Air India, Air India Express offer refunds of tickets for armed forces

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) In a strong gesture of support for India's armed forces, Air India and Air India Express have offered free rescheduling of tickets or full refunds on cancellations for defence personnel who have bookings with the airlines, following the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and the subsequent launch of Operation Sindoor.

The Tata-owned airline said on Wednesday that the offer is applicable on both Air India and Air India Express flights.

The airline noted that defence personnel holding special fares and booked on Air India and Air India Express flights till May 31, 2025, will be eligible for full refunds in case of cancellations.

Additionally, a one-time rescheduling waiver will be available for travel changes made till June 30, 2025.

The airline said that the move was made as a gesture of support for the "selfless service" and "duty commitments" of the armed forces.

The announcement came against the backdrop of India's armed forces destroying nine terrorist infrastructures, including that of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba, in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in a 25-minute-long missile and drone strike early on Wednesday.

"In the prevailing situation, for those personnel holding defence fares who are booked on Air India and Air India Express flights till May 31, 2025, we are offering full refunds on cancellation and a one-time waiver on rescheduling flights up to June 30, 2025, to support their duty commitments," Air India said in a post on X on Wednesday.

Air India also shared details on how eligible personnel can make use of the offer.

"For Air India flights – https://airindia.com/in/en/contact-us/customer-support-portal/defence-support.html?partner=none&subcategory=Defence%20Support."

"For Air India Express flights – Please #ChatWithTia on +91 63600 12345," it added.

Over the course of a 25-minute-long precision missile and drone strike, Indian forces struck nine high-value terrorist sites. These included major camps belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Toiba in Muridke—both responsible for orchestrating cross-border attacks on Indian soil. The Indian armed forces reportedly used advanced unmanned aerial vehicles and surface-to-surface missiles to neutralise these terror hubs.

Air India Express shared a similar message, emphasising its commitment to supporting military personnel during this time of heightened national alert.

Security across India's border states remains tight, and military preparedness is high as a deterrent to further provocations following the Pahalgam tragedy.

--IANS

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