How to get a refund when you aren't able to take the flight

It's just easier to keep the ticket & not cancel as the cancellation charges are higher than the ticket cost.

This is a scenario that many of us might have faced when the ticket prices are usually Rs. 4,000 or lower for a one-way journey. The cancellation charges would be Rs. 3,500 for Indigo, Spicejet, Akasa, & Air India Express; and Rs. 4,200 for Air India & Vistara.

Some of you might leave the ticket as is & which results in a 'No Show'.

But what if I told you that once you have done a 'No Show' you can still get back 15-20% of the ticket cost as a refund? This information is only for Indian carriers flying & primarily domestic.

All Indian Airlines follow the DGCA guidelines which clearly state that if there is a 'No Show' by the passenger then the Airline has to refund all the applicable taxes & fees. These taxes & fees end up amounting to 15-20% of the total fare that you have paid to the airline.

So what happens to this money when the airline is required by the regulator to refund it? Well, for customers who booked directly with the airline (<10%) that amount goes to airline revenue, while the rest (~90%) which is booked via third parties like OTAs & travel agents - goes to their bottom line. Even many power users aren't aware of this & even for those who are aware, the time-cost of doing the entire process is worth more than the actual refund that you get.

However, if you are resolute to get that money. This is what I would recommend based on my experience:

1. Call the airline & confirm that your PNR is showing as No Show & get the confirmation of the amount that would be refunded. Better to also take this over an email, you might have to push the agent to do that.

2. Confirm that the refund is showing on their tool so that when an agent from the OTA side logs into the Airline system, they see the same too.

3. Call the OTA or Travel Agent & tell him that you were a No-Show, that you spoke with the Airline, & that there is a refund of XYZ on your ticket

4. The OTA or Travel Agent will ask for some time to confirm with the airline.

5. You might be required to repeat step 3, a couple of times.

6. Eventually success will be yours.

In case, the above doesn't work. You can also refer to this thread of mine. In another article, I will share what to do with international airlines & what are the ways to get a refund.

Have you ever tried to get a refund for a no-show? If yes, share your story with me.