Flight Delayed in India? Here’s Exactly What Airlines Owe You (Meals, Hotels, Refunds)

If your flight in India is delayed, you’re not at the mercy of the airline — the DGCA Passenger Charter actually gives you very specific rights.

If you’ve checked in on time and your flight is delayed by 2–4 hours (depending on flight duration), the airline must give you free meals and refreshments while you wait.

For domestic flights delayed by more than 6 hours, the airline has to offer you either an alternate flight within 6 hours or a full refund — you get to choose.

If the delay stretches overnight or beyond 24 hours, they’re also supposed to provide free hotel accommodation and airport transfers, unless it’s a genuine “extraordinary circumstance” like severe weather or security risks.

We recently saw mass disruptions where IndiGo had to give extra vouchers worth ₹10,000 to passengers stranded for hours on top of what the rules already mandate — that’s how powerful these rights are when passengers push back.

If you want a complete breakdown of all your passenger rights (delays, cancellations, baggage, overbooking, everything), watch my full Passenger Rights playlist here

And if you’re booking a flight soon, don’t miss my video on how to pick the perfect seat based on your preference and flight duration: [How to Choose the Best Seat on a Flight]