US orders AI to refund $121m for cancelled America flights to customers; fines it $1.4m for delay

美国要求印度航空公司向被取消的美国航班乘客退款1.21亿美元；外加140万美元的超期罚金

NEW DELHI: The United States has ordered Air India to pay $121.5 million as refunds and $1.4 million as penalties for extreme delays in giving refunds to passengers for flights mostly cancelled during Covid. Apart from AI, the America’s department of transportation (DoT) has asked five more foreign airlines — Frontier, TAP Portugal, Aero Mexco, EI AI, and Avianca — to collectively pay $600 million in refunds and penalties.

“The US DoT… has determined that Air India routinely failed to provide timely refunds to passengers for flights to and from the US that the carrier cancelled or significantly changed.… Since March 2020… (we) received over 1,900 complaints (regarding AI refunds). AI’s stated policy has been to provide refunds to consumers for flights it cancelled or significantly changed. However, a review of the complaints filed with the department revealed that in practice AI took more than 100 days to process most of the refund requests that it received,” the DoT order dated November 14, 2022, says.

新德里：美国下令印度航空公司支付1.215亿美元的机票退款以及140万美元的罚金，原因是疫情期间大部分被取消的航班在向乘客退款时都出现了严重的拖延问题。除了印度航空，美国交通部(DoT)还要求另外五家外国航空公司——边疆航空、葡萄牙航空、墨西哥国际航空, 爱尔兰航空和哥伦比亚国际航空——支付共计6亿美元的退款和罚金。

“美国交通部……已经确定，印度航空公司取消航班或调整航班后，总是没有及时向乘客退还往返美国的机票款。自2020年3月以来，(我们)收到了1900多起(关于印度航空机票退款的)投诉。该公司公开的政策是，如果发生航班取消或调整的情况，会向消费者退款。但根据提交到该部门的投诉审查显示，实际上印度航空对大部分退款请求的处理周期超过100天，” 美国交通部2022年11月14日表示。

It adds that AI admitted failing to “provide timely refunds” to passengers who requested refunds and that the airline has been directed “to cease and desist from future similar violations.” Maharaja’s refund mostly cases date back from its penurious state-owned days. The Tatas took over the airline this January. Confirming the DoT fine, AI said in a statement: “We very much regret that customers were inconvenienced and accept the fine. Since AI was privatised in January 2022, every effort has been made to clear all backlogged refunds, with more than 2.5 lakh cases totalling $18.3 million successfully processed.”

“New systems have also been implemented to expedite the processing of new refunds which are now turned around, on average, within one week. We have publicly invited anyone who feels they have a refund due from Air India to contact us at ,” the AI statement added.

该公司补充称，印度航空承认未能向要求退款的乘客“及时办理退款”，该航空公司已被要求“杜绝未来类似的违规行为”。这些退款中多数可以追溯到资金紧张的国营时期。塔塔集团在今年1月接管了该航空公司。印度航空在一份声明中证实了美国交通部的罚款：“我们对给乘客带来的不便感到非常遗憾，并接受罚款。自2022年1月印度航空私有化以来，我们已尽一切努力付清所有积压的退款，共成功处理了25万多笔退款，总额1830万美元。”

他说：“我们还采用了新的系统来加快处理新退款，目前这些退款平均在一周内就能完成。我们公开邀请需要印度航空公司退回机票款的乘客联系我们。”

The airline has told DoT it has a “liberal refund-on-demand” policy. “AI asserts that it has waived applicable change, cancellation, and no-show penalties for ticket refunds worth over $98 million, resulting in passengers receiving full refunds who were not otherwise entitled to them. AI states that it faced extraordinary hardships during the early stages of Covid-19, including repeated closures of its India offices, border closures, and travel bans, which significantly hindered its ability to process refunds,” the order says.

“AI argues that because it did not mislead passengers about their rights and because its refund-on-demand policy is more liberal than that required by the regulation, its penalty should be reduced. Nevertheless, AI has agreed to this settlement in the interest of avoiding litigation,” it adds.

该航空公司告诉美国交通部，印度航空有“即刻退款”政策。“印度航空称公司已经免除了对价值超过9800万美元的机票退票的改签、取消和误机处罚，原本没有资格获得全额退票的乘客也因此获得了全额退票。印度航空表示，在疫情早期阶段，公司面临特别困难的处境，包括其印度办事处反复关闭、边境关闭和旅行禁令，这严重影响了公司处理退款的能力。”

“印度航空认为，因为它没有误导乘客的退票权利，而且它的即刻退款政策比法律规定更宽松，所以它的罚款金额不应该这么高。但为了避免诉讼，印度航空同意了这项和解协议。”

以下是印度时报读者的评论：

User•5 hours ago

Tata's have hard task to rebuild the reputation of Air India. The bureaucrats have messed up this lovely organistaion.

