Union minister Pralhad Joshi has ordered the department of consumer affairs and the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to investigate allegations of “excessive” cancellation charges levied by online ticket-booking platforms after BJP leader Tajinder Bagga said an online travel agency had charged “an extra ₹4,465” for a flight cancellation.
Bagga wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he had “accidentally” booked an Akasa Air ticket to Navi Mumbai instead of Mumbai. He alleged that when he tried to cancel the booking via the platform it displayed a cancellation fee of ₹4,764 and a refund of only ₹1,571. When he checked directly with Akasa Air, the airline’s cancellation page showed a total deduction of ₹299 and a refund of ₹6,076.
Bagga claimed that Akasa Air’s customer care confirmed the airline cancellation charge was only ₹299 and that, since the booking had been made through the online platform, the refund would be processed back to the platform.
“Charging 15x the airline’s actual cancellation fee for the same ticket feels completely unethical”, Bagga said in a post on X, tagging the handles of Akasa Air and Agoda India.
Joshi, Union minister of consumer affairs, reposted Bagga’s tweet, saying: “Such practices undermine transparency and consumer trust and, if found to be unfair or in violation of consumer rights, may amount to Unfair Trade Practices under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.”
Joshi promised that the CCPA would take “necessary action, including class action measures” to defend consumer interests.
Bagga’s allegation has sparked renewed discussion on the practice of online ticket booking platforms charging sometimes double or triple the actual flight cancellation charge listed by airlines.
Social media users have also alleged similar “unfair” practices by other platforms, including MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, Cleartrip and Flipkart. Many also pointed out that under DGCA rules, passengers are eligible for a full refund if a ticket is cancelled within 24 hours of booking, provided the departure date is at least seven days away, and the booking is made directly through the airline’s website.