E-Paper
Travel agency told to refund advance for cancelled US tour
79-year-old Kharar resident had booked the tour by paying an advance of ₹62,000, but the flights were cancelled due to the Covid pandemic
Coming to the aid of a 79-year-old man who couldn’t undertake a planned tour to the US, as it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh, has directed a travel agency to refund the ₹62,000 paid as advance.
The complainant, Rajendar Parsad Bhardwaj, a resident of Kharar, had submitted before the commission that he had paid ₹62,000 as advance to M/s SOTC Travel Limited, Fort Mumbai, through its office in Chandigarh, for a five-day US tour package in 2020.
However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all international flights were cancelled, so he requested for a refund.
In July 2020, the company issued a credit voucher, which could be adjusted towards another tour booking. But due to his old age, Bhardwaj was not interested in visiting the US later and insisted on a refund, which the company did not oblige.
No travel agency failed to submit a response in time, so it was proceeded against ex parte.
“Since the complainant, owing to his old age, is not interested in visiting the US and insisted on a refund, the travel agency should have refunded the amount instead of issuing a credit voucher. However, they did not bother...despite his repeated requests, which amounts to deficiency in service and unfair trade practice,” the commission observed in its order.
Hence, the company was directed to refund ₹62,000, along with interest at 7% per annum from the date of its deposit till its realisation. The commission also awarded ₹5,000 as compensation for harassment and ₹5,500 as litigation expenses.