塔塔集团面临重塑印度航空声誉的艰巨任务。官老爷们把多好的一家公司搞得一团糟。

Sunny•USA•9 hours ago

Air India is the worst Airline but India like it as it is cheap. So no complain should be made. But Indian like cheap things that’s why u only see mostly Indian fly in that carrier whether from,USA or Australia or European countries as they do not care for safety or customer service or whether Air hostess or staff are rude and arrogant. As long Ratan is alive that’s long AI is alive as he bought just for his pride even though it is in big loss

印度航空是史上最烂的航空公司，但印度人喜欢它，因为它票价便宜。所以别抱怨了。但印度人就是喜欢便宜的东西，这就是乘坐该航空公司的大多数为印度人的原因，无论这些印度人是来自美国、澳大利亚还是欧洲国家的，因为他们不太在意安全和客户服务，也无所谓空姐或机组人员是不是粗鲁傲慢。

• Sunny•6 hours ago

Its one of the best in my opinion. Worst can be spice jet. They made a pregnant female run for her test while she had the test report, permission to fly, they did not call doctor in the airport and they had already canceled her flight. This is worst. AI team would have donw the opposite, i am a witness to that.

在我看来，印度航空是最好的航司之一。最糟糕的可能是印度香料航空。他们让一名持有检测报告、飞行许可的孕妇跑去重新检测，机场没有帮她叫医生，还取消了她的航班。这才是最烂的航司。印度航空团队的做法则相反，我就亲身经历过。

User PURI•10 hours ago

Air India express has a staff of illiterate people. iI have still not got my refund Delhi Dubai. Could someone please educate the staff ( Priyanka ) duty manager T3 that Indian passport holders who have permanent residency for any E.U. country DOES NOT NEED a Visa for Dubai. Duty manager Priyanka did not give me a boarding card. I had to buy a Emirates ticket , one way to Dubai. This cost me an extra INR 50,000. The money has still not been reimbursed.

印度航空快车的员工都是文盲。我还没有拿到德里—迪拜的机票退款。有没有人跟T3的值班经理普里扬卡科普一下，拥有欧盟国家永久居留权的印度护照持有者去迪拜是不需要签证的。值班经理普里扬卡不给我登机牌。我不得不买一张阿联酋航空公司的机票，单程去迪拜。我多花了5万卢比。这笔钱到现在还没有退还给我。

Ilias•USA•11 hours ago

At least someone else is looking after the affected AI passengers.

最起码印度航空乘客还是有人管的。

Logician•12 hours ago

PM Modi and BJP government made a complete mess economically not only inside India from more than 8 years and even spared airlines like Air India outside India. Apart from US God only knows how much more money due to the other countries.

莫迪总理和人民党政府把经济搞得一团糟，不仅在印度国内搞了8年多，甚至还让印度航空等印度境外的航空公司难逃一劫。除了美国，天知道还欠其他国家多少钱。

User•12 hours ago

If Tata doesn't know aviation, then you don't know Tata.

如果塔塔集团不懂航空，那么你也不了解塔塔。

Jaya•United States•13 hours ago

Shame on Modi Govt. Watching the show when passengers are being troubled

莫迪政府真可耻。在乘客深陷麻烦之时居然还看热闹。

prashant parekh•13 hours ago

Ratan Tata has bought. a sick unit the diagnosis of which will take a decade and medicine two decades.

Ratan Tata收购了一个烂摊子，诊断症结需要十年时间，对症下药还需要二十年。

User•13 hours ago

Tell USA that money will be paid to Indian families of Unioncarbide victims.

告诉美国，印度航空会把罚款付给联合碳化公司的印度受害者家庭。

Sudip•14 hours ago

Wait wait ... Modiji will talk with Joe ( Biden) in Bali, Indonesia!

等等，莫迪会跟拜登在印度尼西亚的巴厘岛谈谈的。

User R•14 hours ago

Special thanks to Modiji for selling Air India to Tata. If he had sold airline to Adani, that means 100% deal beneficial to Adani.

特别感谢莫迪把印度航空公司卖给了塔塔。如果他把航空公司卖给阿达尼，那意味着这笔交易阿达尼100%有利可图。

Chill Pill•15 hours ago

Indians FULLY DESERVE their Politicians, Police and Judiciary.

印度人就只能配印度政客、警察和法官。

Cactus•15 hours ago

How about American air lines ? Do they also pay ? US Judiciary has special like to penalise Indian corporates.

美国航空公司呢？也支付退款吗？美国司法部门特别喜欢拿印度公司开刀。

Chill Pill•15 hours ago

AI represents all that is Indian. Sab chalta hai attitude. The sad thing is that AI treats INDIANS the worst amongst all its customers. Filthy, third-class treatment, food and amenities. Of course, you should be at the gate for an AI flight departure in ANY airport to see the fun.. You will see the great Indian mentality at work.. Indisciplined, ghaaslet-line mentality, pushing, getting into the line anywhere, talking loudly on the phone endlessly, feet all over the seats in front, throwing around…

印度航空就是印度社会的缩影。在所有乘客中，印度航空对待印度自己人的态度反而最差。脏乱差，三等服务，三等食物、三等设施。当然，在机场，印度航空航班起飞的登机口是最搞笑的。你会看到印度人出了名的工作态度。乘客们不守秩序，随意插队，推挤挤挤，没完没了地大声讲电话，脚踩在前面的座位上，乱扔东西…

Prakki Satyamurty•Nidadavolu•15 hours ago

Tatas will definitely improve service and food in due course.

