Flight Delayed or Cancelled in India? You Are Entitled to Compensation Under DGCA Rules — Full Claim Process

In December 2025, IndiGo cancelled more than 4,500 flights within a single week. Nearly a million passengers were affected — stranded at airports, scrambling for alternate travel, families separated mid-journey. After an inquiry, the DGCA fined IndiGo Rs 22.2 crore. As of March 2026, disruptions are still being reported on Middle East routes.

But there is a question almost nobody asked at the time: of the hundreds of thousands affected, how many actually claimed the compensation they were legally owed?

Most people simply took whatever refund or rebooking was offered, went home, and moved on. But under India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules, flight delays and cancellations entitle passengers to more than just a refund — free meals, hotel accommodation, and in many cases, cash compensation.

According to DGCA's own operational data, roughly 14 percent of domestic flights were delayed during peak travel months in 2025 — that is one in every seven flights. This is not a rare occurrence. It happens constantly. Which means there is a good chance you have unclaimed compensation sitting somewhere in your own travel history.

What DGCA Rules Actually Say — Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR)

The regulation governing air passenger rights in India is CAR Section 3, Series M, Part IV — a binding DGCA requirement that every domestic airline must follow. It covers three core situations:

1. Flight Delay — What You Are Entitled To

Entitlements scale with the length of delay relative to flight duration:

• Flights under 2.5 hours, delayed 2+ hours: Free meals and refreshments
• Flights 2.5 to 5 hours, delayed 3+ hours: Free meals and refreshments
• Flights over 5 hours, delayed 4+ hours: Free meals and refreshments
• Overnight delays: The airline must provide hotel accommodation and transport to and from the hotel
• Delays exceeding 2 hours, or flights advanced by more than 1 hour: You are entitled to a full refund or free rebooking onto an alternate flight

Airlines are required to provide these automatically — you should not need to request a voucher or stand in a separate line to get what is owed to you. If you end up paying for food yourself, keep the receipts; airlines can be asked to reimburse the cost.

2. Flight Cancellation — Your Options

If an airline cancels your flight, you are entitled to:

• A full refund to your original payment method, or
• Free rebooking onto an alternate flight at no extra cost, or
• If you are mid-journey and a later leg is cancelled — you can choose to remain at the transit point with a partial refund, return to your origin with a full refund, or take a credit for future travel

Additional compensation may also apply depending on how much advance notice the airline gave — particularly if cancellation notice was provided with less than 24 hours' warning.

3. Denied Boarding — When Overbooking Costs You Your Seat

This occurs when an airline has oversold a flight and, despite holding a valid ticket, you are denied boarding. This is treated as the most serious violation and carries the highest compensation entitlement.

• If the airline arranges an alternate flight within 1 hour — no compensation applies
• If they cannot — you are entitled to a refund of your booked one-way fare plus applicable taxes, along with cash compensation scaled to the flight's block time
• In severe cases, compensation can reach up to 400 percent of the booked fare

Important: Exact compensation amounts under DGCA's CAR rules are periodically revised. Check the latest version of CAR Section 3, Series M, Part IV at dgca.gov.in, or ask your airline directly what applies in your specific case.

The December 2025 IndiGo Crisis — Numbers Worth Remembering

This crisis is worth understanding in detail because it shows how seriously these rules are actually enforced when passengers and regulators act:

• Approximately 4,500 flights cancelled between December 2 and 9, 2025
• Nearly 1 million passengers directly affected
• IndiGo itself spent over Rs 24 crore on compensation
• DGCA separately imposed a Rs 22.2 crore fine
• DGCA directed the airline to clear all pending refunds immediately
• For the December 3-5 disruption specifically, IndiGo announced compensation of up to Rs 10,000 per affected passenger

This shows that regulatory accountability does work when enforced. It is not just an individual's battle — it is a systemic mechanism that responds to scale and pressure.

