Stranded passengers now turning to DGCA for action
A Sharjah–Nagpur Air Arabia flight was called off late on November 20 after heavy fog blanketed parts of the UAE, disrupting operations through Friday morning. But what angered passengers most was not the cancellation—it was the airline’s refusal to issue a full refund.
According to a media report, travellers who had been waiting at Sharjah Airport since the night of November 20 said they received the cancellation alert only after reaching the terminal. When they requested their money back, Air Arabia declined and instead offered travel credit, valid only for future UAE-bound flights and only after deducting a cancellation charge.
₹14,500 ticket cost shoots up to ₹30,000
Several passengers who had booked their tickets months earlier for around ₹14,500 were forced to buy last-minute tickets on other airlines, shelling out ₹23,000 to ₹30,000 just to return home. The original fare amount remains stuck with Air Arabia.
Many travellers flew from Ras Al Khaimah to Mumbai and then onward to Nagpur due to the lack of options.
Passengers said Air Arabia neither arranged accommodation nor food despite the sudden cancellation, leaving even elderly travellers stranded at the airport for hours.
Nagpur flyers question airline’s inconsistency
While the Sharjah–Nagpur service was grounded due to “adverse weather,” travellers pointed out that Sharjah–Mumbai flights still operated that very night. Travel agents, who did not wish to be named, said more than 50 Nagpur-bound passengers had booked the cancelled flight as early as July—yet the airline refused to refund the amount it had held for nearly four months.
Complaint to DGCA in the works
One of the passengers, Uday Andhare, who was travelling with his wife, confirmed that the cancellation information came only after they reached the airport. He said the airline’s unhelpful stance left everyone—especially seniors—struggling.
Frustrated by the loss of money and inconvenience, the fliers are now preparing to file a formal complaint with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
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