塔塔肯定会及时改善服务和食物品质的。

User Balabhadra•16 hours ago

Still waiting for full refund of our cancelled flight in January of this year..worst airline

我还等着今年1月份被取消航班的机票退款呢…史上最差航司。

Useroni•16 hours ago

US failed to grasp that poor treatment by Air India is an integral part of Indian culture, so punishing that poor treatment is an affront to Indian values. Those who use Air India expect to be mistreated and they embrace it out of patriotism. US government should not interfere.

美国人不懂，印度航空公司服务不好是印度文化不可分割的一部分，所以处罚印度航空是对印度价值观的侮辱。那些乘坐印度航空的人很清楚自己会遇到什么，但他们是出于爱国主义而选择的印度航空。美国政府不应该横加干涉。

User Yang•16 hours ago

It's good to see that someone is making the once derelict airline pay through it's nose for it's unprofessional conduct. Tata owned management must go after those govt staffers who kept sitting on these claims & putting all those customers to great unease due to their inaction so that these staffers get a taste of their own medicine when a part of these fines/penalties are deducted from their own salaries.

很高兴看到终于有人让这家曾被遗弃的航空公司为其不专业的行为付出代价。塔塔公司的管理层必须追究那些拖延退款的政府工作人员，就是因为他们的不作为，让所有乘客感到不安，如果从这些工作人员自己的工资中扣除部分罚款时，他们就会尝到自己种下的苦果了。

telveer•Hyderabad•16 hours ago

My mother in laws India-US flight got cancelled twice (Etihad). Each time, refund was processed within a week. Others that booked via AI had horror stories to share. I hope their service improves under TATA.

我婆婆购买的印度-美国航班被取消了两次（阿提哈德航空）。每次退款都在一周内处理完毕。其他预定印度航空机票的乘客则非常不满。我希望在塔塔的领导下，他们的服务能得到改善。

Surya•delhi•16 hours ago

poor ai have to pay so much due to forced cancellatins. but they can quickly recover this amount by running 30 additional flights to us

可怜的印度航空因为航班被迫取消，居然要赔这么多钱。但只要增加30个航班，很快就能收回这笔钱了。

User Raykar•Canada•16 hours ago

I did not get a refund from American Airline during Covid times when they cancelled my flight. Instead they gave me a airline credit.

疫情期间，美国航空公司取消了我的航班，我也没拿到退款。他们只给了我航空公司的积分。

V•D•17 hours ago

My US flight was cancelled and I faced hardship to manage next day. But no compensation! Americans work for Americans only

我的美国航班被取消了，第二天遇到好多麻烦。但是航空公司没有补偿！美国人只为美国人！

•17 hours ago

This refund and penalties must come from govt of india who were running air india during the said period. Tatas must make it clear to US.

这笔退款和罚款必须由那段时间负责运营印度航空公司的印度政府来支付。塔塔必须跟美国说清楚。

Vijay Desikan• Rakesh Koul•USA•13 hours ago

U.S. doesn't care who owned AI at that time. It is up to AI to refund the money, and get it back from Indian govt.

美国才不在乎印度航空当时是谁在管理。印度航空公司应该退钱，再从印度政府那里讨回来。

DINO KAPRI•17 hours ago

Air line must refund their customers.

航空公司必须给乘客退款。

Indian Abroad•3935• Indian Abroad•17 hours ago

Has the US refunded anything for killing thousands in Bhopal gas leakage tragedy by the US company Union Carbide?

美国联合碳化物公司在博帕尔制造的毒气泄漏悲剧导致数千名印度人丧生，美国有给出任何补偿吗？

Vijay Desikan•27477• User James•USA•12 hours ago

These are all mostly Indians and NRIs who booked on AI. USA is doing them a favor by forcing AI to get refunds.

这些乘客大多是预订印度航空的印度人和海外印度人。美国逼印度航空退款是在帮他们的忙。

Unknown•26•17 hours ago

Forget timely refund, they never refunded me the additional charges they took for rebooking flight when their policy clearly said that during covid no charges for rebooking…called and emailed their customer care atleast 30 times before giving up

及时退款就不用再提了，他们至今没有退还我重新预订航班的额外费用，他们公司的政策明文写着疫情期间不收取重新预订费用……在放弃之前，我至少给客户服务中心打电话、发邮件起码30多次。

Sandeep Negi•10931•17 hours ago

After repeatedly requesting for my refund, finally I send them a notice through consumer court. Let's see how it goes. It's almost 90 days now.

在多次提出退款要求后，我终于通过消费者法院给他们发了通知。让我们拭目以待。现在已经过去近90天了。