Passenger Forced To Purchase Last-Minute Tickets After Flight Disruption: Chandigarh Consumer Commission Holds IndiGo, Turkish Airlines Liable

The Commission held the airlines liable for deficiency in service after a sudden flight disruption forced the complainant to purchase expensive last-minute tickets to ensure his son reached a mandatory university orientation programme in the United States.

Brief Facts

The Complainant and his son had booked flight tickets from New Delhi to Detroit via Istanbul. Even though the ticket was booked through Turkish Airlines, but the first portion of the journey from Delhi to Istanbul was to be operated by Indigo under some codeshare agreement between the two airlines.

When the complainant reached the Delhi Airport, the Indigo Airlines issued boarding passes only up to Istanbul and informed them that their further journey (from Istanbul to Detroit) has been cancelled. The complainant claimed that no prior intimation was given regarding this disruption.

Although Indigo Airlines offered a hotel accommodation but the complainant stayed with their relatives in Gurugram while waiting for a revised travel plan. But later they were informed by the Turkish Airlines that seats to Detroit will not be available for few days more.

As the Complainant's son had to attend a university orientation in the United States during this time, they had to buy Lufthansa tickets for Rs.2,37,492/-. They also faced financial losses due to hotel bookings cancellations, a part of which was non-refundable. The complainant alleged that Turkish Airlines blamed Indigo Airlines for disruptions and Indigo Airlines offered just Rs.20,000/- per passenger as compensation.

Contentions of the Airlines

Indigo Airlines claimed that the disruptions were due to operational issues in flight that were beyond their control. As per them, they had offered the passenger alternative accommodations and flights but the passengers denied. They argued that they offered a compensation amount of Rs.20,000/- per passenger and the rest of refund related issues had to be handled by Turkish Airliines because they had issued the ticket.

Turkish Airlines submitted that they were only in charge of the tickets and were not responsible for operating the Delhi to Istanbul flight. They further submitted that after knowing about the disruptions, they refunded the full ticket amount to the Complainant and his son.

Decision

The Commission found that the complainant had to buy very expensive tickets as he could not travel on the original booking. They also found that refunding the original ticket amount and offering Rs.20,000/- compensation did not make up for the financial losses caused to the complainant. The complainant had also booked new tickets and further lost money on hotel bookings being cancelled.

The Commission found that the complainant had to incur Rs.2,37,492/- for the new tickets and Turkish Airlines had refunded only Rs.1,71,694/- for the cancelled tickets. Thus, a differential amount of Rs.65,798/- was yet to be paid.

Holding both the Airlines liable for deficiency in services, the Chandigarh Consumer Commission directed them to jointly pay a total sum of Rs.1,10,258/- towards additional flight fare and non-refunded hotel expenses. It also awarded Rs.50,000/- as compensation for causing mental agony, harassment and litigation costs.

The payment was directed to be made within 45 days failing which a penal interest at the rate of 12% annually until payment.

Case Title: Mohit Bansal vs. Indigo Airlines & Ors.

Case Number: DC/44/CC/1058/2025