Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (North) has directed SpiceJet Airlines to pay a compensation of Rs 1.55 lakh to three air passengers for cancellation of a flight in the eleventh hour at New Dehi three years ago.
In the petition, Basheer Ahamed of Manady, State President of Indian National League, T. M. Abdul Kadar of Vaniyambadi, a retired professor and E.Sarwar Khan, an advocate of Tindivanam, said that they booked flight tickets with Spice Jet Airlines to travel from New Delhi to Chennai on December 16, 2014. The flight was scheduled to leave at 10.45 pm. They reached New Delhi airport three hours in advance.
However, the flight was cancelled in the eleventh hour and they came to know about it only through the notice board. The airlines had not made any alternate arrangements. The airlines directed them to board its flight on the next day.
The trio said nowadays no prudent man would wait for 24 hours to catch a flight. The airline should have tried to accommodate them in flights in other airlines. They immediately booked tickets in another airline and reached Chennai.The act of the airline amounts to gross negligence in service and unfair trade practice.
They sent notice to the Appellate Authority, Spice Jet Ltd., Gurgaon, the Nodal Authority, Spice Jet Ltd., New Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd., and the Appellate Authority, Spice Jet Ltd., Chennai Airport. They sought compensation from the airline.
In its reply, SpiceJet Ltd stated that the flight was cancelled due to a sudden technical snag. This was informed to the passengers immediately. And they were given option either to get the full refund or to take an alternate flight which was scheduled to fly from New Delhi on the next day at the same time. But, they opted for refund of their full fare.
They were not affected due to cancellation of the flight. Holding SpiceJet responsible for committing negligence in providing service, the bench comprising President K. Jayabalan and member M. Uyirroli Kannan said the trio suffered mental agony due to cancellation of the flight. Besides directing SpiceJet to refund Rs 1 lakh to them, the bench also directed the airline to pay them a compensation of Rs 55,000 for causing them mental agony.
