MakeMyTrip Ordered to Refund Customers After Withholding COVID Cancellation Refunds
MakeMyTrip withheld refunds for COVID-cancelled bookings, offered only credits/vouchers, and charged cancellation fees for flights cancelled by airlines — not by consumers.
Key Facts
MakeMyTrip
Multiple Orders
Consumer Forums, NCDRC
Order Issued
The Full Story
During the COVID-19 pandemic, MakeMyTrip — India's largest online travel agency — faced massive backlash for its refund practices. When the government imposed lockdowns and airlines cancelled flights, consumers expected refunds for bookings they could no longer use.
Instead, MakeMyTrip offered vouchers and credits with expiry dates rather than actual refunds. Consumers who insisted on cash refunds faced endless delays, with some waiting over a year. In many cases, MakeMyTrip charged cancellation fees even when the cancellation was caused by the airline or government restrictions — not by the consumer.
The problem wasn't limited to flights. Hotel bookings made through MakeMyTrip were also affected, with the company blaming hotel partners for refund delays while the hotels blamed MakeMyTrip.
Consumers reported spending hours on hold with customer service, receiving contradictory information, and having their complaint tickets closed without resolution. Many consumers who couldn't afford the lost money — students who had saved for trips, families who had booked for medical travel — were left without recourse.
The NCDRC and various state consumer commissions took up multiple cases and established that consumers are entitled to full refunds for services cancelled due to force majeure events, not just credits or vouchers.
Court Order / Regulatory Action
NCDRC and State Consumer Commissions ordered MakeMyTrip to process full refunds for pandemic-cancelled bookings. Courts ruled that offering only vouchers/credits when cancellation is not the consumer's fault is a deficiency in service.
Outcome
Multiple refund orders. Precedent set that force majeure cancellations entitle consumers to full refunds, not just vouchers.
Impact on Consumers
The cases established important precedent for consumer rights during extraordinary events and clarified that travel platforms cannot retain consumer money when services are cancelled due to circumstances beyond the consumer's control.
Sources & References
Last verified: April 2025