India’s aviation sector has grown significantly over the past decade, bringing increased passenger traffic and connectivity. However, challenges such as flight delays, refund issues, baggage complaints, congestion, long queues, and inadequate facilities highlighted the need for a real-time, coordinated response mechanism.
To address these issues, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, under Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, established a permanent 24×7 Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) at Udaan Bhawan, New Delhi. Led by Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, the PACR serves as an integrated hub bringing together officials from the Ministry, DGCA, Airports Authority of India, airline operators, and other key stakeholders.
The PACR operates round-the-clock, monitoring aviation operations, attending passenger calls, and coordinating real-time assistance and grievance redressal. The AirSewa system has been fully integrated, enabling seamless handling of passenger complaints, while an omni-channel technology backbone converts inputs into actionable cases with live dashboards for monitoring. Airline representatives present in the Control Room ensure immediate on-spot resolution of issues.
Since December 3, 2025, over 13,000 passenger grievances have been resolved, along with more than 500 direct call-based interventions during operational disruptions. The PACR prioritizes complaints related to flight delays, cancellations, refunds, and baggage in line with the Passenger Charter.
Anchored in the principles of Passenger First, Collaborative Action, Stakeholder Convergence, and a technology-driven framework, the PACR ensures real-time coordination, data-supported decision-making, and scalable operations. Samir Kumar Sinha personally reviews PACR operations daily, supported by senior officials from AAI, DGCA, and MoCA.
The improvements in speed, transparency, and effectiveness of grievance redressal have been well-received by passengers and stakeholders. The Ministry has committed to further strengthen PACR with dedicated manpower, advanced technology, and improved facilities to ensure efficient, empathetic, and accountable passenger service.
