Lok Sabha Question No. 2978 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-04
Subject: Complaints against Airlines
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI, RABINDRA KUMAR JENA, R. GOPALAKRISHNAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED NO. : 2978 (To be answered on the January 2018)

Complaints against Airlines

2978.

SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA SHRI RGOPALAKRISHNAN

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

.

be pleased to state:-

- (a) the details as to the number consumer complaints received Government with regard to domestie air travel operators with the by the year, year-wise; along
- flight followed by all airlines operating in domestic routes, if the details thereof; Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission to formulate A rational policyto prevent harassment of passengers left Out from over-booked flights, if the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government acknowledges that the cancellation and refund rules associated with the domestic air travel is more airline operator friendly than consumer friendly in the country and if s0, the reasons therefoo with proposal of the Government to establish a groups; and along
- (Ctiwhether the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has any records of punitive inctiasetakerovgainst airlines that have not compensated flyers for denying boarding in cases of overbooking as well as for flight and cancellations; if details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; so, the delays
- (f) the action taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL A VIATION OTR

.`

(Shri Jayant Sinha)

(a): Airline wise details, in respect %f number 0f complaints received by them and 2015,.2016 & 2017 (up to November) is placed at against domestic air travel operators; is placed at Annexure-IZ

- (b) to (d): Overbooking of seats in 2 flight by: the airlines is a common practice followed by the airlines globally.

However; DGCA has issued Civil Aviation Requirement(CAR) Section -3, Series M, Part-IV titled "Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation Of flights and delays in flights" to ensure appropriate protection for the air travelers in case 0f flight disruptions and, in particular; denied boardings, flight cancellations and delays without due notice to the passengers booked 0n the flight(s) and to raise the standards of protection both to strengthen the rights of the passengers and to ensure that the airlines operate under harmonized conditions.

Under the provision of this CAR, when the number of passengers, who have been given confirmed bookings for travel on (he flight and who have reported for the flight well within the specified time ahead of the departure Of the flight; are more than the number Of seats available, an airline must first ask for volunteers to give the flight:

If the boarding is denied to any passengers against their will, the airline shall not be liable for Any compensation ini case alternate flight is arranged that is scheduled to depart within one hour of the original schedule departure time of the initial reservation.

Failing to do SO, the airline shall compensate the passengers a8 per the following provisions:

- ~~Amount varying from INR 10,000 to 20,000, in case airline arranges alternate flight
- ~~In case passenger does not opt for alterrate flight; refund of full value of ticket max: amount upto INR 20,000

Airlines are giving compensation to the passenger affected due to denied boarding delays; cancellations and submitting compliance to DGCA under the provisions of CAR Section -3, Series M, Part-IV titled Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding: eanceliation Of flights and delays in flights during the year 2017 (up to November) is at Annexure-III,

- (e) & (f: To save the interest of the consumers, DGCA has issued the following passenger centric Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) under Sevtion -3- Air Transport to address the issues Of refund and flight disruptions and in particular; denied boardings, flight cancellations and delays:
- Series-M, Part-II titled "Refund of Airline Tickets to passengers of Public Transport Undertakings"
- airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation Of flights and delays in flights to appropriate protection for the air travelers in case 0f flight disruptions and by

No\_ of complaints addressed by airlines

Upto November 2017

| Airline               | 2015   | 2016   | 2017*   |
|-----------------------|--------|--------|---------|
| Air Costa             | 59     | 66     | 11      |
| Air Asia              | 155    | 170    | 152     |
| Vistara               | 20     | 40     | 40      |
| Go Air                | 1425   | 822    | 721     |
| IndiGo                | 2100   | 1334   | 996     |
| Spicejet              | 1904   | 813    | 568     |
| Jet Airways + JetLite | 2537   | 2720   | 2413    |
| Air India (Dom)       | 2786   | 3488   | 2680    |
| Air Pegasus           | 50     | 283    |         |
| Trujet                | 16     | 33     | 28      |
| Air Carnival          |        | 3      | 1       |
| Zoom Air              |        |        | 2       |
| Total                 | 11052  | 9772   | 7612    |

