A recent report from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has highlighted the main issues in the 246 passenger complaints filed against scheduled domestic airlines in September. These concerns primarily revolved around problems with flights, issues related to baggage, and matters regarding refunds.
The report, cited by ANI, reveals that “During September 2023, a total of 246 passenger-related complaints had been received by the scheduled domestic airlines. The number of complaints per 10,000 passengers carried for the month of September 2023 has been around 0.20.”
The primary sources of these passenger complaints included flight issues, accounting for 41.9 percent, followed by baggage problems at 19.9 percent, and concerns regarding refunds at 15.4 percent. It is noteworthy that the most significant cause of these complaints was related to flight issues.
Moreover, the report indicates that out of the 246 complaints received, 242 have been successfully resolved.
The report goes on to mention that there has been a noticeable increase in complaints related to staff behavior and customer service compared to the previous month, August. Complaints regarding customer service have risen from 5.9 percent in August to 10.2 percent, and those concerning staff behavior have increased from 2.4 percent to 4.9 percent.
Additionally, the DGCA’s report reveals that passenger complaints included issues related to customer service, accounting for 10.2 percent of the total complaints, as well as staff behavior, which constituted 4.9 percent. Notably, only a very small fraction, specifically 0.4 percent, of the complaints pertained to fare-related concerns.
The report also details the impact on passengers in September, including 663 passengers being denied boarding, resulting in airlines spending ₹71.52 lakhs on compensation and facilities. Similarly, 40,940 passengers were affected by flight cancellations, leading to airlines spending ₹128.70 lakhs on compensation and facilities. In addition, 123,063 passengers were affected by flight delays, and airlines spent ₹149.46 lakhs to facilitate them.
According to the report, the airline that received the highest number of complaints was IndiGo (61), followed by SpiceJet (55) and Air India (54).
