Kuwait Times, 24 March 2026: Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has mandated all airlines and travel agencies to issue full refunds for cancelled or unused tickets within 15 working days, following the suspension of commercial flights since 28 February.

Under the directive, passengers are entitled to a full refund for unused tickets, and a full refund for the unused portion of partially used tickets—even if originally classified as non‑refundable. Airlines and agents are prohibited from forcing passengers to accept vouchers, reschedule flights, or convert bookings into credit without consent. The refund requirement also extends to unused hotel bookings and other travel services such as car rentals, extra baggage, and travel insurance.

Refunds must be processed using the original payment method unless another arrangement is voluntarily agreed, and only pre‑disclosed service fees may be deducted. Violations may result in legal action before the competent complaints and arbitration committee under Kuwait’s air‑transport regulatory framework.

For more news and content, try Lexis Middle East. Click on lexis.ae/demo to begin your free trial of Lexis® Middle East platform.

You can also explore the legal landscape by subscribing to our Weekly Newsletter.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.