AI directed to compensate passenger

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, OCT. 2.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum here has ordered Air India to pay Rs. 20,000 as compensation to a passenger for deficiency of service.

The complainant, Mr. M.K. Abdul Majeed, a scientist retired from the VSSC, was on his way to attend a conference of Space Engineers at Agra on April 8, 1999. He had booked a ticket with Air India for his journey on April 7, at 8-40 a.m. from Thiruvananthapuram to Mumbai. From Mumbai, he was to have taken a connection flight at 1 p.m. to Delhi.

Though he boarded the aircraft on the said day, the passengers were made to wait in the aircraft for over three hours. At 11 a.m., the cancellation of the flight was announced.

The complainant had to run from pillar to post to get another ticket arranged for his journey. He managed to get on the Indian Airlines flight to Delhi at 5-20 p.m. on the same day and reached Delhi only by 11-45 p.m. The complainant said that he was put through much difficulty, trying to get some mode of public transport to Agra late in the night and that he managed to get to Agra only in the wee hours of morning.

He demanded compensation for the physical and mental harassment that he had been put through.

In their version, Air India contended that the flight had to be cancelled due to inevitable reasons. They said that the pilot's duty hours was to have been over by 10-40 a.m. on the day and that breaching of the time limit would invite punishment from the Civil Aviation authorities. Though they had tried for permission from the authorities in Delhi, there was a delay and hence the flight had to be cancelled.

They contended that the flight was re-scheduled to fly at 11-45 p.m. on the day and that the complainant could have had his accommodation arranged if he had contacted the Air India officials.

The District Forum pointed out that it was highly irresponsible of Air India to have allowed 250 passengers on an aircraft and then start searching for a pilot to fly it. When the flight which was coming from Dubai had made a late landing itself, Air India should have been able to make alternate arrangements to fly the aircraft, it was pointed out.

The complainant, who was travelling on a tight schedule was put through difficulties because of the negligence of Air India officials, who had failed to take stock of the situation in advance, the Forum pointed out.

Air India was ordered to pay a compensation of Rs. 20,000, Rs. 1,300 as taxi expenses incurred by the complainant and Rs. 1,000 as costs to Mr. Abdul Majeed.

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