Step-by-Step — How to Claim Your Compensation

Step 1 — Collect Evidence Immediately

At the airport, or on the same day, gather the following:

• Photo or screenshot of your boarding pass and ticket
• Delay or cancellation notification — SMS, email or announcement
• Photo of the departure board showing delay/cancellation status
• Receipts if you bought food yourself
• Receipts if you booked your own hotel because the airline did not
• Name or employee ID of any airline staff you interacted with

Step 2 — File a Direct Claim With the Airline

Every airline has an official customer care channel for this. Clearly state your booking reference (PNR), flight number, length of delay, and exactly what you are claiming — refund, compensation, or both.

• IndiGo: customer.experience@goindigo.in
• Air India: customer.relations@airindia.com
• SpiceJet: care@spicejet.com
• Akasa Air: care@akasaair.com

Airlines are required to respond to passenger complaints within 30 days under DGCA's complaint-handling guidelines.

Step 3 — No Response? File on AirSewa

If the airline has not responded satisfactorily within 30 days, escalate to DGCA's official passenger grievance portal, AirSewa.

• Portal: airsewa.gov.in
• Use the "Submit Grievance" section to upload your details and supporting documents
• You will receive a tracking number to follow the status of your complaint
• Once a complaint is registered on AirSewa, the airline is required to respond to DGCA directly — this tends to move faster than airline-only escalation

Step 4 — Still Unresolved? Consumer Court

If AirSewa does not produce a satisfactory outcome, you can file a case in consumer court.

• Portal: edaakhil.nic.in
• Zero filing fee for claims up to Rs 5 lakh
• You can also seek compensation for mental harassment and inconvenience separately from the original claim

Something Most Travellers Do Not Realise

Accepting a rebooking does not waive your right to claim compensation. If you took an alternate flight after a delay or cancellation, you can still claim compensation for the inconvenience experienced during the original disruption. Rebooking and compensation are legally distinct entitlements.

Similarly, if you received a refund but were never given hotel accommodation during an overnight delay — which was your right — you can claim separately for that specific failure to comply with DGCA rules.

Check Travel Insurance and Credit Card Benefits Too

Beyond DGCA compensation, if you had travel insurance or booked your ticket through a credit card, many cards include trip delay coverage. This is separate from DGCA compensation and both can typically be claimed together. Check your card's specific terms and conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much compensation do I get for a flight delay in India?

This depends on the duration of delay, flight type, and exact circumstances. Denied boarding cases can see compensation up to 400 percent of the booked fare. Delay situations typically entitle you to free meals, hotel accommodation for overnight delays, and a refund or rebooking. Check the current DGCA CAR rules at dgca.gov.in or ask your airline directly for the exact amount applicable to your case.

Can I still claim compensation after accepting a rebooking?

Yes. Rebooking and compensation are separate entitlements. Even after taking a rebooked flight, you can claim compensation for the inconvenience experienced during the original delay or cancellation.

The airline did not provide meals and I bought my own food — can I get reimbursed?

Yes, if the delay duration qualifies under the applicable rules. Keep your receipts and submit a reimbursement claim to the airline.

The airline did not respond within 30 days — what next?

File a complaint on DGCA's AirSewa portal at airsewa.gov.in. This is the official passenger grievance system and airlines are required to respond to complaints filed through it.

Do these rules apply to international flights too?

DGCA CAR rules primarily apply to domestic flights and international flights operated from India. Flights operated entirely by a foreign carrier may fall under a different jurisdiction's rules, such as EC 261 for flights connected to the EU.

Has compensation actually been paid out for the December 2025 IndiGo crisis?

Yes. According to DGCA, all refunds for the December 3-5 disruption have been fully processed, and IndiGo announced additional compensation of up to Rs 10,000 for affected passengers. If you were affected during that period and have not yet claimed, file a complaint on AirSewa as soon as possible.

If you need to draft a claim email or formal complaint letter to an airline, use our free tool → Ready in under two minutes.