DGCA’s New Rule: Mobile Number and Email Now Mandatory While Booking Flight Tickets

New Delhi, February 13:
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a new rule requiring passengers to provide their mobile number and email ID at the time of booking flight tickets. The directive applies whether the booking is done directly by the passenger or through a travel agent, online portal, or any third-party service. Airline or agent contact numbers cannot be substituted.

Reason Behind the Rule

The decision comes after the December 2025 IndiGo flight cancellations, where approximately 4,500 flights were grounded, affecting nearly 9.82 lakh passengers. Poor communication during the cancellations led to passengers arriving at airports unaware that their flights had been canceled. Many were also delayed in receiving refunds and compensations because airlines did not have accurate contact details.

DGCA noted that in some cases, travel agents provided their own numbers instead of the passenger’s contact, resulting in misinformation and delays.

Objective

The new rule aims to ensure direct and effective communication with passengers, enabling faster refund processing and compensation in case of flight disruptions. Airlines, travel agents, and booking platforms must strictly follow this directive.

Compliance and Monitoring

Airlines are required to:

• Educate travel agents and intermediaries about the new requirement.
• Conduct periodic checks to ensure that passengers’ contact details are correctly recorded at the time of booking.
• Include this requirement in agreements with travel agents to prevent substitution of passenger contact information.

Background

During the IndiGo cancellations in December 2025, DGCA received 26,999 passenger complaints. The airline reportedly spent ₹22.7 crore on refunds, alternative flights, and other passenger services. The Delhi High Court has also asked IndiGo to provide detailed compensation information, with the next hearing scheduled for February 25, 2026.

Passengers are advised to ensure their correct mobile number and email are provided at the time of booking, as this will now be mandatory for all domestic flights.