Civil Aviation Requirements 2026: Passenger Rights Strengthened

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has issued revised Civil Aviation Requirements in 2026 that substantially strengthen the rights of airline passengers in India. These rules address long-standing grievances about flight cancellations, delays, denied boarding due to overbooking, and the handling of passenger complaints. The 2026 revisions build on the existing CAR on air transport services and align India's passenger protection framework more closely with international standards.

Compensation for Cancellations and Long Delays

Under the revised CARs, airlines operating scheduled services within India must provide standardised compensation to passengers affected by cancellations and delays attributable to the airline rather than to extraordinary circumstances. For cancellations notified less than two weeks before departure, airlines must offer passengers a choice between a full refund, rebooking on the next available flight at no extra cost, or rebooking on a later flight at the passenger's convenience. Where a cancellation results in a departure delay of more than three hours, passengers are entitled to meals and refreshments proportionate to the waiting time. Compensation amounts have been revised upward in 2026 to reflect fare inflation.

Denied Boarding and Overbooking

Airlines routinely overbook flights to account for expected no-shows, but the 2026 CARs introduce stricter obligations when this practice results in passengers being involuntarily denied boarding. Airlines must first seek volunteers before denying boarding to any passenger involuntarily. Passengers involuntarily denied boarding are entitled to immediate cash or voucher compensation, a full refund or rebooking, and care during any resulting wait. The 2026 revision clarifies that voucher compensation must be convertible to cash on demand and cannot be restricted to future bookings on the same airline.

Complaints, Grievances, and Enforcement

The 2026 CARs require airlines to respond to passenger complaints within 30 days with reasoned written responses rather than template rejections. Passengers who remain unsatisfied may escalate to the AirSewa portal, which now operates as a quasi-adjudicatory forum with the power to direct airlines to provide compensation in clear cases. The DGCA retains authority to impose financial penalties on airlines that systematically fail to meet passenger rights obligations, and the 2026 rules increase the maximum penalty per violation.

Practical Takeaways

Passengers should familiarise themselves with the revised compensation entitlements so they can assert their rights confidently when flights are cancelled, significantly delayed, or when boarding is denied. Complaints should be filed promptly and, if not resolved within 30 days, escalated to AirSewa with documentary evidence. Airlines and their legal teams should review overbooking procedures, cancellation communication protocols, and compensation processing to ensure compliance with the revised standards.