CCPA Asks Yatra to Return money to Customers for COVID-19 Cancellations
CCPA has directed online travel partner Yatra to refund to its customers the amount it charged from them for cancelling tickets on its website during the COVID-19 lockdown. There have been innumerable complaints on the National Consumer Helpline, according to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, against the no-refund policy of cancelled air tickers for which the responsibility was passed by the travelling agencies to the airlines.
In its order in the case of Pravasi Legal Cell vs Union of India, W.P.(C)D.No.10966 of 2020 dated 1st October 2020, the Supreme Court ordered that for tickets booked during the lockdown for travel during this period, the registered airlines shall make full refunds immediately. The amount shall be forwarded to the passengers as and when refunded by the airlines. Further acting upon this, the CCPA took Suo Moto action against Yatra for not returning the money for airline tickets cancelled during the lockdown and held multiple hearings between 8th July 2021 and 25th June 2024.
The number of pending refund bookings with Yatra as on 31st March 2021 are 36276 having an aggregate value of INR 26,25,82,484. About 4837 bookings worth INR 2,52,87,098 have been refunded as on 21 st June 2024. Yatra has returned approximately 87% of the amount to consumers and is committed to returning the remaining 13% at the earliest while ensuring all pending refunds shall be duly processed by the airlines. In 2021, pending refunds for air-related bookings were 5,771, worth INR 9,60,14.463. Yatra brought it down in 2024 to 98 with an outstanding amount of INR 31,79,069. CCPA on 27th June 2024 passed an order directing the remaining 22 out of Yatra’s 32 airlines to expedite the refund of INR 31,79,069 to the consumers.
It shows that CCPA wants to ensure fast refunds and prompt Yatra to be in complete compliance and satisfaction with regards to the resolution of all pending booking issues.
