Travel Tips

In March 2017 an unfortunate incident occurred where a government official had physically manhandled an elderly Air India employee and hit him with his slipper “25 times” over not being given a business class seat in an all-economy plane.

Huge media coverage of this incident and a public outcry against the official prompted the ministry of civil aviation to draft India’s first ‘No Fly List’ and amend the rules or Civil Aviation Requirement(CAR) on handling unruly passengers in September last year.

To keep both passenger angst and air rage in check, preventive measures such as ‘No-Fly’ lists or bans have been enforced all around the world by governments and airlines combined.

With the recent incident of a man being put on the no-fly list by Air Vistara due to indecent behaviour, we at AirWhizz want you to know your rights as a passenger and be aware of the rules and regulation surrounding the ‘NO-Fly List’ in India.

WHAT IS A NO-FLY LIST?

Before we get into the rules and regulations set by the government and airlines, let us explain to you what exactly a ‘No-Fly List’ is.

A No-Fly List is created and maintained by the governing body of aviation in the country. The list contains names of people who are prohibited from boarding commercial aircraft for travel within, into, or out of the country.

In India, the No-Fly Lists contains two types of individuals-

• Unruly passengers banned for a certain period based on examination of the case by the internal committee
• Those individuals perceived to be a national security risk by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

WHAT ARE THE RULES SET BY THE DGCA?

In India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation(DGCA) is responsible for managing this list in collaboration with airlines. Unruly behaviour has been categorised under 3 levels according to the regulations of DGCA –

Level1 (Unruly Verbal Behaviour)

A passenger found guilty of performing activities under Level1 could be banned from flying for up to three months.

Level2 (Unruly Physical Behaviour)

Offences related to physical behaviour come under Level2 and the offender could face a ban of up to six months.

Level3 (Life Threatening Behaviour)

Incidences where a passenger’s behaviour is considered life-threatening, like affecting the safety of the aircraft, come under level3. The offender will be banned for up to two years or more.

Repeat Offender

In case a passenger is a repeat offender, the duration of the flying ban will be twice that of his previous ban.

As far as making the No-Fly List is concerned, the responsibility will lie with the airlines. However, a passenger banned by one airline may travel on another carrier if allowed by the latter. The No-Fly ban is an additional penalty given, other than the punishment given to the offender under existing statutory laws.

The list of unruly passengers is provided by the airlines to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and is available on the website of the airline and DGCA.

India is the first country in the world to have a no-fly list that is based on safety and not just security.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The rules are implemented by all Indian airlines engaged in scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services for passengers travelling internationally and domestically.

Here’s how the process of filing a complaint is carried out-

• The complaint of unruly behaviour is filed by the pilot-in-command.
• These complaints are probed by an internal committee set up by the airline.
• The internal committee must solve the matter within 30 days and specify the duration of the ban on the unruly passenger, failing which the passenger will be allowed to travel.
• During the period of the enquiry, the concerned airline has the option impose a ban on the said passenger.
• There are provisions for the passenger under question to appeal against the ban. He /she may appeal within 60 days from the date of issue of order to the Internal Committee.

The internal committee is made up of a retired District & Sessions Judge as Chairman and representatives from a different scheduled airline, passengers’ association, consumer association and a retired officer of Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum.

With technology advancements happening in the world of aviation, the governments “Digi Yatra” initiative, which sees biometric scanners and security systems linked to the passenger’s identification documents, will help airlines keep a track of people on this list efficiently and will help in ensuring on-board safety while maintaining an element of balance and safeguarding the interest of passengers, cabin crew and the airlines in the future.

If you want to know more about rules and regulations set by your airline, simply Download the AirWhizz App and read all about airline policies and information within the app.

Have a safe trip and fly stress-free!

In the past, people used to book their train tickets and cancel them bearing very little to no cost for cancellation. The airlines’ industry has seen such a trend in the recent past, but the cancellation fee is not as simple as in case of trains or other modes of travel.

This happens when the airlines release early bird tickets and passengers book their flight tickets in advance, sometimes even 2-3 months before the date of travel. Tickets are booked and then cancelled before the date of flight because plans change, and the refund given on the tickets is minimal due to the penalties imposed by airlines on the cost of exit.

It has been observed, that almost 9% of the total passengers end up cancelling their flight bookings on online travel booking site MakeMyTrip. At Paytm around 10% – 15% of travel customers cancel or reschedule their flight.

