Chandigarh Dist. Consumer Commission Directs Indigo Airlines To Reimburse Ticket Fare, Awards Compensation And Litigation Cost To Army Officer And Family.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh, consisting of Suresh Kumar Sardana (Presiding Member) and BM Sharma (Member), has ordered Indigo and its ticket agent to compensate an Indian Army Officer. The commission held that by refusing to let the family board the flight or demanding an additional payment of Rs.4500/-, both Indigo and the ticket agent engaged in unfair trade practices and failed to provide satisfactory service to Army officer and his family

Lieutenant Colonel Manpreet Singh booked tickets for himself, his wife, and son through a company called Balmer Lawries & Co. Ltd, a third-party travel agent, for an Indigo flight. The family paid Rs.18,695/- for the tickets. The wife's ticket mentioned a baggage limit of 20 kg, but at the airport, the airline staff said it was too heavy (over 15 kg) and couldn't be allowed. The staff claimed it as a mistake and suggested putting the extra weight in the officer's baggage since he had a separate ticket. The total weight of the wife's and son's baggage was about 39 kg. The Indigo staff asked them to pay Rs.4500/- for the excess weight or rearrange items in their small hand baggage. Manpreet Singh asked for tickets on the next flight, an adjustment in ticket prices, or a refund, but the airline refused. Then, he had no choice but to book new tickets with another airline, costing him Rs.13,953/-. Manpreet Singh filed a consumer complaint and argued that the airline's actions caused him financial loss and requested a refund of Rs.18,695/- for the original tickets, plus Rs.13,953/- for the new tickets he bought for himself and his family.

Indigo disputed the complaint, stating that Manpreet Singh attached a ticket from their third-party travel agent, Balmer Lawries, which incorrectly mentioned a baggage allowance of 20 kgs. Indigo noted that Manpreet’s wife and son had different ticket itineraries with varying baggage allowances from the same travel agent. Further, Indigo argued that the dispute over baggage allowance should be resolved between Manpreet Singh and Balmer Lawries, the third-party travel agent. Balmer Lawries denied responsibility for the alleged refusal by Indigo officials and stated that they were merely agents of Indigo. They clarified that while Manpreet Singh’s wife had a 20 kgs baggage allowance, the minor son had only 15 kgs. Balmer Lawries asserted that they provided proper service and requested the dismissal of the complaint.

Observations by the Commission:

The whole case revolved around the contention that in spite of having 39 kg of baggage against 40 kg shown in the ticket, Manpreet Singh and his family were not allowed to board the Indigo flight on the pretext that the baggage permissible limit is less than the baggage carried by the complainant and he suffered lot of mental agony & harassment.

The commission while referring to the available evidences held that the baggage allowance mentioned on the ticket issued by Balmer Lawries was clearly stated as 20 kg per person. Since the ticket was for two individuals, the total permitted baggage would be 20 kg multiplied by 2, which equals 40 kg. However, Manpreet Singh and his family were carrying a baggage weighing 39 kg, just below the permitted limit, the commission held. Therefore, the commission was of the view that by refusing to let the family board the flight or demanding an additional payment of Rs.4500/-, both Indigo and Balmer Lawries engaged in unfair trade practices and failed to provide satisfactory service to Manpreet Singh and his family.

Hence, the commission accepted the consumer complaint partially and directed Indigo and Balmer Lawries to pay ₹18,695/- to Manpreet Singh for the unused tickets, along with 9% interest per year from the date of filing the complaint until the payment is made and a sum of ₹10,000/- as compensation for the mental distress and harassment they experienced. Furthermore, Indigo and Balmer Lawries were asked to cover the litigation costs of ₹10,000/- incurred by the Manpreet Singh.

Case: Lt. Col. Manpreet Singh vs Indigo Airlines

Case No.: CC/408/2021

Advocate for the Complainant: Gaurav Bhardwaj

Advocate for the Respondent: Sh. Amandeep Singh

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