IndiGo passengers have alleged they were charged steep cancellation fees despite the airline cancelling flights amid the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. Many disgruntled customers took to social media, accusing the carrier of imposing unfair charges even though the cancellations were initiated by the airline.
A screenshot shared on X reveals that low-cost airline IndiGo charged ₹8,111 as cancellation fees from a passenger whose Chandigarh to Mumbai flight was scrapped.
The disgruntled customer took to the platform to accuse IndiGo of “blatant thuggery,” pointing out that other airlines had refunded almost the entire fare for flights cancelled due to the India-Pakistan situation. According to the screenshot, he received only ₹2,050 back, despite having paid over ₹10,000 for the ticket.
“The flight was cancelled on account of India-Pakistan tensions and you have the audacity to deduct 80% of the fees!!! Other airlines have refunded nearly 100% of the fares,” the customer wrote. He also tagged the Ministry of Civil Aviation, questioning, “is this allowed?”
Airline responds
However, IndiGo says that a “full refund” for the ticket has been processed from their end, and suggested that the third-party platform used for booking the ticket may be responsible for the confusion.
“Sir, following our interaction, we’d like to reassure you that the full refund for your booking has been processed from our end. Based on the screenshot shared, it appears the information pertains to your travel agent’s platform. We kindly request you to reach out to them directly for assistance in claiming the refund. Thank you for your understanding,” IndiGo said.
The airline had yesterday announced that it has waived cancellation fee for flights operating to and from certain airports until May 22.
Flights cancelled
This was one among several such complaints that have flooded social media since IndiGo and Air India began cancelling flights.
One X user named Vibhor said his flight from Patna to Chandigarh was rescheduled by IndiGo. Despite rescheduling the flight itself, the airline charged him more than ₹8,000 as “Airline cancellation charges.”
“Why do I need to put in so much effort to get a complete refund for a flight cancelled by the airline?” Vibhor asked, urging the Ministry of Civil Aviation to look into the issue.
On May 9, IndiGo announced the cancellation of all flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Kishangarh, and Rajkot until midnight on May 10. The airline also cancelled its flight operations to and from Jammu, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Leh, Srinagar, and Rajkot airports for May 13.
👉 Click here to read the latest Gujarat news on TheLiveAhmedabad.com