DGCA informs baggage, refund related issues as most received complaints

According to a recent report by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the primary concerns among the 246 passenger complaints filed against scheduled domestic airlines in September were flight issues, baggage problems, and refund-related issues.

The report, released by DGCA, stated that during September 2023, a total of 246 passenger-related complaints were received by the scheduled domestic airlines. The number of complaints per 10,000 passengers carried for the month of September 2023 was approximately 0.20. Out of the total complaints received, 242 have been successfully resolved.

The report also highlighted an increase in complaints related to staff behavior and customer service compared to the previous month. In August, customer service complaints accounted for 5.9% of the total complaints, which rose to 10.2% in September. Similarly, complaints related to staff behavior increased from 2.4% in August to 4.9% in September. The report further disclosed that customer service issues constituted 10.2% of the total complaints, while staff behavior accounted for 4.9% of the complaints. Notably, only a very small fraction, specifically 0.4%, of the complaints were related to fare concerns.

In September, a total of 663 passengers were denied boarding and airlines incurred a cost of ₹71.52 lakhs for compensation and facilities. Similarly, flight cancellations affected 40,940 passengers and airlines spent ₹128.70 lakhs on compensation and facilities. Delays caused inconvenience to a total of 123,063 passengers and airlines allocated ₹149.46 lakhs for facilitation.

According to the report, Indigo received the highest number of complaints (61), followed by Spice Jet (55) and Air India (54). On Thursday, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs expressed concerns about potential unfair trade practices in the airline industry.