INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
As per draft citizen charter, in case of denial of boarding, compensation could be Rs 5,000New Delhi: The Civil Aviation Ministry could have
a relook into the draft citizen charter that has proposed to increase compensation to Rs 20,000 for passengers who miss connecting flights
due to cancellation or delays, in the wake of stiff opposition from some airlines to the provision, sources indicated today.The charter has
also proposed abolishing penalties on ticket modifications done within 24 hours of booking.The sources said the charter is expected to be
discussed threadbare during a meeting of the ministry with the airlines and other stake-holders on May 1."There have been objections and we
During the meeting, we will try to find a way out which is beneficial both to the passengers as well as the airlines," the sources said.The
collective apprehension is that the increase in compensation could see a spike in air fares, thus negating the benefits accrued to
passengers from increasing the compensation, they said.The citizen charter, which would be put in public domain, has proposed a compensation
which could go up to Rs 20,000 for missing connecting flights due to cancellation or delays in the initial journey.The Federation of Indian
Airlines (FIA), comprising carriers such as IndiGo, SpiceJet, Go Air and Jet Airways with 80 per cent of the market share, has expressed
fears that increase in compensation could affect the financial viability of the airlines.As per the draft citizen charter, in case of denial
of boarding, the compensation could be Rs 5,000 as such instances have seen a sharp rise in the recent past.Civil Aviation Secretary R N
Choubey had earlier said that the easy-to-understand passenger charter would mention all entitlements of an air traveller as the existing
regulations of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the aviation watchdog, with regard to compensation were not
passenger-friendly.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
