Chennai: The District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum, Chennai (South) has directed a private airline to refund the ticket amount to a woman, who was not accommodated in a flight from Chennai to Pune four years ago.
In the petition, Malar Karthikeyan, Velacherry, submitted that she planned to attend a meeting in Pune and booked a ticket to travel from Chennai to Pune on May 27, 2012 through Spice Jet. She paid Rs 8,416 for the ticket.
Though she reported at the airport 45 minutes ahead of flight departure, she was denied a boarding pass by the ground staff of the airlines. They informed her that check-in was already closed and refused to issue the boarding pass.
In spite of repeated demands they refused to make necessary arrangement for her to board the flight. She alleged that they sold her ticket to someone for a higher price and wasted her time unnecessarily. This forced her to book a ticket in Jet Airways and travel to Pune. She said this was unnecessary expenditure.
She contended that SpiceJet had forfeited the ticket amount for no fault of hers. In the petition she seeks direction to the SpiceJet to refund Rs 8,416 and also Rs 8,416 for a ticket booked with the other airline and a compensation of Rs 3.25 lakh for causing her mental agony and deficiency in service.
The bench of B. Ramalingam, members K. Amala and Dr. T. Paul Rajasekaran, said while replying to her notice, SpiceJet stated that she reported at the counter after its closure and the ticket was declared as ‘no show’.
As per SpiceJet policy the amount on a 'no show' ticket was forfeited. However, SpiceJet had not appeared before the forum to refute the contentions of the complainant nor produced any record to substantiate their reply by email.
As they remained ex parte, the contention of the complainant that she reported in airport well in advance was acceptable.
It is clear that SpiceJet refused to accommodate her and also failed to make any alternative arrangements in some other flight and also failed to refund the amount. The bench directed the airline to refund the ticket amount with an interest of 9 per cent per annum from May 2014 and a cost of Rs 2,500.
