The matter surfaced when Kanika Mohan Saxena, a Mumbai-based executive, claimed that almost ₹40,000 was deducted from her refund, despite the airline cancelling her itinerary on two occasions. She shared her experience on LinkedIn, questioning airline refund practices and the accountability of booking aggregators.
Saxena had booked return tickets from Mumbai to Bali for travel in July, spending around ₹1.03 lakh for her reservation. However, she later received a notification that her original flight had been cancelled, with the alternative itinerary including an 18-hour layover, which she noted as “not viable”.
Initially, she was informed that no appropriate alternative flights were available. Nevertheless, after her travel agent located other options, she was rebooked on a different route via Singapore, which was also cancelled a few days later.
Afterward, Saxena said she was promised a full refund since the changes were initiated by the airline. However, she received a notification stating that only ₹67,334 would be refunded. “Today, I was informed that only ₹67,500 would be refunded against a booking amount of approximately ₹1,00,000, with the remaining amount deducted as charges and fees,” she expressed.
IndiGo responded to her post, confirming that a full refund had been initiated for her booking and advised her to communicate with the booking platform to process the amount.
MakeMyTrip, on the other hand, stated that it was validating the situation with the airline and would provide an update after finishing its verification. “We are confirming all details with the airline. Please allow us 2-3 days, and we will get back to you with a satisfactory resolution,” it mentioned.
Understanding airline refunds
This incident has highlighted a frequent area of confusion among travelers: the responsibility for refunds when flights are cancelled. Generally, if an airline cancels a flight, passengers are usually entitled to either a rebooking or a full refund, depending on the specific circumstances.
“If your flight is cancelled or rescheduled due to our actions, you can utilize Plan B to modify the time and/or date of your flight, or cancel and process a refund, at no extra cost,” as stated on the IndiGo website.
In situations where passengers voluntarily cancel their bookings, airlines generally impose cancellation fees that vary according to the fare type and the time left before departure.
For tickets booked through travel agencies, airlines typically refund the agency’s account upon cancellation of the booking. “Passengers must directly contact the respective agency to claim their refund,” as per IndiGo.
