Mint Quick Edit | Newly proposed aviation rules promise to address many pain points
The aviation regulator’s draft rules are welcome and not a case of regulatory overreach. Ideally, competition should act as the regulator. In India’s case, airlines must enhance their customer orientation.
Frustrated by airline ticket cancellation charges, refund delays and charges for a wrong-name entry even though the airline is to blame? Fret not. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has proposed changes to relieve air-passengers of such pain points.
They would, for instance, now have a 48-hour ‘look-in’ period to cancel a ticket without charge or change a flight by paying just the fare difference. Also, the draft rules propose mandating airlines to complete refunds within 21 days and allow passengers to cancel tickets on account of medical emergencies.
These are all thoughtful interventions. While any regulator ought not to interfere in the commercial decisions of companies, low competition in Indian skies and a high number of complaints over such issues had made it imperative to intervene.
For a licensed market with just two large players, this arguably amounts to just a light-touch approach. Surge pricing, some flyers fear, could get amplified if airlines use AI to maximize fare revenues.
The antidote to such woes is greater competitive intensity, but we have slim odds of that in the near future. Airlines should sharpen their focus on flier satisfaction anyway.
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