Dubai aviation consumer protection strengthened as Civil Aviation Authority issues new guide
Dubai Civil Aviation Authority issues new consumer guide for aviation, setting complaint timelines, airline and agent obligations, and mediation procedures.
New guide announced by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority
The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority has issued a comprehensive consumer protection guide for the aviation sector in the emirate. The guide, aimed at strengthening Dubai aviation consumer protection, sets a unified regulatory framework covering passenger rights, complaint mechanisms and obligations for airlines and licensed travel agents. It applies to Dubai’s national carriers, their affiliates and partners, foreign carriers operating from Dubai airports, and all licensed travel agencies doing business in the emirate.
Authority sets timelines for complaints and responses
Under the guide, passengers must file complaints within 60 calendar days of the incident to preserve their right to have the matter considered. Airlines and travel agents are required to acknowledge receipt within five working days and to provide a substantive response within 60 calendar days, with a one-time extension of up to 15 calendar days for highly complex cases. Consumers who are dissatisfied or who do not receive a response may escalate their case to the Authority within 14 calendar days of the company’s decision or the expiry of the response period.
Airline obligations on pricing, disclosure and care
Airlines are obliged to provide clear and accurate information at the point of sale, including the total ticket price with taxes and fees, operating carrier identity, permitted baggage allowances and any change or cancellation fees. The guide requires proactive communication in the event of disruptions, and compels carriers to offer rebooking on the next available flight, reasonable rerouting on partner airlines when operationally feasible, or a refund for unused portions of a ticket. When delays exceed thresholds set by the Passenger Welfare Program (CAR‑PWP), airlines must also provide meals, access to communication, and hotel accommodation and ground transport where an overnight stay is necessary.
Responsibilities and liabilities of licensed travel agents
Licensed travel agents must inform consumers of the terms and conditions applicable to any air product or service sold and disclose applicable change or cancellation fees. Agents are required to provide passenger contact details to the operating airline in a timely manner to enable direct operational communications. If an agent fails to pass on contact information, it becomes the agent’s responsibility to communicate updates to the passenger without undue delay based on information received from the airline.
Rights during delays, cancellations and denied boarding
Passengers are entitled to assistance and clear options when flights are delayed, cancelled or when denied boarding occurs due to overbooking. The guide mandates that airlines first seek volunteers to give up reservations in exchange for agreed benefits before imposing involuntary denied boarding. Consumers must be offered a choice between returning to the original point of departure, rerouting to the final destination via the same carrier, or receiving a refund for the unused ticket portion, together with welfare assistance as defined under CAR‑PWP. Special attention and priority must be provided to persons of determination, unaccompanied minors and elderly travellers, and passengers should notify carriers of special assistance needs within the timeframe specified in the carrier’s conditions of carriage.
Mediation scope, exclusions and appeals process
The Authority will accept and mediate complaints that fall within the guide’s scope, including excessive delays beyond CAR‑PWP thresholds, involuntary denied boarding, lost, delayed or damaged baggage, flight cancellations, and failures by carriers or agents to provide required information or assistance. The guide explicitly excludes disputes over ancillary services such as seat selection, lounge access, excess baggage fees, frequent‑flyer programme disputes, staff conduct allegations and matters already under judicial or arbitration review. If a complaint is accepted, the Authority will notify both parties and invite the airline or agent to respond within 30 calendar days, with the intention of facilitating a friendly settlement within another 30 days.
Liability, force majeure and recordkeeping requirements
The guide clarifies that carriers are not liable for compensation under international law or treaties when disruption is caused by force majeure events beyond their control, though they must still provide reasonable care and alternative travel arrangements where practicable. In such cases, welfare assistance provided by airlines is generally limited to a 72‑hour period unless the Authority determines exceptional circumstances that justify an extension. All airlines and licensed travel agents must retain complete records of complaints, their nature, receipts and outcomes for at least two years, and they have 90 calendar days from the guide’s effective date to align their internal processes and complaint handling mechanisms with the new requirements.
The new Dubai Civil Aviation Authority consumer guide aims to standardise protections across the emirate’s aviation ecosystem, improve transparency at the time of sale and ensure passengers have clear, enforceable avenues for redress.