Rights charter to check errant airlines?

New Delhi: In order to make airlines more accountable, a charter on rights of air passengers has been prepared.
Formulated by Air Passengers Association of India (APAI), a 17-year-old consumer organisation, this draft, if translated into law as proposed, would be a path-breaking one as there are no laws in this regard presently.
It'll be called the Civil Aviation (Rights of Passengers) Regulations 2006.
One of the demands of the draft is proper compensation. If boarding is denied or a flight cancelled, it should be: Rs 5,000 for flights of 1,500 km or less; Rs 7,500 for flights between 1,500-3,000 km; Rs 10,000 for flights not falling in the above two categories.
Another demand is flight re-routing.
The arrival time of the alternate flight should not exceed that of the original flight by: two hours for flights of 1,500 km or less; by three hours for flights between 1,500-3,000 km; by four hours for those not in the above categories and for which airlines may reduce compensation by 50%.
If a flight is cancelled, the full cost of the ticket for part/parts of the journey not made should be reimbursed within a week, together with a return flight to the first point of departure or to final destination.
01/04/07 Shobha John/Times of India

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Categories: General Aviation Apr 2007