Amid IndiGo chaos, Air India makes BIG announcement, introduces special one-time waiver on... passengers flying between Dec 4-15 can....

Amid IndiGo travellers facing severe disruptions, Air India and Air India Express are taking steps to help stranded passengers, ensuring more predictable travel conditions. The airlines have capped economy-class fares on non-stop domestic flights from December 4, amid high demand, providing relief and predictability for stranded travellers. The airlines have also introduced a special one-time waiver on change and cancellation fees for eligible domestic tickets.

Both Air India and Air Express are also in the process of ensuring compliance with the latest directive on airfare caps issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on December 6.

Air India, Air India Express waive on change or cancellation fee on domestic bookings

Air India and Air India Express have introduced a special waiver of change or cancellation fees on eligible domestic bookings. With this, passengers who booked their flights with either carrier until December 4 for travel until December 15 can reschedule their bookings to a future date without paying the applicable rescheduling fee (within the validity of the purchased ticket, as appropriate) or can cancel their bookings with a full refund (without any cancellation fee applied). This one-time waiver applies to changes or cancellations made by December 8. Fare difference, if any, in case of rescheduling will apply. "Passengers who wish to reschedule or cancel their bookings with the one-time waiver can do so on the 24/7 contact centres of either carrier or through travel agents worldwide. Travellers can also do so through its chatbot, Tia, available on WhatsApp at +91 63600 12345, on the website, in the mobile app, and on Facebook Messenger, a statement said. 

"Additionally, to address high call volumes and minimise response times, Air India and Air India Express have deployed additional resources at their 24x7 contact centres. They have shared the contact details of Air India: +91 11 6932 9333 and Air India Express: +91 124 443 5600 / +91 124 693 5600," it added. 

Further, they are maximising seat availability across all flights on their expansive networks. Wherever operationally feasible, eligible Economy Class passengers would be upgraded to higher cabins at no additional cost so that every available seat can be utilised to help stranded travellers. Both carriers are also operating additional flights on key routes to help travellers and their baggage reach their destinations as quickly as possible. They will also offer special discounted fares and benefits on their websites and mobile apps for students, senior citizens, members of the armed forces, and their dependents.

IndiGo disruptions

IndiGo operations across India remained severely disrupted with cancellations, severe delays, and the rescheduling of many flights, primarily due to a sudden shortage of pilots and crew following the implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms issued by the DGCA last year. This has led to thousands of passengers facing significant inconvenience, long queues, and inadequate facilities, with some stranded at the airport for hours. Passengers have also urged the airline to provide timely updates and support to minimise inconvenience. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has formally issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo’s Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers—holding the airline accountable for large-scale operational disruptions in recent days and pointing to “significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management," as reported by ANI.

(With inputs from agencies)