Delhi airport: DGCA tells airlines to provide alternate flights, issue full refunds as complaints flood social media

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has advised airlines to accommodate passengers on alternate flights or provide full refunds under the regulations. All departure operations from the Terminal 1 of Indira Gandhi International Airport were temporarily suspended on June 28 after a portion of roof collapsed on vehicles killing a person and left eight others injured due to heavy rainfall since morning.   

Passengers of affected flights took to social media to check with airlines about the status of their flights. Video clips of passengers waiting went viral on social media in no time. Many complained about no status update on their flight status.

"All people are in dilemma and there is nobody to inform whether their flight is cancelled or otherwise. Some are saying that now flight would depart from other terminals etc," wrote a user.

“Provide some serious resolution, don't kid with us. There are hell of a lot of people here. All frustrated,” wrote another.

Bengaluru-based author and columnist Dr Nandita Iyer said her IndiGo flight to Delhi on Friday afternoon was cancelled. “My Indigo flight to Delhi this afternoon is cancelled citing ‘airport restrictions’. Are all flights to Delhi cancelled today due to the T1 roof collapse?” she wrote on X.

“I was going to Bangalore. I had a flight at 8:15 am. Here the roof collapsed around 5-5:15 am... The airport authority has no answer,” a passenger told ANI.

IndiGo took to social media to announce that all flights of the airline to and from Terminal 1 have been cancelled. Budget carrier SpiceJet has also announced the cancellation of its flights from Terminal 1.  

Meanwhile, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu reached the site of collapse to take stock of the situation. “We are taking this incident very seriously. I want to clarify that the building inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi is on the other side. The building that collapsed here is an old building opened in 2009,” the Union Minister said.  

Kinjarapu also announced compensation of Rs 20 lakh for the deceased and Rs 3 lakh for the injured in response to the Delhi airport incident. 

In an official statement, Delhi airport said that a portion of the canopy at the old Departure forecourt of Delhi Airport's Terminal 1 collapsed “due to heavy rain since early this morning”. 

Under the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 3, airlines have to either provide alternate flight or provide compensation in addition to the full refund of air ticket in case of cancellations. Additionally, the airline shall provide meals and refreshments to the passengers, who have already reported for their original flight at the airport while waiting for the alternate flight. In case of delays, airlines are required to provide meals and refreshments, an alternate flight/full refund of ticket to the passenger or hotel accommodation (including transfers) depending on the total flight delay. 

Parts of the national capital and the adjoining areas received heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in the early hours of June 28 causing waterlogging and flooded roads throughout the region. The heavy downpour, which brought respite from the scorching heat, affected normal life with traffic movement being hit leaving many stranded on waterlogged roads.