According to the rules for cancellations on most flights in India, if a customer does not check in for a flight at least 45 minutes prior to the departure time, the total amount of ticket will be forfeited, except government and airport fees such as Passenger Service Charges(PSF) and User Development Fees(UDF). If you cancel at the last minute, you could lose out on almost the entire ticket price.

Here are the rules implemented by the government on refund of a flight ticket if you cancel –

• Cancellation charge can’t be more than the basic fare plus fuel surcharge
• All statutory taxes must be refunded
• User Development Fee and Passenger Service Charge must be refunded
• There will be no charge on the process of refund

So how do you bring down your losses?

There are two ways to do this. One is by opting for “free” or “zero” cancellation offers, and the other is to buy travel insurance. Let’s look at these options in detail.

Zero Cancellation Offer

These days, passengers have a wide range of travel booking sites, such as MakeMyTrip, Paytm and Goibibo, to choose from while booking flight tickets. Such sites offer “Free Cancellation Offers”.

For example, MakeMyTrip offers 100 % refund of airline penalties on Domestic travel. You get a refund of close to Rs3000 on an average in case of refundable flights, and Rs 5,000 on an average for non-refundable flights. You are also entitled to full refund of MMT’s cancellation service fee.

One out of 8 passengers at MakeMyTrip and 6%-10% of Paytm’s passengers booking a flight opt for free cancellation.

But opting for Free Cancellation Offers is not really “free”. For instance, at MMT, you must pay Rs99-549, depending on the ticket’s price. At Paytm, you have to pay Rs199 onwards, and with Goibibo, the cancellation fee starts at Rs149 for select one-way domestic flights.

You, as a passenger, have to be aware of such rules and have to weigh the pros and cons of whether the offer given is worth the effort and fee.

• With MakeMyTrip, this offer is available on select routes and flights. You can get a complete waiver only if you cancel 24 hours prior to departure. If you just want to change the date of travel, this option is not available.
• Paytm offers to refund the ticket amount on select routes and only if you cancel at least 3 hours before the flight time.

Also, according to the Reserve Bank Of India guidelines, the refund amount has to be credited back to the source of the initial payment. So, if you booked using a credit card, the refund will be to the same card.

Travel Insurance

The other way to save on your cancellation charges is to buy a travel insurance.

Just like “Free Cancellation Offers”, you must be aware of the rules and policies of insurance companies and the extent to which they cover the insurance.

Here is a list of benefits you get if you apply for travel insurance –

• Travel insurance plans cover the loss of baggage, medical expenses and pays the total cost of your bookings
• It costs a fraction of your total trip
• You can claim insurance online and get phone support 24/7
• You are at ease while travelling when you are insured

Most of the insurance companies follow rules where the insurer pays you refund on the ticket, but you have to keep in mind that they do so in a specific situation and there is a limit to the claim.

Cancelling flight tickets and claiming the refund can be a very difficult task but Zero cancellation offers, and travel insurance can make that task easier for you.

So, the next time you book your ticket, Download the AirWhizz app and apply for a travel insurance with us. We at AirWhizz have partnered with prestigious travel insurance companies such as HDFC Ergo to help you plan for any unforeseen changes that might occur.

Enjoy peace of mind while traveling and Fly Stress-Free!

In April 2017, United Airlines sparked an outrage in the US by forcibly removing a passenger from an overbooked flight in Chicago.

If you think that something like this can never happen in India, Read on!

Airlines in India deny boarding to passengers if they have overbooked flights which is a common thing during peak travel seasons. Most travellers have no idea that they can be denied boarding even with a confirmed ticket. This is a very common thing and there are rules about it which are regularly updated.

Mishaps at the airport can strike at any time, and sometimes the best you can do is to expect the unexpected.

We at AirWhizz want to keep you well informed if you ever get stuck in such a situation.

Why Do Airlines Overbook?

Before we get into what you should do if you are bumped off a flight involuntarily, you need to know why you can be denied boarding a flight.

Airlines tend to overbook flights because they don’t want empty seats due to no-show (When people with confirmed tickets don’t show up on time) and the flight takes off with empty seats.

Can the Airlines do this?

YES, THEY CAN!

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation regulator, if more passengers are expected to report for a flight than the number of seats available on a particular day due to overbooking, airlines can deny boarding even if someone holds a confirmed booking and reports well within the specified time.

The DGCA also says that before denying a passenger on board for an overbooked flight, the airline must first ask for volunteers to give up their seats.

Seems Unfair Right?

Well! There are provisions for such situations.

The airline has to offer benefits if a passenger willingly lets his/her seat go. If you are bumped off against your wish, the airline is liable to pay monetary compensation according to the provisions decided by the DGCA.

