Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (South) has directed Kingfisher Airlines to pay a compensation of Rs 16,000 to a person for denying him to board flight to Udaipur from Mumbai airport ten years ago.
The petitioner S. Mohammed Ali, Nandanam, submitted that he was scheduled to attend a meeting in Udaipur. He booked a ticket for travel on January 23, 2008 in a flight of Kingfisher Airlines Ltd from Chennai to Udaipur via Mumbai. The ticket was booked through Yatra travel agent.
The scheduled time for departure of the flight was at 9.10 am. However, it was delayed due to bad weather and the flight left at 10.25 am from Chennai and reached Mumbai at 12.15 p.m. He was scheduled to take a connecting flight of Kingfisher Airlines which was scheduled to leave at 1.00 p.m. He said he reported at the boarding counter by 12.35 pm. However, the official at the boarding counter denied him to board the flight from Mumbai to Udaipur as it was full. He was then forced to take ticket from Jet Airways on payment of Rs 4,800 and reached Udaipur. The airlines refunded only Rs 3,825. In February 2008, he sent notice demanding refund of the ticket fare and compensation for causing him mental agony.
In its reply, the Kingfisher airlines denied the allegations. The departure of flight from Mumbai to Udaipur was at 1.00 pm. But, he reported at the boarding gate only after 12.45 p.m. when the gate was already closed and the flight was ready for takeoff. Hence, he was considered as ‘no show’ passenger at Mumbai Airport. Hence, the airlines had not committed deficiency in service and the complaint was liable to be dismissed.
Holding the airlines guilty of committing deficiency in service, the bench comprising president M. Mony and member K. Amala directed the airlines to pay him a compensation of Rs 10,975 for causing him mental agony and cost of Rs 5,000.
