BLUEKITES TRAVEL SERVICES – CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY

1. Platform Role & Scope of Services
Bluekites operates as a travel aggregator and intermediary agent bringing together services offered by third-party suppliers, including but not limited to airlines, hotel operators, holiday package organizers, cab vendors, and rail/bus operators (hereinafter referred to as "Service Providers").
By making a booking on Bluekites web platforms or digital applications, you explicitly acknowledge that Bluekites facilitates bookings and does not directly operate flights, hotels, or transport services.
2. Absolute Third-Party Supplier Dependency
 * No Direct Refund Warranties: Bluekites does not directly commit to, guarantee, or issue refunds on any flight, hotel, package, or transport booking. All cancellations, modifications, and refunds are strictly subject to the respective Service Provider’s cancellation policies, fare rules, and commercial terms.
 * Non-Refundable Fares & Tariffs: If an airline, hotel, or operator defines a booking tariff as "Non-Refundable," Bluekites is legally bound by those terms, and no refund request shall be entertained under any circumstances.
 * Partial or Zero Refunds: In cases where a Service Provider imposes a 100% cancellation fee or retains partial amounts, Bluekites will pass on only the net eligible amount recovered from the provider, less applicable convenience/service fees.
3. Service-Specific Terms
 * Flight Bookings:
   * Flight cancellations and modifications are governed strictly by the respective airline’s fare rules and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) guidelines.
   * All statutory taxes and user development fees (UDF/ADF/PSF) refunded by the airline upon cancellation will be passed to the customer in accordance with DGCA norms.
   * Bluekites non-refundable convenience charges levied at the time of booking are strictly non-refundable under all circumstances.
 * Hotel & Accommodation Bookings:
   * Refundability depends entirely on the hotel’s cancellation window (e.g., free cancellation until 48 hours prior to check-in vs. non-refundable rates).
   * No refunds shall be provided for "No-Shows" (failure to arrive at the property) or early check-outs.
 * Holiday Packages & Customized Itineraries:
   * Holiday packages involve advance payments to multiple third-party vendors (hotels, local transport, activity operators).
   * Advances, token amounts, and non-refundable component costs (such as peak-season hotel holds or pre-booked entry tickets) are entirely non-refundable once committed to third parties.
 * Cab Rentals & Local Transport:
   * Cancellations made within the vendor's non-refundable window or after the driver/vehicle has been dispatched will attract a 100% cancellation charge.
   * No refunds are applicable for delays caused by force majeure events, traffic jams, weather conditions, or route diversions.
4. Unforeseen Events & Force Majeure
Bluekites shall not be held liable, nor shall any refund commitments be made, for cancellations, delays, or service disruptions resulting from acts of God, weather anomalies, natural disasters, strikes, civil unrest, flight suspensions, government restrictions, or sudden operational failure of third-party vendors. Refunds for such cancellations will rely entirely on the relief policy issued by the underlying airline, hotel, or transport operator.
5. Processing Timeline & Service Fees
 * Intermediary Role: Upon receiving a valid cancellation request, Bluekites will initiate the refund claim with the respective Service Provider.
 * Processing Windows: Refunds are processed only after Bluekites receives the actual funds from the airline or service vendor. Standard processing timelines range from 7 to 14 working days post-receipt of funds from the vendor.
 * Bluekites Service Fee: Bluekites reserves the right to deduct a nominal non-refundable administration/service fee per passenger or per booking for processing cancellation and refund requests.
6. Statutory Disclaimers & Consumer Protection
This policy is drafted in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 governing marketplace e-commerce entities and travel intermediaries. Bluekites disclaims direct liability for service deficiencies or cancellations attributable solely to third-party travel suppliers.
7. Governing Law & Jurisdiction
All claims, disputes, or legal actions arising out of travel service bookings with Bluekites shall be governed by the laws of India and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts where the registered office of the Company is situated.
(Note: Under Indian e-commerce transparency guidelines, clearly display the cancellation policy and non-refundable components on the final review screen before payment collection.)