An Air India passenger, Amit Kumar, has publicly raised concerns after his direct flight from Delhi to Singapore was abruptly rescheduled, reportedly leading to significantly higher rebooking costs and other inconveniences. Kumar and a co-passenger had booked their May 3, 12:40 am flight almost two months in advance.
Last-Minute Changes and Soaring Costs
According to Kumar's social media post, shortly after completing web check-in, he received a notification stating the flight had been moved to May 4 and would no longer be a direct service. When contacting customer support, the passengers were initially offered two options: travel on the rescheduled May 4 flight, arriving much later than planned, or cancel their booking entirely.
Opting for a fresh reservation, Kumar claims the rebooking cost was nearly four times the original fare. He was eventually moved to a flight on May 2, which was a connecting service via Mumbai, despite their original direct booking. Adding to the frustration, Kumar stated he was asked to pay again for seat selection, despite having already paid for it on the initial booking. The last-minute change also forced them to book an extra hotel night, incurring higher costs. “Why am I being punished for Air India’s fault?” Kumar wrote.
DGCA Norms and Airline Accountability
The complaint has gained considerable online attention, sparking discussions about airline rescheduling policies and passenger rights during disruptions. Sources within the Ministry of Civil Aviation indicate that while operational disruptions are unavoidable, airlines are expected to communicate schedule changes well in advance.
Under Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regulations, passengers affected by such changes must be offered either a full refund or an alternate flight. Furthermore, for last-minute cancellations or significant schedule alterations, compensation provisions may apply if adequate notice is not provided. Airlines typically manage seat inventory across various fare classes, which can impact availability during rebooking, but passenger rights are paramount in these situations. Air India had not responded to queries regarding the incident by the time of publication.