(MENAFN- Live Mint) Since 2 December, IndiGo has cancelled more than 1,000 flights. Several others have been delayed. As passengers suffer from operational chaos, let's find out if they are entitled to refunds for delayed or cancelled flights.

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According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA ), it is mandatory for airlines to issue a complete refund when a flight is cancelled. Check the rules.

Refund rules for flight cancellation

When an airline cancels a flight, it must notify passengers at least two weeks prior to departure. It must offer either a refund or an alternate flight.

If the cancellation is informed less than two weeks but at least 24 hours in advance, the passenger can still choose a refund or an alternate flight. The airline must give compensation plus a full refund or an alternate flight:

• If the airline fails to inform on time
• If the passenger misses a connecting flight on the same ticket

The compensation is ₹5,000 for flights of up to one hour, ₹7,500 for flights of up to two hours, and ₹10,000 for flights exceeding two hours. The airline has the option to pay the basic fare plus fuel charge, whichever is lower.

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Passengers will also get waiting facilities at the airport. No compensation applies if the passenger did not provide contact details. There will be no compensation if cancellation occurs due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline's control.

Refund rules for flight delays

Airlines must give support to passengers when a flight is delayed. If you have checked in on time and the airline expects a delay, it must provide basic facilities, such as food and refreshments, to its passengers. Such facilities must be provided if the delay crosses two hours for short flights, three hours for medium flights and four hours for longer flights.

If a domestic flight is expected to be delayed by more than six hours, the airline must offer you a choice between an alternate flight within six hours or a full refund. If the delay crosses 24 hours, or if a night flight between 8 PM and 3 AM is delayed by more than six hours, the airline must provide extra facilities.

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They must provide facilities such as hotel stays and transportation. However, airlines do not need to provide these benefits if the delay is caused by extraordinary events beyond their control.

IndiGo statement

IndiGo has called the circumstances 'unavoidable' in its official statement.

“We have had several unavoidable flight delays and some cancellations in the past few days due to various reasons, including technology issues, airport congestion, and operational requirements,” said an IndiGo spokesperson in its official statement.

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“Our teams are working diligently to ensure that operations normalise as soon as possible. Furthermore, we are offering alternate flight options or refunds to affected customers, as applicable. We regret the inconvenience caused to our valued customers due to these disruptions,” the statement says.

“We request customers to check the latest flight status at before heading to the airport, to help us minimise inconvenience," the IndiGo spokesperson added.

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