Circular No. 233- DGCA “Free Look‑in Option” for Air India – Refunds & Name Change Provisions | Effective 26 March 2026

Dear Travel Partner,

Greetings from Air India.

As per the DGCA directive issued under CAR Section 3 – Air Transport, Series ‘M’, Part II, Revision 3 dated 24 February 2026, Air India has implemented a revised “Free Look‑in Option”, effective 26 March 2026.

This allows passengers to cancel or amend bookings without penalty within a stipulated Look‑in Period, subject to the conditions detailed below.

1. Applicability

• Valid only for new/original bookings issued on Air India (098) documents
• Applicable for Domestic and International itineraries
• Departure must meet minimum advance booking timelines

2. Look‑in Period – Snapshot

This table is indicative and must be read together with details below.

3. Indirect Channel Sales (Travel Partners / OTAs)

• Eligible for a 24‑hour Look‑in Period, subject to departure timelines
• Refund or reissue must be initiated within 24 hours of ticket issuance
• No cancellation/change penalty within this window
• Fare difference and government taxes, if applicable, remain payable
• Post Look‑in Period, normal fare rules apply

4. Refunds – Free Look‑in Option

• Full refund permitted if requested within the applicable Look‑in Period
• Applies irrespective of fare type, even if base fare + YQ is non‑refundable
• Ancillary EMDs can be refunded only if issued on the same day as the ticket
• All refunds must be processed via the original source of booking and credited to the original form of payment

5. Exchanges

• Tickets may be reissued without reissue penalty if requested within the applicable Look‑in Period
• Change penalty removal is manual
• Any fare difference or government taxes resulting from itinerary change remain payable
• Subsequent changes/refunds will be governed by normal fare rules

6. Name Change / Name Correction

• For bookings made directly through Air India channels, name correction for the same passenger is permitted free of charge if reported within 24 hours of booking
• Applicable only to genuine spelling corrections and not passenger substitution

7. Mandatory PNR & Ticket Remarks

For all refunds or exchanges processed under this directive, the following remark is mandatory:

“Free look in option applied”

Non‑compliance, especially for Indirect Channel bookings, will result in Agency Debit Memos (ADMs).

At the time of booking, PNRs must also be updated with:
“Passenger advised about the Free Look in Option.”

We request all Travel Partners to strictly adhere to the above procedures to ensure full compliance with DGCA requirements.

For any clarification, please reach out to your Air India account manager.

Warm regards,
Team Air India