New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre and the airline companies to discuss modalities for full refund of tickets for domestic and international flights which were cancelled following the COVID-19 lockdown.
A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, S K Kaul and M R Shah asked the Centre to take a stand on the issue and work out ways for full refund.
A plea was also raised that airlines across the world are facing tough time due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and they too be heard as parties to the plea filed by one NGO, Pravasi Legal Cell'.
It had on Monday had sought responses from the Centre and the DGCA on the plea seeking directions to airlines operating domestic and international fights in India to refund full amount collected for tickets due to cancellation of flights in wake of the lockdown.
The plea urged the court to declare the alleged action of airlines of not refunding entire value of cancelled air tickets as violative of the civil aviation requirement issued by the authority.
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Spice Jet told the court that nowhere in the world airlines are refunding the complete amount and they would like to discuss the matter with the Civil Aviation Ministry and find out the solution for the customers' concerns.
It was also informed to the court that airlines have suffered a hit of 60 billion dollar globally due to the outbreak of corona virus and 49% of the flying cost is fixed and there is zero revenue to the airlines. Asking for credit shell will ruin the airlines, contended the advocate.
The court has asked the centre to clarify its stand on the issue and inform the court about the same in 3 weeks.
(With PTI Inputs)
