Air India Compensation: Delays, Cancellations, Denied Boarding

Air India Compensation for Delays and Cancellations

Air India follows a complex framework of both national and international regulations. Their passengers are subject to varying guidelines like those established by the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and international agreements such as regulation EC 261/2004. Since most people are unaware of their rights, we will explain all the ways you can claim Air India compensation if you experience travel disruptions.

Applicable Domestic and International Aviation Laws

Air India's key regulatory frameworks include the national DGCA guidelines and international aviation laws such as EC 261/2004 for flights originating from the European Union.

Domestic Flights within India are covered under DGCA guidelines. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is the country's aviation authority, which oversees airline operations and enforces regulations that protect passenger rights.

International flights are governed by a mix of DGCA rules and international regulations. EC 261/2004 applies when flying from an EU country or to India with a layover in Europe.

Was your Air India flight delayed or cancelled?

You might be eligible for compensation.

Air India Compensation Policies

Understanding the full extent of India's passenger rights laws can be challenging. Air India's responsibilities towards its passengers vary. Your rights depend on the country of departure and the destination of your flight.

Air India Compensation for Flight Delays

Air India passengers can claim compensation if their domestic flight is delayed beyond a certain threshold. The airline must provide free food and drinks for any delay beyond two hours from the original departure time.

If the delay is expected to exceed six hours, the airline is obliged to:

Announce the rescheduled time for your flight at least 24 hours before departure.
For unexpected delays, the airline must provide an alternative flight within six hours or offer a full refund.
If the delay is announced within 24 hours of the scheduled departure time and extends beyond 24 hours, the airline must also offer hotel accommodation.

Air India Compensation for Delayed Flights from Europe

Thanks to Regulation EC 261/2004, you can claim up to €600 per ticket if you experience a significant delay on an Air India flight from Europe. Keep in mind that this law only covers flights departing from EU airports and not the opposite.

Claim up to €250 per person for any delay that exceeds two hours for flights with a travel distance below 1,500 km.
Claim up to €400 per person for any delay that exceeds three hours for flights with a travel distance between 1,500 and 3,500 km.
Claim up to €600 per person for any delay that exceeds four hours for flights with a travel distance above 3,500 km.
Delays that exceed five hours make you eligible for a full refund or free re-routing.

Air India is not obligated to pay passengers anything if the delay was caused by an extraordinary circumstance. Unfortunately, the list is long and airlines know how to use these causes to their advantage. Check out the full explanation on our dedicated page about Extraordinary Circumstances .

Air India Compensation for Flight Cancellations

Passengers are entitled to a refund or alternative travel arrangements if a flight gets cancelled by Air India. Additional compensation may also be due if the airline fails to inform you at least 14 days in advance.

If you were not informed on time or missed a connecting flight from the same reservation, you can claim a full refund plus the following compensation:

3–4 hours	4+ hours	Distance	Example flight
€250	€250	Under 1,500 km	London → Paris (343 km)
€400	€400	1,500 – 3,500 km	Edinburg → Berlin (1,730 km)
€400	€400	Over 3,500 km (in EU)	Lisbon → Stockholm (3,608 km)
€300	€600	Over 3,500 km (departing EU)	Frankfurt → New York (6,202 km)

The airline must provide meals and refreshments if you report at the airport for the flight that was cancelled. This is in cases when you have to wait hours for the alternate flight you were offered. If departure is scheduled from a different airport/terminal, the airline must reimburse you for any transfer costs.

Flights departing from the European Union are additionally protected under EC 261/2004. The Air India compensation amounts are the same as with flight delays - between €250 and €600. How much you are owed depends on the flight distance and the time of arrival of the alternative flight provided.

The aforementioned amounts have to be paid if the airline announces the cancellation with less than two weeks' notice and fails to offer a suitable re-routing alternative. You will be eligible for compensation if the alternate flight departs or arrives more than two hours later than your original booking.

Denied Boarding Compensation

Air India occasionally overbooks flights , leading to some passengers being denied boarding. In cases of involuntary denied boarding on domestic flights, the DGCA mandates that airlines compensate passengers based on the duration of the delay caused by the situation.

