If you had also planned to travel abroad during this summer holidays, then the ongoing tension in West Asia may spoil your dreams. Due to this dispute which started from 28th February, 40 to 50 percent of holidays going to Middle East and Europe have been cancelled. Thousands of flights have been canceled and lakhs of rupees of people are stuck in hotel and ticket booking. In such a situation, the biggest question in the mind of a common traveler is how to save his hard-earned money from being lost.
According to the report of Economics Times, the situation in West Asia has also given a big economic blow to Indian travelers. Panchkula resident Rupali Brar and her son had spent more than Rs 1 lakh to watch the Bahrain Grand Prix, but they had to suffer a huge loss of Rs 75,000 when the trip was cancelled. Similarly, Kumkum Sharma of Mumbai suffered a loss of Rs 41,600 due to cancellation of her Oman trip.
Government has removed the cap on rent
The trouble does not end here. The cap of Rs 18,000 on domestic fares has been lifted by the Civil Aviation Ministry from March 23. Along with this, Air India, Indigo and Akasa Air have also increased the fuel surcharge from mid-March. Due to the impact on flights in the Middle East, fares for flights to Europe and America have increased by two to three times. This is the reason why Indian tourists are now turning to South-East Asian countries like Vietnam, Philippines, Bali and Sri Lanka, where flights are short and safe.
Do not make this mistake even by mistake, otherwise you will not get refund.
The biggest mistake people often make in panic is that they cancel their tickets themselves. If you cancel the ticket of your own free will, the airline is not obliged to give you a refund. Instead, wait for the airline to cancel the flight. Airlines like Qatar Airways and Emirates are providing the facility of refund or change of travel date (travel waiver) without any additional charges in view of the current crisis.
It is also important to note that your normal travel insurance policy does not cover situations like war or military conflict. In such a situation, it would not be wise to rely on insurance.
Smart tricks to get money back for hotel and flight booking
- Give preference to flexible booking: Always choose hotels that offer free cancellation facility 24-48 hours before check-in. Kumkum Sharma got the entire refund of Rs 60,000 from the hotels in Muscat without any hassle because her booking was flexible.
- Direct booking is better: It is safer to book directly through the airline or hotel website instead of through travel aggregators (OTAs). Due to this, third-party terms and conditions do not come in the way of the refund process.
- Choose Flex Fare: Although these tickets are slightly more expensive than usual, they offer the flexibility to cancel or change the date at a nominal fee.
- Use of credit cards: Some premium credit cards like IDFC First Bank offer ‘Cancel for Any Reason’ cover of Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 on flight and hotel cancellations, which can be a lifesaver in such a crisis.
DGCA made new rules for refund
For the convenience of the people, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has implemented new rules for refund from March 26. Now airlines will have to return the refund for bookings made through credit cards within 7 days and within 14 working days for bookings made through agents. Also, if you have booked a ticket through the airline’s website and your domestic travel time is more than 7 days (15 days for international travel), you can cancel or change your ticket within 48 hours of booking without any cancellation charges. Additionally, airlines can no longer charge cancellation fees more than the base fare and fuel surcharge.