SC approves DGCA proposal on full airline ticket refund on cancelled flights due to lockdown

New Delhi, Oct 01: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that airlines will have to refund tickets booked prior to the COVID-19 lockdown for travel up to May 24.

The order was passed while formulating the draft by the Director General of Civil Aviation to deal with refunds for cancelled tickets due to the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions that began on March 25.

The airlines will also have the option to create a credit shell in the name of the passenger which can be availed for travel on any route before March 2021. The credit shall be transferable and the interest will accrue on the money in the credit sell: 0:5 per cent from the date of cancellation till June 30 and thereafter 0.75 per cent till March 31 2021, the court ruled The said tickets booked through travel agents will be refunded through travel agents, a Bench comprising, Justices Ashok Bhushan, R S Reddy and M R Shah.

The order came on a petition filed by the Air Passengers Association and Pravasi Legal Cell.

The petitioners demanded refund for the tickets booked prior to the lockdown.