In this article · 5 sections
A customer books a Delhi Airport drop for 4 AM, the driver reaches on time, and the phone is switched off. Without a clear taxi cancellation policy, you lose the day's income and argue about the advance. A fair, written policy protects you and builds trust.
Principles
- Clear before booking: on the website, in quotes and in the WhatsApp confirmation
- Proportional: charges increase as the trip gets closer
- Fair exceptions: flight cancellations (with proof), medical emergencies, extreme weather
- Consistent: apply the same rules to everyone
Template (adapt to your business)
Advance: A booking is confirmed after an advance of ₹___ (or __% of the fare), paid via UPI/bank.
Cancellation by customer:
- More than 24 hours before pickup: full refund of advance (minus payment charges, if any)
- 6–24 hours before pickup: __% of advance refunded
- Less than 6 hours or after the car is dispatched: advance non-refundable
No-show: If the customer is not reachable and does not arrive within __ minutes of the pickup time, the booking is treated as a no-show and the advance is not refunded.
Waiting charges: First __ minutes free (airport pickups: __ minutes after landing), then ₹__ per 30 minutes.
Changes: Date/time changes are free when requested __ hours in advance, subject to availability.
Cancellation by us: If we cannot provide the vehicle, we will arrange an equivalent car or refund 100% of the advance.
Refunds: Processed within __ working days to the original payment method.
Make it easy to follow
- Add a short version to every confirmation message. See WhatsApp booking system
- Publish the full policy on your website and link it from the booking form. See website terms and conditions
- For airport pickups, ask for the flight number and track it
Collect advances safely
Use UPI to your business account or a payment gateway. Beware of fake payment screenshots. See UPI scams.
FAQs
Will a cancellation policy reduce bookings?
A fair policy rarely loses genuine customers; it mainly filters casual "maybe" bookings.
Should I take advances for local trips?
For short local trips many operators don't; for outstation, airport night pickups and weddings, advances are common.
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