Raghav Chadha questions lack of compensation for flight delays, seeks policy reform
New Delhi, March 31, KNT: Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha has raised concerns over the lack of compensation for airline passengers affected by flight delays, calling for a structured policy framework to address the issue.
Speaking about the matter, Chadha questioned why airlines impose strict charges on passengers for excess baggage while offering no compensation for prolonged delays.
“Airlines track your baggage weight to the gram. Why don’t they value your time to the hour?” Chadha said in a post on X, highlighting what he described as an imbalance in passenger rights.
The issue was brought up in Parliament, where Chadha said he asked the Civil Aviation Minister whether the government is working on a compensation mechanism for passengers impacted by significant delays.
The development is significant as it brings renewed focus on passenger rights in India’s rapidly growing aviation sector, where complaints over delays and service standards have been rising.
Chadha argued that if airlines can charge passengers based on precise baggage weight, they should also compensate travellers proportionately for delays.
“If they can charge you by the gram, they must compensate you by the hour,” he said.
Officials in the Civil Aviation Ministry have not yet issued a detailed response to the specific proposal, though existing guidelines by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) provide for limited compensation in certain cases of denied boarding, cancellation, and delays.
Industry experts said while some compensation norms exist, enforcement and awareness remain inconsistent, leaving many passengers without relief.
Passengers at major airports have frequently reported long delays, especially during peak travel seasons and adverse weather conditions.
“It’s frustrating when flights are delayed for hours and there is no proper compensation,” said a passenger at Delhi airport. [KNT]
