Lok Sabha Question No. 171 (STARRED), answered on 2022-07-28
Subject: Compensation for Flight Delays
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION Lok Sabha

STARRED QUESTION NO. : 171

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  28th July 2022 )

## COMPENSATION FOR FLIGHT DELAYS

## 171.    SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government proposes to introduce a system to ensure that the flight services are operating on time as per the schedule and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  cognizance  of  the  delay  in operation of flight services by airline companies and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  airline  companies  are  liable  to  compensate  the passengers  for  the  loss  caused  to  them  due  to  the  delay  in  flight services, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to take steps in this regard and if
- so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has collected data regarding the delay in flight services of various airlines; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon?

## ANSWER

Minister  of  CIVIL  AVIATION            (Shri  Jyotiraditya  M&#46; Scindia)

(a) to (f):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

******

STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION  NO.  171,  REGARDING  "COMPENSASTION  FOR FLIGHT DELAYS" TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2022.;

- (a): Generally, flights are operated as per the schedule filed by the Airlines and as approved the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). However, to handle flight delays, the DGCA has issued an Air Transport Circular (ATC) 05 of 2017 titled "Procedure to be followed to mitigate flight delays" for all  scheduled  Airlines  &  Airport  operators  which  mention about evenly distribution of departure slots per hour, filing of flight plans, reservation of slots for non-scheduled operations, etc.

(b): The delay in operating services by the Airlines are dealt by the DGCA as per aforementioned ATC.

- (c)  &  (d):  As  per  the  provision  specified  in  DGCA's  Civil Aviation  Requirements  (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", the airlines are required to provide meals & refreshments/alternate flight/full refund and/or hotel accommodation to the passengers affected due to the delay of flight depending on the expected delay from the original announced scheduled time of departure or a revised time of departure.
- (e) & (f): Flights are delayed at times due to various reasons, such as weather, operational, Air Traffic congestion,

technical, airport issues etc. As a part of monthly submission of  traffic  data,  On-Time  Performance  (OTP)  of  scheduled domestic airlines are computed for congested metro airports namely  Bangalore,  Delhi,  Hyderabad  and  Mumbai  and  are published on DGCA's website under the tab Data & Reports. Airline-wise  OTP  data  at  four  metro  airports  from  January2022 to May-2022 is placed at Annexure.

In order to ensure appropriate protection for the air travelers in case  of flight disruptions in particular  delays  and cancellations  without  due  notice  to  the  passengers,  DGCA has issued the aforementioned CAR. Under the provision of the said CAR, airlines are required to provide facilities/compensations  to  the  affected  passengers  due  to delays and cancellations of scheduled flights. All the scheduled airlines are compliant to this regulation as on date.

Annexure

| On Time Perfomance (%)   | On Time Perfomance (%)   | On Time Perfomance (%)   | On Time Perfomance (%)   | On Time Perfomance (%)   | On Time Perfomance (%)   | On Time Perfomance (%)   |
|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| Airlines                 | Jan-22                   | Feb-22                   | Mar-22                   | Apr-22                   | May-22                   | June-22 (P)              |
| First 94.5               | 94.1                     |                          | 93.0                     | 87.2                     | 71.8                     | 76.0                     |
| Go Indigo                | 93.9                     | 95.4                     | 93.9                     | 90.1                     | 82.0                     | 84.5                     |
| Vistara                  | 93.6                     | 90.9                     | 91.9                     | 90.9                     | 87.5                     | 86.4                     |
| Air India Group          | 92.9                     | 89.8                     | 91.2                     | 81.8                     | 81.0                     | 83.1                     |
| Air Asia                 | 92.0                     | 88.5                     | 91.3                     | 94.8                     | 90.8                     | 89.8                     |
| Spice Jet                | 87.5                     | 90.9                     | 90.4                     | 89.2                     | 70.9                     | 79.4                     |
| Alliance Air             | 82.6                     | 84.9                     | 78.5                     | 63.0                     | 67.7                     | 66.4                     |

*P=Provisional