Air India Announces New Waiver Policy For Passengers With Holding Tickets For Australia Sector
In view of the continued impact of Covid-19, Air India has decided to offer the following benefits/flexibility for passengers to fly with Air India again, who are Holding Tickets for Australia Sector.
- Discontinue with EMD amount,
- Offer Flexibility of Routing Change,
- Offer Flexibility of Sector Change,
- Enhance Travel Validity,
- Offer Waiver for Fare Difference and Change penalty,
- Flexibility of Cabin Change
- Enhanced Refund Validity
Holding Ticket (Passengers)
A Revenue ticket issued on 098 documents and booked to travel on Air India operated and marketed, scheduled (non-VBM) flights,
1) from 15 MAR 20 till 31 MAR 21 and his/her travel plan got disrupted due to cancellation of booked flight due to COVID-19 epidemic OR
2) from 15 MAR 20 till 31 MAR 21 and not able to travel from India to any destination due change in (destination country’s) visa regulation owing to COVID-19 epidemic, OR
3) Holding Ticket Passenger, who is OCI Card Holder or Foreign National and not able to travel to India, due Suspension of entry for such passenger by Bureau of Immigration, India; from 13 MAR 20 (Exception 10 MAR 20 for passengers originating journey from FRANCE) till such time the prohibition on international travel of passengers to India is lifted by the G.O.I.
MODALITIES
1. Passengers need to visit AI CTO/ATO (Operational) or Authorized Travel Agent (henceforth referred to as agents) from where the ticket was originally issued or Call up the call center.
2. Same Sector Travel (With/Without Routing Change): Air India offices/Agents can reissue the ticket with NIL ADC. Reissue to be done preferably in original/same RBD or next highest available RBD for Air India’s Sector. Interline sector, if any, on Holding Ticketed itinerary, same needs to be booked as per original RBD only.
3. Sector Change-Provided no change in Origin and Destination Country:
Any holding ticket passenger is permitted to change the sector from Air India’s one Online Station to another Online Station, provided there is no change in Origin and Destination Country. The ticket needs to be reissued, with NIL ADC, no fare difference is to be charged. E.g. passengers holding CCU-DEL-LHR tickets, want to travel COK-DEL-LHR i.e. Route change is permitted, the maximum number of permitted add-ons for new routing, will be as that of holding a ticket. For. e.g. CCU-DEL-LHR holding a ticket will not be permitted to issue ticket COK-BLR-DEL-LHR.
4. Sector Change- Change in either Origin &/or Destination Country:
It may please be noted that in case passenger is holding a ticket for a specific sector and wants to fly on a separate sector, wherein there is a change in either Origin &/or Destination Country, the passenger will have to purchase a new ticket for new sector and value of holding ticket may be adjusted against the new fare.
For partly utilized tickets (RT tickets), residual value may be calculated taking ½ RT fare – as per the normal procedure. The ticket needs to be reissued for the new sector collecting the difference of fare if applicable. If new routing/ Origin & Destination, results in a lower fare, any unutilized balance will be forfeited, and Air India will not refund the balance.
5. Same Sector Travel & Cabin Upgrade:
Any passenger holding Economy/Business Class ticket and wanting to upgrade to Business/First Class respectively, please reissue the ticket by collecting difference in fare as on date Business/First Class OW /RT Fare for desired flight and holding tickets residual (in case of partially used ticket) value or total (in case of the totally unutilized ticket) value
6. Please note that Agents are only allowed to reissue the holding tickets, which were originally issued from their stock, in view of same they are also allowed to upgrade tickets to the higher cabin, do Sector Change, as mentioned in the aforementioned point number (3), (4) and (5).
7. Whenever tickets are reissued, the below-mentioned waiver number, needs to be incorporated in the Endorsement box of the reissued tickets and in PNR.
NEW TICKET TRAVEL VALIDITY
The travel validity of all such tickets is extended till 31 Mar 2022. Passengers need to complete the journey on/before 31 Mar 2022.
REBOOKING
Passengers can rebook to a future date Till 31 Mar 2022, however, rebooking needs to be completed on/before 31 DEC 2021.
NEW REFUND VALIDITY
The new refund validity for all such tickets will be Till 3 1Mar 2022.
PENALTIES
Change Penalty Waiver: For Holding Tickets, only for the first instance, charges for Date, Flight, Routing, Sector, and Booking Code will be waived. For any subsequent change, original ticketing conditions w.r.t penalties i.e. Change, No-show will apply.
APPLICABILITY OF FARE DIFFERENCE
- Refer sub points in paragraph (A), where in NIL ADC is mentioned, the NIL fare difference will be applicable for First Instance only.
- For any subsequent change, only fare to be reassessed and difference in fare to be collected as per Original Issue, by using manual tariffication, and ignoring Fare Validity (if it is lower, for new planned
itinerary). The benefit of new validity will be as mentioned in point (B) may be offered to the passenger. Down selling of RBD/FARE is not permitted.
WAIVER NUMBER: VBMAB/32-INT/NOV21/AUS :This Waiver supersedes Waiver VBMAB/32-INT/DEC20 dated earlier.
