To ensure quicker and more effective redressal of air passengers’ complaints, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has made operational a round-the-clock Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) in New Delhi. Officials said the facility, which became functional on December 10, has been designed to improve real-time coordination among stakeholders and significantly speed up the resolution of grievances faced by air travellers.
The control room is staffed by representatives from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), various airlines and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Working together from a single location, these officials continuously monitor flight operations, respond to passenger calls, track complaints raised across platforms and coordinate with airlines and airport authorities to provide immediate assistance wherever required.
The PACR was set up following a series of operational disruptions, including issues faced by IndiGo earlier this month, as well as recurring flight delays and cancellations caused by fog and other seasonal factors. The ministry said these challenges exposed the limitations of fragmented grievance handling and underscored the need for a centralised, coordinated response mechanism focused on passenger convenience.
To institutionalise this approach, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has established the PACR as a permanent 24×7 facility at Udaan Bhawan in New Delhi. The centre functions as an integrated hub, bringing together officials from MoCA, DGCA, AAI, airlines and other stakeholders to ensure seamless coordination and timely action on passenger concerns.
Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said the introduction of the control room has already led to a noticeable improvement in grievance redressal. He noted that feedback from both passengers and industry stakeholders has been encouraging, reflecting the benefits of close monitoring and coordinated handling of complaints through the PACR.
According to Sinha, more than 13,000 passenger grievances received through platforms such as AirSewa, social media and dedicated call channels have been resolved since the control room became operational. He said cases are now being closely tracked, prioritised and expedited through direct coordination with airline representatives and airport authorities stationed at the PACR.
The ministry said that centralised handling of complaints has enabled faster decision-making and more efficient communication between stakeholders. Officials added that this collaborative framework has helped ensure timely dissemination of information, effective facilitation for passengers and prompt resolution of a wide range of issues.
Passenger complaints addressed at the control room cover a broad spectrum, including flight delays and cancellations, ticket refund delays, lost or damaged baggage, and shortcomings in onboard services such as meals. Officials working at the PACR said that most grievances are targeted to be resolved within a 72-hour timeframe, depending on their nature and complexity.
Airline representatives stationed at the centre have acknowledged the impact of the new system. IndiGo’s Director of Customer Experience, Pratik Arjun Sen, said the airline receives a wide variety of passenger queries and has been working to resolve them at the earliest possible stage. He noted that coordination through the PACR has led to a significant improvement in handling issues following recent disruptions.
SpiceJet’s Assistant Manager of Operations, Ajeet Tiwari, said that flight delays account for a large share of the complaints received, while Air India Express representative Lisa Agarwal pointed out that baggage-related problems and onboard service issues are among the most common concerns raised by passengers. Akasa Air’s Senior Customer Service Agent Shahbaj Alam said the airline typically handles around 15 to 16 queries a day at the control room, mainly related to cancellations, refunds and service-related matters.
Sinha said recurring problems such as frequent flight delays, delayed refunds, long queues, inadequate airport facilities and baggage mishandling highlighted the need for a structured and coordinated grievance redressal mechanism rather than ad-hoc responses. He said the PACR was established to address these systemic issues and ensure a more responsive, passenger-centric aviation ecosystem.
