PLC before the SC seeking refund for air tickets booked before the lockdown period

Pravasi Legal Cell v Union of India (WP(C) Diary No. 10966/2020, 20th April, 2020.

Refunds of air tickets cancelled due to lock down was an issue during the Covid times. It affected millions of Indians, especially the pravasi community. Pravasi Legal Cell, after perusing a recent advisory of the Ministry of Civil Aviation dated 16.04.2020, which gave direction to airline companies to refund tickets booked during the lockdown period, filed a PIL before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, seeking refund for tickets booked for travel during the lockdown period. The said directive of MoCA had left out vast majority of passengers who had booked tickets before the lockdown period for travel during the lockdown period.

The PIL prayed to declare the action on the part of the airlines, providing both domestic and international services, of not refunding full amount of the tickets booked for travel during the lockdown period as violative of the Civil Aviation requirement (CAR) issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to the airlines dated May 22, 2008. PLC further sought direction to the Union of India to issue appropriate direction to all the airlines to refund full amount of the air tickets booked anytime for travel during the lockdown period.

Status of the Matter: On 27th April, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Central government and the Court on a subsequent date directed the Centre, DGCA and all the airline companies to deliberate and find a solution. Pursuant to the said direction of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, DGCA submitted an affidavit formulating a Scheme for full refund for all the passengers whose tickets were cancelled due to lock down, irrespective of the booking dates. 

Millions of people stand to benefit from this litigation initiated by Pravasi Legal Cell.