Cancellation and Reschedule Waivers implemented by Indian carriers in May 2025

by Ajay Leave A Comment

As you can imagine, air transport is in turmoil because over 24 airports in the north and west of India have been closed. This has caused a wave of flight cancellations by almost all carriers in India. The airlines have been supportive and offer their customers a generous cancellation and reschedule waiver.

Below, we break down the current policies from SpiceJet, IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, Star Air and Alliance Air—covering their general waiver approaches, specific cancellation/refund provisions, and where to go online to request these benefits.

IndiGo

  • Waiver policy: In response to recent airspace closures, all flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, Rajkot, Jodhpur, and Kishangarh are cancelled through May 15, 2025, 0529 hours. The airline is offering changes and cancellations to those travelling between May 7 and 15, 2025. Also, IndiGo bookings made on or before May 8, 2025, are eligible for a change/cancellation fee waiver for travel until May 22, 2025, to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Kishangarh & Rajkot.
  • If IndiGo cancels a flight, affected passengers can opt for a full refund, travel credit, or free re-routing using the next available service. The Srinagar-area waiver also covers voluntary cancellations with full fare refunds.
  • Where to request your refund/rescheduling: Log on to https://www.goindigo.in/plan-b.html to request refunds or reschedule your tickets. If you booked with a travel agent or an OTA, you can just head to them for the rescheduling.
  • Sources

https://x.com/IndiGo6E/status/1920831437197992033

Air India

  • Waiver policy:
    • Air India flights to and from the following stations—Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Bhuj, Jamnagar and Rajkot – are being cancelled till 0529 hrs IST on May 15, pending further updates. Customers holding valid tickets for travel during this period will be offered a one-time waiver on rescheduling charges or a full refund for cancellations.
    • In the prevailing situation, for defence personnel holding defence fares booked on Air India until May 31, 2025, Air India will offer full refunds on cancellation and a one-time waiver on rescheduling flights up to June 30, 2025, to support their duty commitments.
  • Where to request your refund/rescheduling: Defence fare holders should log on to https://www.airindia.com/in/en/contact-us/customer-support-portal/defence-support.html?partner=none&subcategory=Defence%20Support to request refunds or reschedule your tickets. To reschedule your tickets under the waiver, head to https://www.airindia.com/in/en/manage/self-reaccomodation.html or call 011-69329333 / 011-69329999. If you booked with a travel agent or an OTA, you can just head to them to reschedule.
  • Sources

Air India Express

  • Waiver policy:
    • Air India Express flights to and from the following stations—Amritsar, Gwalior, Jammu, Srinagar and Hindon—are being cancelled until 0529 hrs IST on May 10, 2025, following a notification from aviation authorities on the closure of these airports. Customers holding valid tickets for travel during this period will be offered a one-time waiver on rescheduling charges or a full refund for cancellations.
    • In the prevailing situation, for defence personnel holding defence fares booked on Air India Express until May 31, 2025, Air India will offer full refunds on cancellation and a one-time waiver on rescheduling flights up to June 30, 2025, to support their duty commitments.
  • Where to request your refund/rescheduling: Defence fare holders should log on to airindiaexpress.com/manage-booking or chat with the Air India Express Chatbot. If you booked with a travel agent or an OTA, you can just head to them to reschedule.
  • Sources

SpiceJet

    • Waiver policy:Flights to/from Leh, Srinagar, Jammu, Dharamshala, Kandla & Amritsar are cancelled till 10th May 2025 due to airport closures amid heightened security.
    • Where to request your refund/rescheduling: You should head to https://changes.spicejet.com/index.html#/. If you booked with a travel agent or an OTA, you can just head to them to reschedule.
    • Sources

https://x.com/flyspicejet/status/1920090364675072146
https://x.com/flyspicejet/status/1919907622448234787

Bottomline

While most carriers now offer at least one free change under specific conditions, the exact rules—booking cut-offs, waiver windows, and routes covered—vary considerably. Passengers should always check the relevant airline’s cancellation and refund page (links above) before making any schedule adjustments to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria and follow the correct online process.

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About Ajay

Ajay Awtaney is the Founder and Editor of Live From A Lounge (LFAL), a pioneering digital platform renowned for publishing news and views about aviation, hotels, passenger experience, loyalty programs, travel trends and frequent travel tips for the Global Indian. He is considered the Indian authority on business travel, luxury travel, frequent flyer miles, loyalty credit cards and travel for Indians around the globe. Ajay is a frequent contributor and commentator on the media as well, including ET Now, BBC, CNBC TV18, NDTV, Conde Nast Traveller and many other outlets.

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