IndiGo’s flight chaos: What are passengers' rights when a flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your flight is delayed, DGCA rules guarantee free meals and refreshments depending on flight duration. For flights under 2.5 hours, delays of 2+ hours entitle you to complimentary food and water. Flights between 2.5-5 hours require 3+ hour delays for meals. Longer flights over 5 hours need 4+ hour delays to qualify for free food. Airlines must provide these without charging or requiring voucher requests. Keep any receipts if you purchase meals yourself, as airlines may reimburse later.

If your flight delay exceeds 6 hours, you have absolute choice between two options. Option one: airlines must arrange an alternate flight within 6 hours at no extra cost. Option two: you can demand complete ticket refund and book another airline. Airlines cannot force passengers toward either choice; decision rests with you. This applies to all domestic flights regardless of airline. Refund timelines vary: cash or bank transfer immediately, credit card within 7 days.

If your flight is delayed overnight or exceeds 24 hours and the airline is operationally at fault, free hotel accommodation with airport transfers becomes mandatory. Operational faults include pilot shortage, crew rostering issues, technical failures, or administrative problems. Airlines cannot cite these reasons and refuse hotels; they must arrange reasonable accommodation. Hotels must include meals with comfortable standard accommodation. Transfers to and from airport are included in this entitlement. Operational faults clearly exclude force majeure events beyond airline control.

Airlines are legally exempted from providing hotel accommodation if delays result from force majeure events. These include fog, severe weather, security risks, natural disasters, or other extraordinary circumstances. However, airlines often misuse weather excuses when problems are actually operational.If airline claims fog caused delay, demand written explanation stating this explicitly. If later evidence shows crew shortage or technical issue caused delay, you can contest the refusal. Always get written confirmation of delay reasons before accepting hotel denial.

If airlines fail to notify you of flight cancellation at least two weeks before departure, compensation is legally mandatory. Compensation amounts depend strictly on flight duration. Flights under 1 hour: ₹5,000 compensation; flights 1-2 hours: ₹7,500; flights over 2 hours: ₹10,000. This compensation is in addition to complete ticket refund]. Airlines must provide compensation automatically without passenger requests or court proceedings. Compensation cannot be refused if notification deadline violation is proven.

If you miss a connecting flight because your first flight was delayed and both bookings are on the same ticket, airlines become fully liable. You receive complete compensation as if the first flight was cancelled without proper notification. For overnight connection misses, airlines must provide meals, hotel accommodation, and airport transfers. Separate ticket bookings have different liability rules; airlines only cover the delayed first flight. Always book connecting flights on single ticket to secure full compensation coverage. Connecting flight compensation is separate from delay compensation on first sector.

If your checked baggage is lost, delayed, or damaged during flight disruptions, maximum liability limits apply. For domestic flights, airlines are liable up to ₹20,000 per passenger. International flights departing India have liability limit approximately ₹1.2 lakh (1,131 SDR) per passenger. Baggage liability applies regardless of delay cause, except in very limited force majeure scenarios. You must report baggage issues within specific timeframes to claim compensation. Separate damage claims require photographic evidence or written reports. Keep baggage tags and claim forms for compensation processing.

If you're entitled to full refund for cancellations or 6+ hour delays, refund timeline depends on payment method. Cash or direct bank transfers must be processed immediately without delays. Credit card refunds must appear within 7 days of refund approval. If you booked through travel agents, file refund claims directly with agents, not airlines. Airlines cannot process travel agent refunds directly. For direct bookings, refunds go directly to original payment method. Delayed refund processing becomes grounds for additional compensation complaints.

If airlines reject your legitimate compensation or refund claims, file formal grievances through government channels. The primary complaint platform is AirSewa App or portal. DGCA nodal officers stationed at major airports also accept passenger complaints directly. Include flight details, booking reference numbers, delay duration, and supporting documents in complaints. Airlines often ignore informal complaints; formal AirSewa filing forces regulatory investigation. DGCA investigates complaints and compels airline compliance with passenger rights. Response timeline typically extends 30 days from formal complaint filing.

Keep all documentation when flights are delayed or cancelled to support compensation claims. Retain original boarding passes showing flight details and delay information. Save all meal receipts if you purchase food independently; airlines reimburse verified expenses. Collect written explanations from airlines about delay causes, particularly weather or operational reasons. Take photographs of airport chaos, terminal signage, or delay announcements for evidence. Preserve all SMS, email, and app notifications from airlines. These documents become crucial during AirSewa complaints or if airlines refuse compensation.