Bengaluru woman slams Air India for cancelling US flight 'arbitrarily'

A woman from Bengaluru recently took to social media to highlight the plight of international travelers from India when their tickets are arbitrarily canceled by airlines.

According to the woman, she had recently booked a Delhi-San Francisco flight, but Air India canceled it without notice and offered passengers the option to fly on a different date. When passengers objected, they were offered seats on an alternate flight with a 10-hour layover.

The woman claimed that Air India refused to provide the passengers with tickets for a flight departing directly from Bengaluru.



"First, you cancel flights on a whim and then don’t make even the slightest effort to help your clients. There's just no empathy whatsoever! The money lost in booking, canceling, and re-booking domestic flights is another matter altogether!" she lamented.

In a subsequent tweet, the woman revealed that an airline representative approached her later but could not offer a resolution.


As per regulations, when flights are canceled, airlines are required to either arrange an alternative flight that departs within two hours of the original departure time or provide a refund for the ticket. If a flight is canceled within a fortnight and up to 24 hours before departure, passengers should receive a refund and compensation ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000, depending on the flight duration.

If the delay is less than a day, the airline must provide meals and refreshments at the airport. If the delay extends beyond a day, the airline must arrange hotel accommodations and transfers for the passengers.

If the airline fails to provide satisfactory compensation, passengers can file a formal complaint with both the airline and the DGCA.