So you had made elaborate plans to travel with your family or friends and due to inevitable reasons you are now forced to cancel your tickets to the vacation destination? Apart from being disappointed it can also create confusion of how to go about informing the authorities of cancelling your tickets. In case you are not aware of the procedure to cancel domestic flight bookings and have various doubts in your mind regarding ticket cancellations or the losses that you are likely to incur, we are here to clear those facts for you and brief you about all that involves flight cancellations for now and for future reference in order to ensure a smooth process of cancelling the tickets that you have booked. Let’s take you through those steps.
Process of Cancellation
You can just go to the respective airlines website and follow the steps to cancel the domestic flight that you have booked. It’s usually quite easy by entering your Booking reference number, your email ID/Last name and alternatively you can also contact the local Air India reservations office to cancel the same.
How does Cancellation of Flight Work?
If you cancel the domestic flight you will be charged a certain fee upon the cancellation of ticket. The fee varies from airline to airline. In case of international cancellation of flight the fee will be more. However there is no fee chargeable for domestic flights in case the cancellation is done within 24 hours of the ticket booking. Another benefit which accompanies this rule is that the passenger has the flexibility to make amendments in the name and date of travel, absolutely free of cost within this 24 hour lock-in period.
Cancellation Charges of Different Air Carriers
We bring you a brief look on the cancellation charges for the leading domestic air carriers is as under:
In Indigo airlines while cancelling any domestic flight you will be charged INR 3,000 or the airfare charge (depending upon whichever is lower). Refund for cancelled tickets will be done after the deduction of the cancellation fees.
Spice Jet Customers will be refunded the cancellation charges (excluding convenience charges and any add-on) levied by SpiceJet, up to a maximum of INR 5000.
In Go air, Cancellations of your bookings can be done 2 hours before the scheduled time of departure of the flight. The cancellation fee at GoAir is INR 2,950.
In Vistara, Cancellation amount charged will be between 1,500 -2,500 INR if this is done within (less than) 72 hours of departure. The good part is that If you cancel your ticket within 24 hours then you are entitled to a complete refund of your ticket without any deduction of cancellation fees.
What Happens if the Airline Cancels the Flight?
In the event where the concerned airline cancels the flight and you are informed 24 hours prior to the original scheduled time then you will be entitled to a complete cash refund. Additionally, if the flight is delayed by more than 4 hours, then airlines will have to offer a full refund of the ticket unless you prefer to still wait and go by the same delayed flight. This could happen because of unexpected bad weather or if there’s some kind of disturbance in the area. If the passenger is intimated about cancellation of flight less than two weeks before and up to 24 hours of the scheduled departure time then the airline must offer an alternative flight allowing the passenger to depart within two hours of the booked scheduled departure time. The passenger has the choice to opt for travel or avail the refund as per individual suitability. It is always advisable to register your phone number and email address with the airlines at the time of ticket booking so that in case of cancellation you get a SMS on your phone informing you about the same and notification in the email id too.
Is it Possible to Utilise the Cancelled Ticket Later?
It is not possible to use the cancelled ticket in the future but you have the option to retain a Credit Note or Credit Shell and can use the remaining amount after deduction of applicable charges for your next reservation.
How Much Refund do I Get When I Cancel a Domestic Flight?
You are entitled to receive the refund for your cancelled flight only when the airline cancels your flight or makes certain changes to your schedule or routes.
How do I Get a Refund for a Booking Paid for in Cash?
All cash refunds can be processed at the domestic airport counter pertaining only to the domestic flights.
How do I Get a Refund for a Booking Made Through a Travel Agency?
The airline will send the refund to the agency’s account once your ticket cancellation has been processed. You can then contact the travel agency and claim your refund.
Most airlines give a complete refund in case the cancellation of any domestic sector flights happens within less than 24 hours of booking.
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