Flight cancelled, delayed or denied boarding? Here's the compensation you can claim

According to reports by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), between January and April 2017, close to 5.12 lakh domestic passengers in India faced issues due to airline companies denying boarding, as well as flight cancellations and delays. Airline companies have paid their passengers compensations of over Rs 22 crore for various inconveniences during the first four months of this year. 
Passengers are increasingly affected by overbookings, delays and cancellations 
Airlines are shelling out large amounts of compensation for these issues that leave passengers stranded and inconvenienced. 

With the monsoon all set to begin by July-September, cancellations and delays are expected to rise. Here’s what you need to know as a passenger, in order to make the best of these situations. 

Check your eligibility 
If an airline refuses to let you board your flight, you need to figure out whether you are eligible to claim compensation
 You cn claim compensation from airlines for being denied boarding, if you are holding a confirmed ticket at the time of boarding and you are present at the time specified by the airline. 

What to do if you’re denied boarding 
Rishabh Beria, Managing Director at Janus Aviation says, “The airline is not liable to pay any compensation if they arrange for an alternate flight scheduled to depart within one hour of the originally scheduled departure time.” 

However, if the airline fails to do so, you can claim compensation. “For denying boarding, airlines have to provide monetary compensation to passengers in cash or through bank transfer, or if the if the passenger agrees, in the form of travel vouchers 

What to do if the flight is delayed or cancelled 
The airline is liable to provide compensation or facilities if it expects a delay beyond the actual scheduled departure time or revised departure time. If a flight is delayed by less than 24 hours, the airline has to provide meals and refreshments to passengers. If the delay is exceeds 24 hours, hotel accommodation and transfers must be provided 

If a flight is cancelled, passengers should be informed at least two weeks before the scheduled date of departure and the choice of a refund or alternate flight should be offered to them. But if the airline operator fails to inform them, they have to be compensated in addition to receiving the refund of the air ticket price, in accordance with DGCA guidelines. 

Compensation for being denied boarding 
Here’s what you can expect if you are not allowed to board the flight. 

Compensation for delay or cancellation 
Here’s what you can demand if your flight is delayed or cancelled. 

Note: Block time means aircraft travel time from the departure gate to arrival gate. 

However, airlines are not obligated to pay compensations if the delay or cancellation is caused by bad weather, political unrest, a natural disaster or labour disputes. 

Know your rights 
It’s important to stay informed about the refund policies of your airline for delays, cancellations, being denied boarding, loss or damage, or delayed arrival of baggage. Also, find out about their grievance redressal procedure. 

Refund process 
The refund process is fairly straightforward. The airline is mandated to follow the civil aviation requirements issued by the DGCA. The compensation has to be paid in cash, bank transfer or travel vouchers, according to the preference of the customer. 

Courtesy: ET