SC asks stakeholders to submit their stand on refund of cancelled air tickets

Spicejet agreed to comply with the centre's norms but GoAir, Indigo, Air Asia and Vistara sought to make certain additional points. The court said that it can not consider every individual case but since all the stakeholders are before the court, all the possibilities and situations will be taken care of.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has asked the centre, airlines, passengers and all the other stakeholders to file an affidavit in the court detailing the grievances, suggestions, clearifications regarding the refund of full amount of cancelled air tickets and adjourned the case for hearing on 23rd september.

The court was hearing a petition seeking full refund of amount of cancelled air tickets due to the lockdown.

The centre had filed an affidavit in the top court saying that the airlines shall refund the amount for tickets booked during the lockdown 1 and 2 and in case of financial distress they would grant credit shell of an equal amount to the passengers vaild till 31st March 2021, after which money will be refunded.

Centre submitted today that refund can only be for those which were booked in India, if British Aiways was booked from London then the government doesn't have any jurisdiction.

Senior Advocate Sanjay Hedge argued before the court that not only for lockdown 1 and 2, but relief should be granted to everyone whose flight was cancelled due to the lockdown. Air Passengers Association sought interest as well on the money retained by the airlines.

Spicejet agreed to comply with the centre's norms but GoAir ,Indigo, Air Asia and Vistara sought to make certain additional points. The court said that it can not consider every individual case but since all the stakeholders are before the court, all the possibilties and sitautions will be taken care of.

SC asked the centre that in case of resumption of flights if tickets were cancellation due to some technical difficulties then how will the refund work.

Apart from this it also wanted the centre to clearify regarding refund during the lockdown as pointed out by Advocate Hedge. It asked the centre to file an additional affidavits clearifying certain points.

Court ordered that all the suggestions shall be made in writing and this matter is not going back to the government now so whatever suggestions are there, have to be filed in the top court.