The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked airlines to ensure that passengers are not inconvenienced during travel and are informed of flight delays well in advance.
The regulator held a meeting in this regard today with Appellate Authority and Nodal Officers of all scheduled domestic airlines and asked airlines to adhere to a series of measures including informing passengers of flight delays beyond 30 minutes by sending a text message.
"The airlines should make all efforts to send SMS in case there is a delay in flight beyond 30 minutes or a boarding gate change has taken place at the airport. Airlines must send repeated SMS after every 30 minutes to keep the passengers updated for the flight delay/cancellation/boarding gate change,” DGCA told the airlines.
In case of delay, the regulator has also asked the airlines to make appropriate arrangement for water, refreshment and meals as per the provisions of the civil aviation requirements.
The regulator has also asked the airlines to ensure prompt resolution of passenger complaints, including those mentioned on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, and treat the matter as a top priority.
"Any laxity in the manner shall be viewed seriously,” the regulator said.
In addition, the airlines have also been asked to periodically update the details of their nodal officer and appellant authority on their website and keep close coordination with their travel agents. The regulator has also mandated the travel agents to share the mobile numbers of the travelling passenger with the airlines for flight information updates.
"The airlines shall ensure the refund of airline tickets through travel agent/portal in a timely manner,” DGCA told the carriers.
The regulator also reiterated that all necessary assistance must be provided to the passengers for their connecting flights and all help should be provided to senior citizens and passengers with reduced mobility.
"Airlines must ensure proper conduct and behaviour of their employees towards passengers,” the regulator said.
First Published: Oct 11, 2019 8:28 PM IST
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