## ANNEXURE-|

## Details\_of\_consumer\_complaints\_received \_with to\_domestic\_air\_travel\_operators\_on AirSewa Portal regard\_

| S NO   | AIRLINES     | Grievance received during 25.11.2016- 31.12.2016   |   Grievance received during: 01.01.2017 - 31.12,2017 |
|--------|--------------|----------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| 1      | AIR INDIA    | 108                                                |                                                 1201 |
| 2      | JET AIRWAYS  | 38                                                 |                                                  827 |
| 3      | INDIGO       | 144                                                |                                                  776 |
| 4      | SPICEJET     | 34                                                 |                                                  555 |
| 5      | GO AIR       | 18                                                 |                                                  399 |
| 6      | AIRASIA      | 05                                                 |                                                  206 |
| 7      | VISTARA      | 03                                                 |                                                   84 |
| 8      | AIRCOSTA     | 01                                                 |                                                  123 |
| 9      | ALLIANCE AIR | 00                                                 |                                                   01 |
| 10     | JETLITE      |                                                    |                                                   05 |
|        | TOTAL        | 351                                                |                                                 4177 |

PASSENGERS AFFECTED AND COMPENSATION PROVIDED

| Month   | Denied Boarding     | Denied Boarding                | Cancellations       | Cancellations                                | Delays              | Delays                                               |
|---------|---------------------|--------------------------------|---------------------|----------------------------------------------|---------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| Month   | No. of Pax Affected | Facilities & Compensation      | No_ of Pax Affected | Facilities & Sompensation                    | No. of Pax Affected | Facilities                                           |
| Jan-17  | 2598                | Rs.  170.26 Iakhs compensation | 20010               | Rs. 76.68 lakhs compensation and facilities  | 239454              | Rs. 146.36 lakhs towards compensation and facilities |
| Feb-17  | 2988                | Rs. 1391.86 lakhs compensation | 8761                | Rs. 60.98 lakhs compensation and facilities  | 104591              | Rs. 77.88 lakhs towards compensation and facilities  |
| Mar-17  | 1313                | Rs. 53.10 lakhs compensation   | 12167               | Rs. 47.15 lakhs comnpensation and facilities | 56087               | Rs. 61.22 lakhs towards compensation and facilities  |
| Apr-17  | 2702                | Rs. 99.58lakhs compensation    | 9980                | Rs. 26.19 lakhs compensation and facilities  | 51314               | Rs. 65.50 lakhs towards compensation and facilities  |
| May-17  | 2627                | Rs. 137.27 lakhs compensation  | 19175               | Rs. 55.11lakhs compensation and facilities   | 91213               | Rs. 88.97 lakhs towards compensation and facilities  |
| Jun-17  | 1359                | Rs. 69.28 Iakhs compensation   | 13254               | Rs. 37.31 lakhs compensation and facilities  | 85009               | Rs. 99.91 lakhs towards compensation and facilities  |
| Jul-17  | 1323                | Rs. 276.88 lakhs compensation  | 14231               | Rs. 48.67 lakhs compensation and facilities  | 99528               | Rs. 99.55 lakhs towards facilitation                 |
| Aug-17  | 1712                | Rs_ 72.67 lakhs compensation   | 13055               | Rs. 63.09lakhs compensation and facilities   | 85669               | Rs. 73.73lakhs towards facilitation                  |
| Sep-17  | 2052                | compensation                   | 17520               | Rs . 56.52 lakhs compensation and facilities | 103266              | Rs. 113.28 lakhs towards facilitation                |
| Oct-17  | 1915                | Rs. 124.06 lakhs compensation  | 8458                | Rs. 40.51 lakhs compensation and facilities  | 102100              | Rs_ 107.60 lakhs towards facilitation                |
| Nov-17  | 2839                | Rs. 197.85 lakhs compensation  | 13117               | Rs. 49.22 lakhs compensation and facilities  | 118224              | Rs. 91.82 lakhs towards facilitation                 |
| Total   | 23428               | 23428                          | 149728              | 149728                                       | 1136455             | 1136455                                              |

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