In a post on X, user Amit Kumar said that he and a co-passenger had originally booked a direct flight from Delhi to Singapore scheduled for May 3 at 12:40 am, with tickets purchased nearly two months in advance.

However, shortly after completing web check-in, they received a message stating that the flight had been rescheduled to May 4 and would no longer be a direct service.

According to the post, when the passengers contacted customer support, they were initially offered only two options: either travel on May 4 arriving significantly later than planned or cancel the booking and make a fresh reservation, which they claimed would cost nearly four times the original fare.

In a subsequent update, the passenger said they were eventually moved to a flight on May 2. However, this alternative was a connecting flight via Mumbai, despite the original booking being for a direct route.

The passenger further alleged that despite having already paid for seat selection prior to check-in, they were asked to pay again for seats on the revised flight.

Additionally, the change forced them to book a hotel for an extra day at short notice, incurring higher costs. “Why am I being punished for Air India’s fault,” the user wrote.

The complaint has gained traction online, raising questions around airline rescheduling practices, fare policies, and passenger handling during disruptions.

Sources in the Ministry of Civil Aviation said that while operational disruptions can occur, airlines are expected to communicate schedule changes well in advance. Under Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) norms, passengers must be offered either a full refund or an alternate flight, and in cases of last-minute cancellations or changes, compensation provisions may also apply if adequate notice is not given.

Airlines typically manage seat inventory across fare classes, which can affect availability during rebooking. However, passenger rights in such cases depend on the nature and timing of the disruption.

Air India did not respond to queries sent by the time of publication.
 

Published on: May 2, 2026 12:10 PM IST