Flight Booked, Seats Vanished: The Growing Threat of Airline Ticket Scams in India

On February 4, three passengers booked tickets (Reported by Raagini Gupta via linkedin) (Row 1 D, E, F) for an IndiGo flight from Lucknow to New Delhi via ClearTrip for February 28 at 11:10 PM. On the day of travel, a web check-in was completed at 3:20 PM, but upon reaching the airport at 8:00 PM, the passengers were informed that their tickets had been canceled.

ClearTrip claimed that the booking was canceled at 7:35 PM, but the passengers never received any cancellation notifications via email, SMS, or call. Despite repeated requests, neither ClearTrip nor IndiGo provided proof of who initiated the cancellation. A similar case was reported at the airport with another family facing random cancellations.

The affected passengers were left stranded with no available seats and were forced to take a cab to their destination overnight. This incident raises serious concerns about data security, unauthorized access, and airline accountability.

Key concerns:

1. Unauthorized cancellations using passengers’ personal information.
2. Lack of safeguards by ClearTrip and IndiGo.
3. No transparency in communication regarding ticket cancellations.
4. Passengers forced to find last-minute travel alternatives without compensation.

Air India Overbooking Issue

On January 2, a passenger booked a Mumbai-to-Bangalore (As reported by Soumyajyoti Sen Via Linkedin) Air India flight scheduled for 3:30 PM. Upon reaching the airport at 1:45 PM, they were informed that the flight had been overbooked by 10%—a practice allowed by DGCA regulations. The airline staff was unresponsive and dismissive, offering an alternative flight later in the day, despite the passenger having urgent commitments in Bangalore.

Upon further insistence, two passengers were removed from the flight to accommodate the complainant and their spouse. However, upon boarding, they discovered that multiple Air India crew members occupied seats originally reserved for paying passengers. The airline appeared to be prioritizing internal crew transfers over paying customers, raising serious concerns about ethical and transparent booking practices.

Notable issues:

1. DGCA permits airlines to overbook flights by 10%, leading to denied boarding for confirmed passengers.
2. Poor customer service and intimidation tactics (including a threat to involve CRPF).
3. Alleged preference for airline crew over ticketed passengers.
4. Repeated fines on Air India for similar incidents, yet no corrective measures.

MakeMyTrip & Air India Refund Delay

A customer booked (As reported by an anonymous user on grapevine) an Air India flight from Kolkata to London via Bangalore for January 23. The flight was canceled by the airline, which provided the necessary documentation for a full refund. However, MakeMyTrip has delayed the refund for over a month, offering inconsistent explanations:

• Claiming the customer canceled the booking.
• Stating no such booking existed.
• Blaming Air India for not responding to refund requests.

Despite escalating the issue to senior executives, MakeMyTrip has stopped responding. This incident highlights the growing concern of third-party booking platforms failing to process refunds efficiently.

Key concerns:

1. Lack of accountability between airlines and third-party booking platforms.
2. False claims and lack of transparency in refund processing.
3. Automated responses and customer service negligence.
4. Customers being forced to escalate complaints on social media to receive attention.

Broader Implications: A Call for Regulation

These cases highlight the systemic issues in India’s airline industry, including:

• Lack of consumer protection laws to prevent unauthorized ticket cancellations.
• The need for airlines to prioritize passenger rights over internal inefficiencies.
• Stricter DGCA oversight on overbooking practices and refund delays.

As more customers share their experiences, authorities must investigate and implement stricter regulations to protect travelers from airline and travel platform malpractices.

Note: These reported issues are based on customer complaints and do not reflect claims made by Core Story.