New Delhi: Indian carrier IndiGo will start compensating passengers hit by massive flight cancellations earlier this month. The airline will issue travel vouchers worth ?10,000 from December 26. These vouchers will go to passengers who faced severe disruption and remained stranded at airports for several hours on December 3, 4 and 5, according to reports. The amount will come in addition to the ?5,000 to ?10,000 compensation mandated under government rules.
Aviation Secretary Samir Sinha chaired a high-level review meeting and took the decision. The government directed IndiGo to ensure timely payments to all eligible passengers. IndiGo will first compensate passengers who booked directly through its website, as their details are already available. The airline will then collect information from travel agents and online travel platforms to pay remaining customers.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation will monitor the compensation process. The Civil Aviation Ministry will also track payments through the Air Seva grievance portal.
Reports said many passengers who booked through Online Travel Agencies are yet to receive refunds, despite IndiGo starting the refund process. MakeMyTrip has already processed refunds worth nearly ?10 crore after DGCA direction, even before receiving funds from IndiGo.
IndiGo Chairman Vikram Singh Mehta earlier said the Board will appoint external experts to identify the causes behind the massive disruption. He said the airline will ensure such failures do not repeat.
The airline stated that its network became fully operational from December 8. Operations stabilised from December 9, it added.