Relief for Bahrain passengers as Air India Express offers refund for cancelled tickets

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Passengers who have had their tickets on Air India Express cancelled due to the pandemic and never got a refund can now breathe a sigh of relief. 

The airlines have now informed travel agencies that the process of refunding the tickets which were earlier converted into vouchers is in progress.

The move comes amid persistent complaints from passengers and travel agencies.

The order was passed on a petition filed by the Pravasi Legal Cell.

However, many who booked tickets through travel agencies in Bahrain did not receive a refund.

Instead of a refund, the airline converts it into vouchers that can be used for another trip.

The vouchers were issued on the condition that they are used by December 31, 2021.

International flights were suspended after India announced a lockdown in March last year as part of the Covid precautionary measures.

Subsequently, on May 7, the Indian Government launched the Vande Bharat Mission to repatriate their citizens stranded abroad.

Thousands of passengers returned home with new tickets.

In addition, passengers returned on chartered flights initiated by various organizations and travel agencies.

Hence, the voucher became useless as many of them planned not to fly before the stipulated date.

In this case, the demand for a refund instead of a voucher became strong.

Social activists too came forward with the same demand, following which Air India Express authorities in Bahrain informed their Indian headquarters requesting to initiate steps for a refund.

Air India Express officials have informed travel agencies that the vouchers are currently being converted into PNR (Passenger Name Record) and a refund will be available thereafter.

Each travel agency is thus entitled to a refund of thousands of dinars.