What kind of Compensation are you entitled to?

Usually, airlines compensate the passenger with a ticket on an alternative flight scheduled to depart within one hour of the originally scheduled departure. If the airline fails to do so, They have to compensate you in the following way –

In case The Airline Arranges Alternate Flight scheduled to depart within 24 hours

• An amount equal to 200% of booked one-way basic fare
• Airline fuel charge
• Subject to maximum of INR 10,000

In case The Airline Arranges Alternate Flight scheduled to depart after 24 hours

• An amount equal to 400% of booked one-way basic fare
• Airline fuel charge
• Subject to maximum of INR 20,000,

In case passenger does not opt for alternate flight

• Refund of full value of ticket
• Compensation equal to 400% of booked one-way basic fare
• Airline fuel charge
• Subject to maximum of INR 20,000

How to avoid being Denied Boarding?

Follow these simple travel tips if you want to avoid being in this situation –

• Check-in Online.
• Learn about the refund policies of your airline.
• Find out the ‘Grievance Redressal’ process for such situations.
• Use AirSewa, an initiative launched by the government, to report any grievances related to flying in India.
• Reach the airport well before time especially during peak hours or peak-season flights.

So the next time you plan to fly and want to avoid such a situation, Look no further! Download The AirWhizz app and reach well on time by getting real-time flight updates on your phone. You can also read all about airline policies and information within the app.

Have a safe trip and fly stress-free!

When people are introduced to the concept of frequent flyer miles and points usually two things happen.

First, there is this excitement about using them to fly to that dream destination.

Then comes the next part. The overwhelmed feeling which is caused by sheer depth of information available online about loyalty programs which can be totally confusing.

Whether you travel frequently or just a few times a year, we at AirWhizz have put together 10 tips and tricks to help you navigate the world of miles and points confidently.

1.Set Travel Goals

Before you start thinking about which airline to fly with, where to store the flight miles, or which credit cards to choose to earn miles and points, take a step back.

PLan your trip first, figure out where you want to go and see how you can to get there. Set your travel goals first.

2.Join Frequent Flyer Programs

Think long-term. Even if you dont travel that often sign up with a frequent flyer program. Just one or two trips a year can do the job and help you earn flyer miles and points.

Join rewards programs for services you usually use on your vacation, such as a hotel chain, airline, restaurant chain and rental car company.

3.Stack Up Miles

Spreading your flyer miles across too many airline accounts will do you no good. Instead, pick frequent flyer accounts that suit you needs and maximize their earning potential.

If you want to stack up your flyers miles, then use your credit card wherever you can. Put away the cash and debit card. Use mileage-accruing credit cards for everything from bills to everyday items like shampoo.

4.Use Airline Alliances

While choosing an airline, check if they are a part of an airline alliance or have partnerships with other carriers.

Frequent flyer miles can be redeemed on the airline you choose to travel with, as well as on any of their airline alliance members or partners. This can help you to stack up all your miles to one account and use it when you fly with a partnered airline later on.

5.Pool Family Miles

Airline companies such as British Airways frequent-flyer programs let families pool their miles for free. You can earn points when you book air tickets and hotels for your parents or children.

You can stack up the miles in your account even if your family flies on other partnership airlines as mentioned in the point above.

6. Rethink Roundtrip Tickets.

Beat the airlines at their own game!

Look for creative combinations to book one-way tickets to your destination. You don’t need to book round trip tickets to earn flyer miles on most airlines  If you have points in different frequent flyer accounts, you can book your outbound flight with one program and the return with another program.

7.Know The Rules

Read the Emails you get from your loyalty program account!

The might offer you rewards like double or triple points if you use their services at a specific travel destination or during a specific period.

Also, many frequent flyer miles have an expiry date. Make sure you use them before they disappear.

8.Use Credit Card Bonuses

A sign-up bonus of 50,000 points or miles is not uncommon and will help you earn flyer miles faster.

Just remember, with most sign-up bonuses you have to spend a certain amount of miles within a certain time period.

9.Use Crossover Benefits

With so much information available these days, hotel can now know which airlines you are flying with or visa versa. It’s worth it if you know about crossover benefits that airlines have set-up with other hotels. You can make sure that you are getting all of the perks you’re entitled to.

10.Use Them Wisely

You’ve earned those rewards so use them optimally.

We know you have destinations you have been dreaming about travelling to. Use those saved up miles to travel to that destination on a first class or a business class seat. Use these miles for long, expensive flights and fly stress-free.