The airline has no obligation to pay compensation if it offers a seat on an alternative flight that departs within the next hour.
If the alternative flight causes a delay of more than one hour but less than 24 hours, the passenger is entitled to compensation equal to 200% of the ticket fare up to ₹10,000.
For delays beyond 24 hours, compensation rises to 400% of the one-way basic fare with a limit of ₹20,000. If you deny the airline's offer for a re-booking, you are entitled to the same 400% plus a full refund.

Denied boarding for flights departing from the EU qualifies for the same Air India compensation that applies to delays and cancellations. Depending on the distance, you can claim up to €600 plus reimbursement for additional costs that occurred due to the disruption.

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Air India Refund Eligibility Criteria

There are numerous situations where passengers can request a refund. But there are plenty of cases where it is impossible. Let’s discuss all common scenarios.

Flight Cancellations by Air India

If Air India cancels a flight due to operational reasons or other issues within the airline's control, passengers are entitled to a full refund or the option of rebooking on an alternative flight. If passengers do not wish to fly on a rebooked flight, they can claim a refund for the full ticket price.

Significant Flight Delays

In case of delays exceeding a certain threshold, passengers are eligible for a full refund if they choose not to board the delayed flight.

Schedule Changes

If Air India makes significant changes to the flight schedule, passengers can request a refund. The definition of "significant" may vary depending on the fare rules and the extent of the time change.

Voluntary Cancellations

The refund amounts for voluntary cancellations depend on the ticket class. Passengers who have purchased fully refundable tickets can cancel their flights and receive a full Air India refund, although cancellation charges may apply depending on how close to the departure the cancellation is made.

Denied Boarding

Passengers who are involuntarily denied boarding due to overbooking or operational reasons are entitled to a refund or rebooking on the next available flight. In almost all cases, you can also claim Air India compensation.

No-Show Policy

Air India has a strict "no-show" policy for passengers who fail to show up for their flights. Most ticket types include a two-hour no-show window. Failing to act within this timeframe will mean you forfeit the entire ticket amount. An Air India refund is generally not allowed unless the fare rules specifically permit it.

Refund for Unused Taxes

Even when a fare is non-refundable, passengers may still be eligible for a refund of unused taxes. This applies when the ticket has not been used, regardless of the reason for the cancellation.

Partially Used Tickets

Passengers who have used one leg of a round-trip ticket may not be eligible for a refund for the unused portion, particularly if the fare was non-refundable. In some cases, partial refunds may apply, but this is determined based on fare rules.

Air India Refund: Special Cases

Medical Emergency

Passengers who are unable to travel due to a medical emergency can apply for a refund. However, they will need to provide supporting documentation, such as a doctor’s certificate or hospital reports. These cases are evaluated individually and the outcome depends on the severity of the situation. Refunds may be granted even for non-refundable tickets.

Death of a family member

Passengers can request a refund in the unfortunate event of a family member’s death. Air India typically requires a death certificate as proof. Similar to medical emergencies, refunds for such cases are assessed individually.

Here’s How Air India Could Try To Avoid Paying Compensation

An airline will always look for a way out of an expense. There are multiple ways Air India could hinder the compensation process.

Let’s take extraordinary circumstances as a prime example. You are entitled to Air India compensation when a flight is disrupted due to technical faults or operational issues. However, Air India may classify certain incidents as non-existing extraordinary circumstances.

For instance, Air India could claim severe weather conditions are beyond their control. This would make the flight ineligible for compensation. This is possible even though some technical faults are preventable and might be attributed to poor management.

The airline’s readiness to pay compensation is often questionable. Their representatives can be slow in acknowledging your rights under international regulations like EC 261/2004. Passengers from Europe may have to remind Air India of their obligations.

The airline may try to avoid automatic compensation and force you to pursue a claims process. And even then, the airline may contest the claim unless legal pressure is applied. This is why SkyRefund is your safest bet when making a compensation claim. File your claim today and our representatives will handle the entire process and defend you in court if needed.

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