Passengers flying to and from India might soon be able to cancel their tickets or make changes within 48 hours of booking, according to new changes proposed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), PTI reported.

The DGCA in India is the regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation primarily dealing with safety issues.

According to their proposed changes in ticket refund norms, cancellations or amendments within 48 hours of booking should be free of charge. Additionally, the DGCA has also proposed that in case of tickets bought through a travel agent/portal, the "onus of refund shall lie with the airlines as agents are their appointed representatives".

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Here are some of the significant changes they have proposed in the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) pertaining to the refund of air tickets, as reported by PTI:

1. Airlines shall provide a 'Look-in option' for a period of 48 hours after booking a ticket, during which, passengers can cancel or amend the ticket without any additional charges, except for the normal prevailing fare.

However, this facility will not be available for a flight whose departure is within 5 days for domestic flight and 15 days for international flight from booking date when ticket is booked directly through airline website.

2. Airlines shall ensure that the refund process is completed within 21 working days.

3. The airline will not levy any additional charge for correction in name of the same person when the error is pointed out by the passenger within 24 hours of making the booking, when ticket is booked directly through airline website.

4. Airlines may refund the tickets or provide a credit shell in case of ticket cancellations by the passenger arising due to a medical emergency.

The proposed changes come against the backdrop of concerns and issues related to air ticket refunds. The DGCA has sought comments from stakeholders on the draft CAR till November 30.

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