E-Paper
Chandigarh: Flight cancelled at last minute, airline asked to pay ₹65,616
The commission directed the airline to pay ₹35,616 to complainant Mukul Goyal, of Sector 32, and his family members, along with interest @ 9% per annum, from the date of cancellation of tickets till onwards
A district consumer directed SpiceJet Limited to pay ₹65,616 in compensation and refund to a consumer for cancelling his flight tickets last minute in 2019. The consumer got to know that his flight was cancelled only when he, along with his family, reached IGI Airport in Delhi to board the scheduled flight.
The commission directed the airline to pay ₹35,616 to complainant Mukul Goyal, of Sector 32, and his family members, along with interest @ 9% per annum, from the date of cancellation of tickets till onwards.
It also directed the airline to pay an amount of ₹20,000 as compensation, along with ₹10,000 as litigation cost.
The complainant alleged that he booked five-morning air tickets on SpiceJet by paying ₹16,528 for himself and his family — including for his sister Anubha Goyal and family members Rajesh Gupta, Tanmay Gupta and Gaurik Gupta— to travel from Delhi to Mumbai on October 11, 2019, when the marriage reception of Mukul Goyal was fixed in Mumbai.
The flight booking was confirmed, but on the day of the journey, it was informed by the staff that the flight had been cancelled.
It was alleged that the airline cancelled tickets at the very last moment which has caused intensive pain, distress and mental agony to the family members of the complainant. They were compelled to buy tickets from another airline at a cost of ₹52,144.
In the consumer forum, the airline stated that the flight was cancelled due to an operational technical snag, which was beyond the control and power. It is further stated that the ticket fare was refunded in favour of the agent through whom the complainant had booked the tickets and even compensation of ₹14,060 was offered to the complainant, as per the terms and conditions of the circular issued by DGCA.
Contesting the complaint, it adds that as the complainant had not shared the account number, the amount could not be transferred to the account of the passengers.
The district consumer disputes redressal commission noticed that though the airline claimed it had already offered compensation of ₹14,060 to the complainant, no proof had been filed. It said the airline has not assessed the compensation as per terms and conditions rather each passenger is required to be paid at least an amount of ₹5,000 for the mental pain they had suffered at the airport.
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