‘Extend credit if not cash’
Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has urged airlines to give credit to passengers in lieu of bookings made before the implementation of the initial 21-day nationwide lockdown in case they cannot refund the customers’ money. A decision on resuming operations, both domestic and international, is still awaited.
The lockdown in the country has brought people’s travel plans to a standstill. International and domestic flight operations have been suspended, and since flights are not taking off, people are being forced to cancel or reschedule their tickets. A number of airlines have been charging customers for such cancellation or rescheduling. Addressing the issue at hand, Hardeep Singh
Puri, Minister of State (I/C), Civil Aviation, has said, “We have issued clear advisory to all the airlines regarding the same and most of the airlines are following it by giving credit because the bookings have been done.”
Pradeep Singh Kharola, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, throws more light on the situation and says, “For bookings made earlier, money has already come to the airline. Sometimes, travel agents have different dealings with airlines and have paid the airlines, and they also give a credit period to passengers. In that case, the money hasn’t come to the travel agent either. So, it has become quite complex. Hence, the DGCA has issued some guidelines, saying that firstly, all cancellation charges should not be levied and as far as possible, the airlines should also try to reschedule the tickets so that those who cannot travel now can do so subsequently.” He adds that in case a passenger is not able to travel to a destination, he gets credit for that amount in case the airline is not able to give him cash. That can be done by the airline either in terms of a credit form or a voucher or some electronic system.
International operations
On the issue of restarting international operations for evacuation of passengers, Puri says that they will be looking at resuming international flight operations on a case-by-case basis after the lockdown is over. They will be looking at which countries these flights are coming from. “After the lockdown, we will be considering the resumption of flights on a case-by-case basis. Even flights that will bring Indians back would not be allowed to come until the lockdown is lifted,” he shares.
To this, Kharola adds that there were restrictions on international flights arriving from different destinations even before the lockdown. “Even after the lockdown is over, the government has to examine and take a holistic view of when conditions will be safe in other countries, and then we can think of opening international operations on a case-by-case basis,” he says.
Domestic operations
Domestic airlines, too, are unclear on the course of action going forward. “What the airlines do as part of their contingency planning and prepare for the future is entirely up to them and there is no directive from us. I am optimistic and I am hoping that operations begin in a calibrated manner,” says Kharola, asserting that it is really up to the airline; "they have to judge the situation and take bookings," he comments.
With the lockdown extended to May 3, resumption of flights could be further delayed.
We have issued clear advisory to all the airlines and most of them are following it
– Hardeep Singh Puri