Earlier this week, we wrote about the decision of the Government to reduce the charges that flyers have to pay to use the Delhi Airport. Passengers flying from and to Delhi Airport after July 7, 2017 are eligible for lower usage charges. This was a reduction that was hanging in the air since 2015.
This follows a recent tariff order slashing User Development Fee (UDF) for domestic passengers flying out of Delhi airport to Rs 10 from Rs275-550. The levy was reduced to Rs 45 from Rs 635-Rs1,270 for international travellers flying out of IGI, effective July 7, 2017.
There was a brief period till July 19, when the regulators were deciding about how to treat the amount already billed to customers and not dished out to the airport operator. Now the rules are clearer.
If you’ve already paid UDF and flown between July 7, 2017 and July 19, 2017 (arriving or departing at Delhi)
You would have paid UDF if you arrived or departed from Delhi between these days. Domestic Passengers can claim a refund through 45 days from July 19, 2017, while international passengers get 60 days to do so. After that, all the unclaimed amount will be sent to the airport operator.
As per IndiGo,
- If you booked your ticket via a travel agent, call them for the refund
- If you booked directly with the airline, you need to contact the airline via social media or phone or email and they will initiate a refund to you.
I would expect the UDF refund to come back to your account where you paid.
If you’ve already paid UDF but will fly later in the year (arriving or departing at Delhi)
You don’t need to do anything. The airlines are supposed to automatically initiate a refund to you of the excess amount.
Bottomline
You are eligible to get a pretty sum back from the airport operator on this count, so do make the effort. I don’t understand why at least in the case of direct bookings, there was a need to claim the amount, and rather the carriers were not instructed to automatically remit it back. But do make the claim regardless and get your excess fare back.
I booked my ticket through musafir.com for Del-toronto del.sector.Onward journey on jetairways already completed on 19 june 17. Return journeyis on 3rd oct.17 on Etihad. Will I get UDF refund automatically or I need to apply to musafir.com or Etihad.
I had booked through ixigo->yatra->jet airways. Yatra asked me to contact the airline and jet asked me to contact the agent. Don’t know how to solve this
@AC Ixigo would have no role in this. Write to Yatra and have them solve it for you.
i booked through hdfc regalia site for 4 passengers , whom to contact for UDF refund. aug 20 th arrival and 21 st departure
@gopal you should automatically get it, otherwise call the regalia helpline
I have same issue. Regalia asked to give some confirmation from airline for refund. Today I called spicejet and they said it will take 3 working days and they will refund to hdfc regalia. Then I have to call regalia again to get the refund. If they dont listen, then do conference call with your airline. They should help.
I got Refund of 564/- from Indigo (for DEL-COK on 10th Jul). Thanks Indigo, very reliable and trusty. I raised demand via mail and a ‘chat help’ through the indigo website. Parallel, raised a support ticket with Paytm, where I booked the flight ticket.
Today I received paytm cashback as a bonus amount of Rs. 564/-. Thanks Paytm, you too very reliable.
We travelled from Mumbai to Delhi on 10th July and returned to Mumbai on 21st July 2017. Let’s see how airline vistara respond.
Ramchandra. V. Thakker.
+919820172436.
I have travelled by indigo
Booked the ticket goibibo
How i can get the refund
It was a our group of 14 trabellers who travelled twice ,one on 7th july and returned on 13th july,lets see what airlines do….
Can i know the airlines on which the refund is applicable?
@Avneet all airlines that use Delhi Airport
I HV booked for indigo they refunding me back….and for goair I call the customer it was so Rüde dat Guy they r refunding it bck
Never fly goair
Goair flights are also messy.. keeps on playing announcements/advertisement even when in air. No chance of sleeping. That was horrible experience.
What if I had an connecting flight from Delhi?
@Vibhor if one ticket then possibly the airline did not charge you a UDF as it was valid for arrival and departure not transit
I booked through Paytm. They haven’t replied to me since 2 days!
Paytm is fraud and not good. Don’t go for cashback
How to make refund request. That’s not clear!
Call up the airlines and ask them to refund the amount(it takes about 72 hrs) then call up paytm or make my trip and ask them to refund this amount to your payment source.