coivd-19 pandemic.
Hence, the proposal of DGCA as per the Affidavit filed before the Hon. Supreme Court is not sufficient
enough to address the core issue of relief to everyone whose rights cancelled because of lockdown, and
IAAI would like to reiterate that the option of refund is “the prerogative of the Passenger and not a
default practice of the Airline”.
To safeguard the Consumer Rights of Air Passengers and to secure their hard-earned money paid for Air
Tickets, IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI) still demand the Airlines to pay the full refund to all
passengers irrespective of the date of issue or travel date of the tickets.
We want to further to assure that, IAAI will always stand with the Travel Agents and Travelling Public in
India by way of taking proactive measures for the collective wellbeing of the Travel & Tourism Industry.
Regards,
IATA Agents Association of India ( IAAI ) Director Board
BIJI EAPEN HARJIT SINGH CHAWLA DEVENDRA GHULE
President General Secretary Treasurer
ARUNA SHETTY MADHAV REDDY MANU.T. NAIR
Director Director
