Chennai: Air passengers are bracing for a loss after several airlines have refused to issue a refund for tickets on flights that were cancellesd because of the ongoing shutdown. Instead, many airlines are retaining the money to be used by the passenger when he/she chooses to fly in the future Major airlines such as IndiGo, Spicejet and GoAir have discouraged refunds and have issued a cancellation policy that says that the money paid by passengers will be retained in a ‘credit shell’ which the passenger can use it to fly any time in a year.
This policy has come in for sharp criticism among passengers who have taken to social media demanding airlines should cancel the tickets and issue a refund.
Air Passengers Association of India (APAI) has received several complaints and has raised the issue to the union ministry of civil aviation. The association's national president D Sudhakara Reddy said, “The airlines wants to retain the money. This is not fair.”
He said a study by the association showed that approximately Rs 6,500crore will be locked up because refunds are not being given. “Airlines are compelling passengers to fly at a later time. Many may not need to travel again and may even forget about getting the money back. The union government should form a group of ministers and should resolve the problem,” he said.
Thomas T Jacob, an advocate of Madras high court, said airlines should not set their own rules in this situation. “Where a certain event like a pandemic takes place, each party will be entitled either to discharge the contract and be excused from performance, and or to suspend and extend the time for performance.”
31/03/20 Times of India
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This policy has come in for sharp criticism among passengers who have taken to social media demanding airlines should cancel the tickets and issue a refund.
Air Passengers Association of India (APAI) has received several complaints and has raised the issue to the union ministry of civil aviation. The association's national president D Sudhakara Reddy said, “The airlines wants to retain the money. This is not fair.”
He said a study by the association showed that approximately Rs 6,500crore will be locked up because refunds are not being given. “Airlines are compelling passengers to fly at a later time. Many may not need to travel again and may even forget about getting the money back. The union government should form a group of ministers and should resolve the problem,” he said.
Thomas T Jacob, an advocate of Madras high court, said airlines should not set their own rules in this situation. “Where a certain event like a pandemic takes place, each party will be entitled either to discharge the contract and be excused from performance, and or to suspend and extend the time for performance.”
31/03/20 Times of India
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